Legal Secretary: NATED N6 National Certificate is the last theoretical course in the NATED Legal Secretary Programme. As the most comprehensive of the three courses, it will provide you with a broader understanding of Legal Secretary.
After you have completed this course you can complete 18 months of work experience and get your Legal Secretary: NATED N6 National Diploma.
The Bellview Institute of Distance Learning offers NATED courses in partnership with us.
| Certificate Type | National N Certificate |
| Awarded By | The DHET and the QCTO |
| Award Type | National Certificate and a Programme Completion Certificate |
| NQF Level | Level 5 |
| SAQA ID | 67004 |
| Credits | 60 |
| Entry Requirements |
|
Legal Secretary: NATED N6 National Certificate Subjects
You have to successfully complete the subjects of the previous course which is the Legal Secretary: NATED N5 Certificate if you want admission to the Legal Secretary: NATED N6 National Certificate course.
Complete Subject List
- Office Practice N6
- Legal Practice N6
- Information Processing N6
- Mercantile Law N5
Career Opportunities
Here are some of the careers you can pursue after completing the Legal Secretary: NATED N6 National Certificate Course:
- Legal Clerk
- Conveyancing Assistant
- Junior Legal Secretary
- Office Assistant
- Receptionist
What Will I Learn?
The Legal Secretary course will help you perform important duties that will help you become a successful Legal Secretary. Here is what you will learn in the Legal Secretary: NATED N6 National Certificate course:
- The daily tasks of a Legal Secretary
- How to use legal terms as well as understanding these terms
- Having an understanding of some areas of law
- Basic knowledge of the legal system and how it works
- How to type and complete legal documents
Here is what you will learn in each subject:
Office Practice: During this subject, you will learn practical skills that professionals (Secretaries, Administrators, Management Assistants) in an office do every day.
Information Processing: By taking this subject, you will learn the computer skills needed to work as a Legal Secretary. In addition, you will learn how to optimise any information you receive. You will learn how to:
- Obtain
- Document
- Prepare
- Identify
- Present
- and share information
Mercantile Law: You learn about the rights, responsibilities, and liabilities of parties involved in a business transaction.
Legal Practice: Topics covered in Legal Practice include:
- Rules, policies, and customs
- Law as a general practice
Legal Secretary: NATED N6 National Certificate Assessments
The Legal Secretary: NATED N6 National Certificate includes the following two assessments:
- Assignments
- Exams
You have to complete the assignments and final exam for each subject. To qualify for the exams, you must pass your assignments with an average score of 40%.
Assignments
You have to complete the three compulsory assignments before you apply for the final exam. To qualify for the final exam, you should achieve an average score of 40% for all of your assignments combined.
NOTE: Each subject has three assignments that you need to complete. If you complete all three assignments, you are more likely to qualify for the final exam.
Exams
There are two opportunities to register for the final NATED exam. Registration opens on these dates:
- February: From the 1st to the 28th of February
- When you register at this time of year, you will write the exam in May or June
- August: From the 1st to the 31st of August
- When you register at this time of year, you will write the exam in October or November
*You must achieve an average of 50% or more to pass the final exam.
A NATED Legal Secretary Course is a course that was designed by the Department of Higher Education and Training. NATED courses have a practical and theoretical component that ensures that students are work-ready. At Matric College, we offer three courses you should complete before you gain your work experience. These courses are:
- Legal Secretary: NATED N4 National Certificate
- Legal Secretary: NATED N5 National Certificate
- Legal Secretary: NATED N6 National Certificate
We will provide you with a logbook where you need to record your 18 months of work experience. Once you have completed the 18 months of work experience, you will submit your logbook to us.
We will send the logbook to the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) for approval. Then, the DHET will award you with an N6 National Diploma once they have approved your work experience.
Here is how you can become a Legal Secretary in South Africa:
- After completing a Legal Secretary course
- Having gained experience as a legal secretary
- If you possess the skills necessary to become a Legal Secretary
Completed A Legal Secretary Course
Here are the different courses you can complete at Matric College that will allow you to start your career as a Legal Secretary:
- Legal Secretary: NATED N4 National Certificate
- Legal Secretary: NATED N5 National Certificate
- Legal Secretary: NATED N6 National Certificate
- Legal Secretary: NATED N6 National Diploma
Gain Experience
Work experience is extremely important for any position you apply for. Gain the necessary work experience by working at the following organisations:
- A private law firm
- You can work closely with a Lawyer
- Or you can volunteer at a Legal Aid Organisation
*By gaining the necessary work experience, you can identify which area of law you would like to work in.
As a Legal Secretary you can work for the following types of Lawyers or Attorneys:
- Corporate Attorney
- Criminal Lawyer
- Estate Planning Attorney
- Family Lawyer
- Intellectual Property Lawyer
- Labour Lawyer
- Medical Malpractice Attorney
- Personal Injury Attorney
Have The Necessary Skills To Become A Legal Secretary
You should already have the necessary skills, interests, and passion to become a successful Legal Secretary. You can obtain these skills by completing one of our Legal National Qualifications.
Here are the characteristics of a Legal Secretary:
- Reliability: You have to meet all of your deadlines. Your timing could affect a client’s case
- Confidentiality: You must be able to keep the information confidential because you are working with many clients’ private information
- Great communication skills: You have to know how to communicate with clients in a professional manner
- Organised: You must have an organised filing system. This includes keeping the information readily available and easy to access
After you have completed a Legal Secretary course at Matric College, you can further your studies with another Legal Secretary course. Here are all of our Legal Secretary courses that you can complete at Matric College:
Complete the first course: Legal Secretary: NATED N4 National Certificate |
| ⇩ |
Complete the second course: Legal Secretary: NATED N5 National Certificate |
| ⇩ |
Complete the third course: Legal Secretary: NATED N6 National Certificate |
| ⇩ |
Complete the fourth course: Legal Secretary: NATED N6 National Diploma (Complete 18 months of work experience to get your NATED N6 National Diploma) |
No, you do not need a degree to become a Legal Secretary. Complete one of our Legal Secretary: NATED National Qualifications (NATED) to become a Legal Secretary. After you have completed our entire NATED Legal Secretary Programme, you can further your studies at a university and complete a diploma course and then a degree course in Law.
*Remember that universities have their own entry requirements and separate entry requirements for their courses. Do your research before you apply to a university.
No, you cannot study Legal Secretary without Matric. The main entry requirement for any of our NATED Legal Secretary Courses is a Matric Certificate with any Matric Pass Level. Here is what you can do to complete a Legal Secretary course at Matric College if you do not have a Matric Certificate:
- Complete a Matric Upgrade course
- This course is for students that want to improve their Matric marks
- You can go from a fail to a pass
- Complete an Adult Matric course
- This course is for students who have not completed their Matric
If you have no experience, you can become a legal secretary by completing the following NATED courses:
- Legal Secretary: NATED N4 National Certificate
- Legal Secretary: NATED N5 National Certificate
- Legal Secretary: NATED N6 National Certificate
- Legal Secretary: NATED N6 National Diploma
You can find employment after completing the above-mentioned courses by enrolling in the iWIL programme. This service helps NATED students match with employers that offer work opportunities.
Some companies may only require you to have completed a Legal Secretary course and do not require you to have any work experience. You should research any potential employer before applying.
No, a Legal Secretary is not a lawyer, but you can apply for a position as a Legal Secretary if you have a law degree. You are more likely to get hired for the Legal Secretary position if you have a Degree in Law or have completed a NATED Legal Secretary course. Here are the steps you can take to start your career as a Legal Secretary:
- Step 1: Complete your High School or Adult Matric with any Matric Pass Level
- Step 2: Apply for our NATED Legal Secretary Programme
- Step 3: Gain work experience
- Step 4: Start your career as a Legal Secretary
The entire NATED Programme: (National N4, N5, and N6 courses) takes between 18 and 36 months to complete.
Here are the different ways you can obtain a Legal Secretary Course at Matric College:
6 months: This is the time frame for completing the first course. You will be required to complete the theory component of the course.
- You can complete the theory component only
- You can complete the theory component first and then the practical component
- You can complete the theory component and practical component together
12 months: This is the time frame for completing the first and second course. You will be required to complete the theory component of the course.
- You can complete the theory component only
- You can complete the theory component first and then the practical component
- You can complete the theory component and practical component together
18 months: This is the time frame for completing the first, second and third course. You will be required to complete the theory component of the course.
- You can complete the theory component only
- You can complete the theory component first and then the practical component
- You can complete the theory component and practical component together
Your Next Step Is To Get Your Legal Secretary: NATED N6 National Diploma Course
The next step is to get the Legal Secretary: NATED N6 National Diploma. You must complete and pass all of your Legal Secretary: NATED N6 National Certificate subjects to get admission to the Legal Secretary: NATED N6 National Diploma.
Why Choose To Study With Matric College?
Matric College offers a variety of courses for students who are interested in distance learning. Distance learning might be an alternative to attending a class in person or taking online classes. Working and family responsibilities make it easier for students to benefit from distance learning. Below are some reasons that you should choose us:
- We offer unique payment plans: We offer different payment plans. Here are your payment choices:
- Advance payment plan (Pay for the entire programme or course)
- Split payment plan (Pay half of the total amount of your fees at the beginning of the year, and the other half at the end of the year.)
- Monthly plan (Pay a fixed installment every month)
- Unique plan (a payment method that works for both of us)
- You can work and study: Working full-time and studying full-time is possible. You do not need to attend classes in person or online. All you have to do is submit your assignments and write the final exam
- Set up your own study schedule: The amount of time you spend studying is up to you. At Matric College, we understand how important it is to balance work, family, and studies
- Get tutor assistance from us: Whenever you need help with your work or need advice, you can contact our tutors. You can reach out to our tutors online or book a callback.
- Our friendly support team checks in on your progress: We will regularly contact you to check on your progress or to remind you of assignments and tests
You can become a good Legal Secretary by establishing these work traits:
- Be compassionate
- Be discrete
- Be efficient
- Be reliable
- Be a self-starter
- Be patient
Legal Secretaries play an important role in a Law Firm because they make sure that the office runs smoothly. Here are some reasons why Law Firms need Legal Secretaries:
- To have important administrative discussions with clients
- To file important legal documents
- To get to important administrative duties that Lawyers / Attorneys cannot complete
Here are some of the benefits of being a Legal Secretary:
- You work a 09:00 am – 05:00 pm office job
- You can complete a NATED Legal Secretary course with any Matric Pass Level and become a Legal Secretary
- You gain hands-on experience and can progress from Legal Secretary to Paralegal and then further your studies
- You get free legal advice and services at work (this depends on the company)
The most important factor a Legal Secretary should consider to manage their work is time management. This can influence the following factors:
- Client retention
- Preparing for court dates
- Preparing legal documents
- Prioritising important work
No, a Legal Secretary cannot set fees. A Legal Secretary may only provide information that the Lawyer has given. All of the fees are fixed and created by the firm. Legal Secretaries are, however, aware of the reasons why fees are set in a certain manner and can explain to clients what they are paying for and why they are paying for it.
Both courses are beneficial to students. The factors that can determine which course a student should choose is as follows:
- How long do you want to study?
- One of our NATED courses can take between 6 – 12 months to complete
- A degree course can take between 4 – 7 years to complete
- Which position are you applying for?
- If you want to apply for a Legal Secretary position then you should complete a NATED Legal Secretary Course.
- If you want to apply for a Lawyer position then you should complete a Degree in Law
- What can you afford?
- The NATED courses that we offer are affordable because of our different payment options
- A Degree course in Law will cost more because it is a comprehensive course
- What type of tertiary education do you prefer?
- If you want to complete a diploma course, then you should consider a NATED course
- If you want to complete a degree course, then you should consider a Degree in Law
No, A normal Secretary cannot become a Legal Secretary. You have to complete any of the following courses to become a Legal Secretary:
- Legal Secretary: NATED N4 National Certificate
- Legal Secretary: NATED N5 National Certificate
- Legal Secretary: NATED N6 National Certificate
- Legal Secretary: NATED N6 National Diploma
Normal Secretaries do not have the necessary skills about law firms and the law in general to complete the duties of a Legal Secretary. This is why it is important to complete a Legal Secretary qualification before applying for a Legal Secretary.
R 15 208 per month
The average salary for a legal secretary is R 15 208 per month in South Africa.
Your salary as a Legal Secretary is determined by these three factors:
- The position that you apply for
- The level of experience that you have
- The Legal Secretary qualifications you have
Application Process
Here are the details of the application process for the NATED Legal Secretary Programme:
Step 1: Contact us
You can make contact with us by:
- Completing our online application form
- Booking a call
- Contact us on the following landline number (021 838 8295)
- Visiting us at our physical address
Step 2: Speak to one of our friendly course experts
Choose a course with the help of our course specialists. Our recommendations will depend on your needs, your budget, and your skills.
Step 3: Register for one of our courses
The college offers open applications to distance learners. Register at any given time of the year.
Step 4: Write the exams
After you have passed the exams, you may apply for the next NATED Programme.
How Do I Study Legal Secretary: NATED N6 National Certificate Course
Follow these steps to study our NATED Legal Secretary Programme:
| Step 1: Register for the NATED National Programme OR course. |
| Step 2: You have to complete all three of the assignments successfully before you can register for the final exams. |
| Step 3: Obtain at least 40% or more for all three of your assignments combined. |
| Step 4: Wait for the results of your assignments, and prepare for the exams. |
| Step 5: Get your results and qualify to write the exam, you should apply and prepare for the final NATED exam. |
| Step 6: Take your first exam and continue the process with each subject. |
| Step 7: Once you have successfully completed the course, you will receive your Certificate from Matric College. *The DHET will award you with your National Diploma after you submit your logbook. |
Where Can I Study A Legal Secretary: NATED N6 National Certificate Course?
You can study the NATED Programme through distance learning institutions such as Matric College.
When Can I Start Studying The Legal Secretary: NATED N6 National Certificate Course?
All of our students are welcome to begin their studies at any time. We are a distance learning institution. It is never too late to apply.
As soon as you are ready, register for the exams. With our distance learning course, you will be in full control of your studies and career.
Frequently Asked Questions
Legal Secretaries and Paralegals receive legal work from Attorneys.
R 18 887 per month
The average salary for a paralegal is R 18 887 per month in South Africa.
You become a Secretary in a law firm by completing a Legal Secretary course. At Matric College we offer three Legal Secretary courses, namely:
- Legal Secretary: NATED N4 National Certificate
- Legal Secretary: NATED N5 National Certificate
- Legal Secretary: NATED N6 National Certificate
A Paralegal is higher than a Legal Secretary but both perform similar roles and duties.
Legal Secretaries do the following daily:
- File Legal documents
- Prepare Legal documents
- Communicate with clients
The skill that ranks first is confidentiality. Legal Secretaries are expected to maintain confidentiality at all times.
No, you cannot study law without Matric.
No, Legal Secretaries are not allowed to charge clients extra without Informing the Law Firm. They decided on the fixed prices and will inform you if there are any changes in the price.
Other Legal Secretary Courses
Author: Jesmé Africa
Editor: Amy Venter
Date Published: February 28, 2022
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