Page 89 of Santa Rosa Junior College 1998-2000 Catalog by Santa Rosa Junior College

LEGAL SECRETARY TOTAL UNITS: 50 Units CONTACT: Peg Saragina, 527-4693 Program Completion of this Certificate Program prepares the student for employment in a private law office as will as legal departments of business firms, banks, insurance companies, financial institutions, and many government agencies including the court system. The skills needed of other office professionals (i.e. secretary, administrative assistant, office assistant, etc.) are also required of the legal secretary. This program encompasses the integration of twenty-first century workforce skills needed of all office professionals emphasizing communication, team work, project management, problem solving, and systems development. The Legal Secretary Program includes an internship which provides the students an opportunity to use their acquired skills in an office environment and gain experience in their profession before completing their program. The Certificate Program Coordinator is an active member of Sonoma County Legal Secretaries Association and the State organization, Legal Secretaries Incorporated, and works closely with the legal community to maintain currency in the program. Network contacts for student resources and employment are actively promoted. Local attorneys, paralegals, and former graduates have endorsed the program and participate in the Colleges Business Office Technology Advisory Committee. Occupation There is always a need for competent legal secretaries. While office needs vary, legal secretaries are often responsible for managing their own workload and the of the attorneys, training co-workers, and assisting clients. Typical duties include maintaining accurate records, keyboarding legal documents, implementing legal procedures, managing cases, and coordinating day-to-day operation of the office. Professionalism is emphasized and education/ training are promoted regularly through numerous organizations. Both Sonoma County Legal Secretaries Association and Legal Secretaries Incorporated offer scholarships to students pursuing careers in this occupational area. Date: The requirements for this certificate are effective beginning the semester shown below. If you began working on this certificate before the effective semester, you may not be affected by any changes to the program. Consult with a counselor or department chair to determine your eligibility to complete the certificate under previous requirements. Effective Fall 1998 Requirements First Semester * BGN 70 Business English * BGN 80 Business Math * BOT 50A Typing/Keyboarding * BOT 153 Skillbuilding * BOT 56A Workforce Issues for Office Workers * BOT 56B Employment Issues for Office Workers * CIS 101A Introduction to Personal Computers * BGN 50.12 10 Key Numeric Keypad Recommended * GUID 60 Effective Study Workshop Second Semester *+ BOT 56.2 Workplace Communication *+ BOT 56C Survival Issues Office Workers * BOT 299.33 Self-Paced Excel * BGN 84 Electronic Calculator * BOT 55 Keyboarding/WP Skills II * BOT 82 Legal Court Documents (Spring Only) * BAD 18 Legal Environment Third Semester *+ BOT 59.1 Applied Office Technology Skills * BGN 183 Self-Paced Data Entry * BOT 172 Self-Paced Filing * BOT 82 Civil Procedures Fourth Semester *+ BOT 59.2 Business Records Skills *+ BOT 59.3 Marketing Your Skills * BOT 85 Legal Secretary Procedures * WEOC991 Internship 3.0 3.0 1.5 1.5 3.0 1.0 1.0 0.5 1.0 4.0 3.0 0.5 3.0 4.0 3.0 4.0 0.5 1.0 4.0 4.0 3.0 3.0 2.0 NOTES: Some courses have prerequisites. Refer to Catalog. * A Certificate of Completion will be granted upon fulfillment of the major requirements indicated with an asterisk with a grade of C or better. There are 60 total units required for the A.A. degree including general education and math competency requirements. If the student wishes to complete a degree in addition to the certificate, consult a Counselor for requirements. Keyboarding Requirement Before a certificate is granted, the student must demonstrate the ability to keyboard a minimum of 55 words a minute for 5 minutes with 5 or fewer errors. It is recommended students complete Guidance 55, 60 or 355 early in their program to acquire college success skills. Students should also consult with a Business Office Technology Counselor or Advisor to develop their educational plan. Any exceptions (substitutions/waivers) must have prior written approval of the Certificate Program Coordinator and Department Chair. Obtain the necessary forms from the Certificate Program Coordinator. Interns It is suggested that students enroll in the internship course the last semester of the program Prior to enrolling in WEOC 99I, the following courses must have been completed with a grade of C or better: BGN 80, BOT 55, BGN 70, BOT 56A, BOT 56B, BOT 56C, BOT 56.2, BOT 59.1, BOT 59.2, BOT 59.3, BOT 82 or 85, BAD 18 www.santarosa.edu 87

[close]