The University of Georgia and the Center for Legal Studies offer seven weeks of online training called the Legal Secretary Certificate Course. It was created for both novice and experienced legal secretaries who want to improve their efficiency within the law office. Students should have a decent typing speed, a basic understanding of how word processing programs work, and copies of State Rules of Court for your state and Uniform System of Citation: The Bluebook. The course covers a variety of topics including written communication, records management, legal terminology, citation formats and ethics. According to the website, you'll spend an average of eight hours a week on reading and homework assignments.
The University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education
1197 South Lumpkin Street
Athens, GA 30602
706-542-2056
georgiacenter.uga.edu
The Basic Legal Training Course is presented through Stetson University, with curriculum provided by the National Association of Legal Secretaries (NALS). This is a 20-week online course taught by licensed and practicing attorneys. You must have a high school diploma to enroll; however, an associate degree and two to four years of administrative experience are also recommended. Each week a new topic will be presented, including: oral and written communication; criminal law; family law; accounting; law library; and computers in the law office. The website suggests that you'll need five to six hours of reading and homework time every week. Upon completion, and provided you've passed the exams, you'll receive an NALS Basic Legal Training Certificate, and you'll be prepared to take the Legal Secretary Certification exam offered through NALS.
Stetson University Center
800 Celebration Avenue Suite 104
Celebration, FL 34747
321-939-7617
stetson.edu
The Legal Secretary Certificate Program is a 15-class session for current legal secretaries and those who want to explore it as a career option. There are two components to the class. The first part is Legal Secretary, where you'll learn about legal basics, legal procedures, drafting documents and criminal procedure. The second part is Microsoft Word for Windows, Level 1. Here you'll learn how to create and format various documents, how to do mail merge, add tables, and a number of other tasks that will improve your job abilities. At the end of the course you'll receive a certificate of completion, though if you don't need a certificate, you may also take the courses individually.
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Educational Outreach
4505 South Maryland Parkway
Las Vegas, NV 89154-1019
702-895-3394
unlv.edu