Legal Secretary: NATED N5 National Certificate

Our Legal Secretary: NATED N5 National Certificate course is the second course you will complete in our Legal Secretary Programme. The Legal Secretary: NATED N5 National Certificate prepares you for the Legal Secretary: NATED N6 National Certificate.

Legal Secretary: NATED N5 National Certificate is offered in conjunction with the Bellview Institute of Distance Learning.

Matric College

Legal Secretary: NATED N4 National Certificate - Subjects

Here are the subjects that you will have studied for the Legal Secretary: NATED N4 National Certificate:

Compulsory Subjects 

  • Office Practice N4
  • Information Processing N4
  • Communication N4
  • Mercantile Law

Elective Subjects

Choose one of the following subjects:

  • Entrepreneurship and Business Management N4
  • Financial Accounting N4
  • Introductory Accounting N4
  • Computer Practice N4
  • Introductory Computer Practice N4
  • Public Administration N4.
  • Mercantile Law N4
How NATED Courses Work

Legal Secretary: NATED N5 National Certificate - Subjects

Compulsory Subjects

Here are the subjects that you will study for the Legal Secretary: NATED N5 National Certificate:

  • Office Practice N5
  • Communication N5
  • Information Processing N5
  • Legal Practice N5

Career Opportunities

Here are the career opportunities that you may consider on completion of your Legal Secretary: NATED N5 National Certificate:

  • Filing Clerk
  • Junior Conveyancing Assistant 
  • Junior Legal Secretary
  • Personal Assistant
  • Receptionist
  • Junior Legal Secretary
  • Junior Conveyancing Secretary
  • Personal Assistant
  • Receptionist
  • Administrative Assistant

What Will I Learn?

On completion of the Legal Secretary: NATED N5 National Certificate you will have learned the following:  

Office Practice

Here is what you will learn in this subject:

  • How to perform various duties in an office
  • Managing diaries
  • Making bookings for clients and employees

Communication

Here is what you will learn in this subject:

  • Proper communication skills
  • Verbal and non-verbal communication 
  • Face-to-face communication
  • Effective communication

 Information Processing 

Here is what you will learn in this subject:

  • how to use a computer 
  • Computer systems
  • Computer programs 

Legal Practice

 Here is what you will learn in this subject:

  • knowledge of legal matter and practices 
  • How to create legal documents 
  • Client relations

Legal Secretary: NATED N5 National Certificate - Assessments

You will be assessed on completion of your Legal Secretary: NATED N5 National Certificate. Here is how you will be assessed:

Assignments

There are three open-book assignments for each of your subjects. Prepare and submit the assignments in time. The minimum pass mark for your assignments is 40%.

Exams

Exams for NATED courses are held twice a year. Exams are held in May / June and October / November. Registration for the May / June exams is in February while registration for the October / November exams is in August.

A qualification acquired through studying a NATED Legal Secretary course is a NATED Qualification. This means that a NATED Legal Secretary refers to a Legal Secretary qualified through the NATED programme. 

NATED stands for National Accredited Technical Education Diploma. NATED courses were originated by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). This was after the DHET noted that there was a skills gap in the job market. 7 NATED programmes are offered by Matric College.

To become a Legal Secretary in South Africa, you can study the NATED Legal Secretary Programme. Here are the Legal Secretary National Qualifications (NATED) that we offer at Matric College:

There are no specific subjects that are required for the Legal Secretary Programme. To qualify for the NATED Legal Secretary Programme, here are the requirements:

  • Matric 
    • To qualify for this programme, only a Matric is acceptable
  • Be able to study by distance learning 
    • You must have the discipline to study by distance learning
  • You must be 16 years or older

No, you can not study the Legal Secretary Programme without Matric. If you have an incomplete Matric, you can complete your Matric through our Matric Upgrade programme or if you do have Matric you can study for your Matric under our Adult Matric Programme.

Yes, anyone can be a Legal Secretary. Gone are the days when secretarial work was  dominated by females only. This course is for you if you have a passion for clerical and administrative duties in a legal environment.

The duties of a Legal Secretary are mostly clerical and administrative. Legal Secretaries work in law firms and legal departments of large corporations. Here are some of the duties of a Legal Secretary:

  • Filing
  • Coordinating meetings
  • Typing correspondences
  • Diarising appointments
  • Answering calls and responding
  • Sending emails 
  • Making travel arrangements
  • Accounting for office petty cash

Yes, Legal Secretary is a good career. Here are some of the reasons why you should study the Legal Secretary: NATED N5 National certificate:

  • You can study further
  • Job satisfaction
  • Flexible hours
  • Accredited course

You Can Study Further

After completing your Legal Secretary: N5 National Certificate, here are the other courses that you can complete:

QCTO

The Quality Control for Trade and Occupations is the body that ensures that Trade and Occupational courses fulfill the required standards. NATED courses are Occupational courses and are subject to quality control by the QCTO.

SAQA

The South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) administers the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). NATED courses are registered on the NQF. The N4, N5, and N6 courses are NQF level 5. The N6 National Diploma Qualification is NQF level 6.

DHET

The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) designed the NATED courses and certifies them too. It also has a programme that facilitates the placement of students on  work-based training.

It will take you about 6 -12 months to complete the Legal Secretary: NATED N5 National Certificate course. Here is the duration for the NATED Legal Secretary Programme:

LEGAL SECRETARY COURSE LEVELRECOMMENDED DURATION
Legal Secretary: N4 National Certificate6 – 12 months
Legal Secretary: N5 National Certificate6 – 12 months
Legal Secretary: N6 National Certificate6 – 12 months
Legal Secretary: N6 National Diploma18 months work experience

Your Next Step Is To Get Your Legal Secretary: NATED N6 National Certificate

As soon as you complete your Legal Secretary: NATED N5 National Certificate, your next step will be to study for the Legal Secretary: NATED N6 National Certificate.

Why Choose To Study With Matric College?

Here is why you should study at Matric College:

  • There is no commuting for lessons
  • You study at your own pace
  • There is flexibility as there are no routines associated with attending college 
  • Work and learn at the same time. You will be able to fund your studies  
  • There are tutors available to assist you 
  • Facebook study groups will assist you with your learning 
  • We provide you with textbooks and study notes

There are certain skills that you need to possess if you are to be an effective Legal Secretary. For example, for an office to function smoothly, an office worker should be organised. 

An organised Legal Secretary should be able to retrieve a file in the shortest possible time. That can only happen if one is organised. Organisational skills are one of the skills that employers look for when employing a Legal Secretary.    

Here are some of the skills that employers look for in a Legal Secretary:

  • Time Management
  • Research
  • Computer
  • Typing
  • Communication
  • Analytical

Time Management

Time management is a skill that employers look for. Your duties must be performed on time every time. Appointments and meetings all need to be done in time. 

Missing time can derail scheduled activities for the day. If that happens, it reflects badly on the organisation. This may lead to clients losing confidence in your organisation.  

Computer

This course will teach you about skills and programs. It is important, however, for you to be up to date with relevant computer programs that you may need to use in your line of duty. 

For example, COVID-19 saw the advent of online meeting programs like Zoom and Google Meet. Familiarising yourself with such can keep you relevant as an office worker.  

Typing

Good typing skills can make you more effective in the workplace. Typing documents can overwhelm you if your typing speed is slow. When urgent documents take a long time to be typed, it may affect other processes which depend on that particular document being available. 

Communication

A Legal Secretary should be able to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing, across all levels. One of your key functions is to relay messages both within and outside your organisation.

According to za.talent.com, the average entry-level (0 -3 years of experience) salary of a Legal Secretary is R 14 000 per month. Those with 4 – 9 years of experience earn about R 17 000 per month while Legal Secretaries with more than 10 years of experience take home an average of R 54 000 per month.

LEGAL SECRETARY LEVELAVERAGE MONTHLY SALARY
Entry – Level (0 to 3 years of experience)R 14 000.00
Middle Level (4 to 9 years of experience)R 17 000.00
Senior Level (more than 10 years of experience)R 54 000.00

According to ziprecruiter.com here are the highest paying Secretary jobs:

  • Principal Secretary 
  • Corporate Secretary
  • Engineering Secretary
  • Assistant Corporate Secretary
  • Confidential Secretary
  • Personal Secretary
  • Financial Secretary
  • Office Secretary

By being more senior within the corporate hierarchy, a Paralegal earns more than a Legal Secretary. A Paralegal reports to a Lawyer, while a Legal Secretary may report to a Paralegal.

A Paralegal is someone who has knowledge of the law and can work independently as a Legal Assistant. Paralegals work for law firms. They prepare the paperwork for court, gather legal documents and assist with other legal duties. 

They also deal with clients and communicate with them during trials or court cases. A Paralegal also does research on cases for the lawyer and can appear in court.

A lawyer’s assistant is called a Paralegal. They are also referred to as Legal Assistants. The terms are usually interchanged.

Fortunately, with NATED courses, the programme has a practical component on each of the courses. However, you do not have to complete the practical at each level, that is, N4, N5 and N6 to be awarded your National N Certificate. If you do, It will be to your advantage if you intend to acquire the Diploma qualification which requires you to have 18 months work experience.

Application Process

To register with Matric College, contact one of our course experts. They will inform you about all you need to know regarding the Legal Secretary: NATED Programme. They will also advise you on how to go about your studies and payment options.

How Do I Study Legal Secretary: NATED N5 National Certificate

Here is the process upon successful registration with Matric College;

  1. Within 5 -7 days you will receive your course material by courier
  2. Attempt your first assignment and more thereafter
  3. Submit your assignment
  4. Get help from your tutor in the areas that you are struggling with
  5. Study for your exams
  6. Pass your exams 
  7. Get certified by the Department of Higher Education and Training

Where Can I Study Legal Secretary: NATED N5 National Certificate?

You can study your Legal Secretary: NATED N5 National Certificate with Matric College.

When Can I Start Studying Legal Secretary: NATED N5 National Certificate?

You can start studying for the Legal Secretary: NATED N5 National Certificate today. Fill in the form below to contact one of our course experts. You will be advised on all that you need to know about the Legal Secretary: NATED Programme.

Frequently Asked Questions

Just like any other organisation, a firm law should answer calls courteously. Remember, the way you answer the phone reflects on the organisation.

No, you do not need a Degree to become a Legal Secretary. You can complete any of our National Qualifications (NATED) to become a Legal Secretary.

The difference between a Secretary and a Legal Secretary is that a Legal Secretary works in a law firm or a legal department of a large corporation. Bear in mind that a NATED Legal Secretary also studies Legal Practice.

No, Legal Secretary is not the same as a Paralegal. A Paralegal is more senior than a Legal Secretary. Paralegals assist Lawyers while the Legal Secretary does the administrative and clerical duties.

Law clerks go through law school, while Legal Assistants only have a small amount of technical education in the field. Legal Assistants are mostly confined to research and legal writing under the supervision of a lawyer. they cannot provide legal advice.

No, a Legal Secretary is not a lawyer. A Legal Secretary does the clerical and administrative work in a law firm. Here are some of the duties of a lawyer:

  • Providing legal advice 
  • Writing contracts
  • Attending court 
  • Researching case studies
  • Representing clients in court

Any course is as hard or as difficult as you make it. For you to get ahead consider the following:

  • Stick to your study timetable
  • Participate in study groups
  • Submit your assignments in time
  • Prepare for your exams well

Other Legal Secretary Courses

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N4 National Certificate Legal Secretary

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N6 National Certificate Legal Secretary

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N6 Diploma Legal Secretary

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Author: Collin Wilbesi
Editor: Amy Venter
Date Published: February 25, 2022

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