Professional Diploma in Legal Executive Studies - Professional Diploma

This 10 week Legal Executive Course is delivered as follows:

Week 1           

Introduction to the Irish Legal System

• The Legal Profession
• The Court System
• The first instance jurisdiction of the Courts
• Introduction to Civil and Criminal Procedure
• The Appellate jurisdiction of the Courts
• Precedent
• Legislation

Week 2           

Legal Skills

• Legal writing
• Finding and reading case law and legislation
• Professional communication
• Ethics, professional standards and codes of conduct
• How to prepare attendances

Week 3           

IT skills

• MS Word
• MS Excel
• MS Teams
• Presentation

Week 4           

Conveyancing

• Ownership of land
• The Family home, the shared home and the acquisition of property rights
• Incumbrances
• Licences and leases
• Title
• Overview of steps in conveyancing

Week 5           

Civil Litigation I

• Statute of Limitations
• Initiating proceedings
• Parties to actions
• Costs
• Initiating letters
• Service

Week 6           

Civil Litigation II

• Pleadings
• Affidavits
• Privilege
• Discovery

Week 7           

Criminal Litigation

• Instituting proceedings
• Taking instructions
• First Court appearance
• Bail
• Trials in the District Court
• Arraignment and pleas
• Circuit Court practice and procedure

Week 8           

Personal Injuries Litigation

• The Personal Injuries Assessment Board
• The Personal Injuries Guidelines
• Application for assessment
• Recovery of certain benefits and assistance scheme
• Pleadings in Personal Injuries cases
• Mediation

Week 9           

Family Law

• Introduction to family law
• Family law practice and procedure
• Judicial separation
• Divorce
• Ancillary reliefs
• Domestic violence

Week 10         

Employment law

• Introduction to employment law
• Adjudication of employment disputes
• Workplace Relations Commission practice and procedure
• The Labour Court

Preparing written submissions

Course content is subject to review after each intake and may be updated in line with industry standards.

The assessment style for this legal executive course will be through 100% continuous assessment comprised of a take home exam and written assignment.

Our legal executive course is a focused, practical programme designed and delivered by an industry practitioner, that consolidates, upskills or reskills learners in a professional area. They are stand-alone qualifications that indicate that you have been trained in a particular area or specific subject matter.

City College Dublin Diplomas are suitable for career minded learners wishing to advance their professional skills and prospects. They are widely accepted by employers and many students are sponsored to study here by their organisation.

In addition to our scheduled Professional Diploma courses, City Colleges Dublin can provide bespoke training over 3 – 4 days, please contact [email protected] for further details.

The 2025 budget announcement is of particular interest for those considering this Legal Executive Course. Minister McEntee has secured a record €3.9 billion budget to strengthen the justice system and support key initiatives in law enforcement and victim services. This investment underscores the government’s dedication to improving the legal infrastructure in Ireland, which directly benefits those pursuing careers as legal professionals, including legal executives and paralegals.

City Colleges Dublin offers professional legal training for those aiming to become solicitors or barristers through our King’s Inns and FE1 courses. With the addition of this Legal Executive course, we now provide comprehensive training for a wide range of legal careers, covering all areas of legal practice.