New Zealand Law Society Legal Executive Diploma (Level 6)

Qualification code:: OP6600

Level:: 6

Credits:: 120

Important information:

This qualification will give you a recognised formal qualification and practical and theoretical skills that will help you advance your legal career. You will be able to apply for legal executive positions in law offices, banks, accounting and property firms, insurance companies, share-broking firms, local authorities, government departments and state-owned enterprises.

If you already do some legal work or work in a law office as a librarian, personal assistant, secretary or office manager, then this qualification will assist you in your role.

Advance your legal career and enrol in a legal executive course today

You can fast track your way to an exciting legal career by enrolling by Friday 28 June.

All you need to do is choose a course* and set aside 12.5 hours of study per week over 16 weeks. Your course will start in July and finish in October so that you can sit the NZ Law Society exams. If you’re applying to enrol in the diploma for the first time, we recommend you apply to enrol in one course only: ILS Introduction to the Legal System.

There is more information about the diploma below, or you can view the brochure at the bottom of this page.

If you have any questions, please contact the programme leader, Cedric Hunt, on freephone 0508 650 200 extension 5528. Or you can email him.

Please note: Your enrolment is not eligible for a student loan and we are unable to take late enrolments. Enrolment is not available to students already enrolled in the programme for 2013.

*Pre-requisites apply

Key dates

Enrolments open	Current
Enrolments close	28 June
Course begins	1 July
Law Society registrations due	31 July
Last day to apply to sit exams	31 July
Last day to submit late exam applications (fee applies)	31 August
All course work must be with Open Polytechnic	1 October
Exams	21-24 October
Enrolment period ends	31 October

Enrolments open	Current
Enrolments close	28 June
Course begins	1 July
Law Society registrations due	31 July
Last day to apply to sit exams	31 July
Last day to apply for late exam applications (fee applies)	31 August
All course work must be with Open Polytechnic	1 October
Exams	21-24 October
Enrolment period ends	31 October

Note: If you enrolled for the 2013 year before 28 February 2013, please see the key dates in the programme brochure at the bottom of this page.

First year study

If you're applying to enrol in the diploma for the first time, we recommend you apply for ILS Introduction to the Legal System. Approval must be given by the academic registrar for enrolment in more than one course.

Admission requirements

To enrol in this diploma, you must have one of the following:

A current position in a law firm
Previous law firm employment
NCEA Level 2 or equivalent
Evidence of successful study at Level 6.

If you do not meet any of the above requirements, you must successfully complete 424 Tertiary Study Skills, achieving a 'B' pass minimum, before applying to enrol in this qualification. If you are aged 20 or over, before you are accepted, you will need to provide evidence to the programme leader's satisfaction, that you will have a reasonable likelihood of success. If accepted, you will be approved for enrolment into ILS Introduction to the Legal System.

Please note: When enrolling online please list your employers details on the last page under the notes/more information field.

English language

You need to be able to read and write well in English so you can write your assignment and understand written English course materials.

If English is not your first language your will need:

A minimum grade of 6 in EILTS (academic) with no sub-score less than 5.5; or
A minimum score of 550 (essay 4 TWE) in TOEFL (pBT) or 80 (writing 21) in TOEFL (iBT); or
Passes in other recognised English proficiency tests subject to the academic registrar’s discretion; or
Evidence of successful study at another New Zealand tertiary institution; or
At least five years study at a secondary school where English is the language of instruction.

Other requirements

Qualification time limit

All 6 courses must be passed within a 10 year period unless the NZLS Chief examiner is satisfied that a candidate for the qualification has been working for a sufficient period of time in a relevant legal field. The exams for course passes that expire may be sat again.

Set texts

You will need to buy textbooks for all courses. These are an additional cost and are not included in your course fees. You can find a list of set texts on our Textbooks page.

For some courses you may need copies of legislation. You can download copies, with rules and regulations. You can use these copies in exams where the Law Society allows you to bring legislation in. Legislation downloaded from databases that includes commentary will not be allowed into exams, except in any part of an exam designated as “open book”.

Qualification structure

The diploma is made up of six courses, and you must pass all six to get the qualification. Some courses have prerequisites. A prerequisite is a course you must pass before you can enrol in another course.

We recommend you enrol in one course at a time.

Course code and name		Level	Credits	2013 Cost See international See domestic	Availability Tri 1 2013 Tri 2 2013 Tri 3 2013
Compulsory All courses are required
ILS	Introduction to the Legal System	5	20	$465 NZ $1,398 $465	Enrol by Course starts Course ends 28 Mar 2013 11 Mar 2013 27 Oct 2013 Enrol by Course starts Course ends 28 Jun 2013 1 Jul 2013 27 Oct 2013
LOP	Introduction to Law Office Practice	5	20	$465 NZ $1,398 $465	Enrol by Course starts Course ends 28 Mar 2013 11 Mar 2013 27 Oct 2013 Enrol by Course starts Course ends 28 Jun 2013 1 Jul 2013 27 Oct 2013
BLP	Business Law and Practice	6	20	$465 NZ $1,398 $465	Enrol by Course starts Course ends 28 Mar 2013 11 Mar 2013 27 Oct 2013 Enrol by Course starts Course ends 28 Jun 2013 1 Jul 2013 27 Oct 2013
ELP	Estate Law and Practice	6	20	$465 NZ $1,398 $465	Enrol by Course starts Course ends 28 Mar 2013 11 Mar 2013 27 Oct 2013 Enrol by Course starts Course ends 28 Jun 2013 1 Jul 2013 27 Oct 2013
LLP	Litigation Law and Practice	6	20	$465 NZ $1,398 $465	Enrol by Course starts Course ends 28 Mar 2013 11 Mar 2013 27 Oct 2013 Enrol by Course starts Course ends 28 Jun 2013 1 Jul 2013 27 Oct 2013
PLP	Property Law and Practice	6	20	$465 NZ $1,398 $465	Enrol by Course starts Course ends 28 Mar 2013 11 Mar 2013 27 Oct 2013 Enrol by Course starts Course ends 28 Jun 2013 1 Jul 2013 27 Oct 2013

Assessment

Each course includes a number of progress reviews that you need to do and send to the lecturer for marking. These do not decide your result, but you must finish them and send them to us by 1 October in the year you sit your examination. Your marks for these assessments become your course mark, which is used by the New Zealand Law Society if you cannot sit your exam and need to be considered for an aegrotat or impaired performance pass.

New Zealand Law Society Registration

To study this qualification you also need to register with the New Zealand Law Society. You will be sent an application with your ILS Introduction to the Legal System study materials. Please fill this in and send to the New Zealand Law Society along with the required one-off fee. Once registered, you will be able to apply to the New Zealand Law Society to sit your exam. If you do not receive a form please request one from the Programme Leader.

Examinations

Each course has a final examination in October that is run by the New Zealand Law Society.

In May we will send you an examination entry form to fill in and send to the Law Society. If you have not received the form by 10 June, contact the Programme Leader.

Exam applications usually close on 30 June each year, but the Law Society can accept late applications until 31 August.

You must pay a separate fee to the New Zealand Law Society for sitting the exam, of about $110.00 - $120.00 per subject, by 30 June each year.

Brochure and more information

For more information view the brochure below or request a brochure to be sent to you. If you have any questions please contact us.

Get the brochure | Format: pdf | Size: 634 KB

New Zealand Law Society Legal Executive Diploma