Course Title: Prepare and produce complex legal documents

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2011

Course Code: JUST5129C

Course Title: Prepare and produce complex legal documents

School: 650T TAFE Business

Campus: City Campus

Program: C6070 - Advanced Diploma of Business (Legal Practice)

Course Contact : Janet McDonald

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 5134

Course Contact Email:janet.mcdonald@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Nominal Hours: 80

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

None

Course Description

This unit covers using a range of advanced functions within MS Word to produce complex legal documents.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

BSALPP401A Prepare and produce complex legal documents

Element:

Develop precedents and macros for document design.

Performance Criteria:

1 Develop and use precedents and macros to ensure consistency of design and layout

2 Evaluate and amend templates and macros to ensure document requirements can be met

3 Link macros as required

4 Suggest improvements to the design and/or structure of existing documents and facilitate a review process of suggested improvements

Element:

Establish document design and structure.

Performance Criteria:

1 Identify requirements of the task

2 Select software appropriate to the task

3 Determine document design and structure

4 Design and structure document to meet designated criteria

5 Review existing precedent documents for appropriateness

6 Build new precedents from existing documents

Element:

Organise self or others to print documents.

Performance Criteria:

1 Print documents as required

2 Arrange review of documents with designated person

3 Undertake final printing of documents

4 Manage any difficulties to produce completed documents within agreed time lines

Element:

Organise self or others to produce documents

Performance Criteria:

1 Prepare documents using appropriate and available precedent documents according to firm's policies and procedures

2 Enter and edit relevant data accurately

3 Use a range of advanced functions to ensure accurate completion of the task

4 Check documents for spelling, grammar, numeric data and layout

5 Proofread documents for accuracy of contents and consistency of layout and style

6 Make modifications to meet required specifications

Element:

Save file and exit system.

Performance Criteria:

1 Save and store document in appropriate directory or folder

2 Close file and exit application programs without loss of data

3 Make back-up copies of files in accordance with specified procedures if required

4 File and store discs/data in accordance with firm's policies and procedures

Learning Outcomes



Details of Learning Activities

Learning activities will include class based exercises, demonstrations and observations in order to develop competency including the underpinning skills and knowledge.  Formative feedback is provided to the students throughout the duration of the course.

Some learning activities will include a self-directed learning approach. Self-directed learning refers to organised teacher-directed learning activities that you will undertake independently, either as individuals or with other students. This may include a workplace research, library assignments, field work and work placements.


Teaching Schedule

Week Beginning  Content Requirements
Week 1 - 7 Feb  Introduction; Blackboard; Preface and formatting legal documents  Text
Week 2 - 14 Feb Codes of practice Internet
Week 3 - 21 Feb Assessment 1 & Topic 1 Working with styles Text
Week 4 - 28 Feb  Topic 2 Working with templates  Text
Week 5 - 7 Mar  Topic 3 Automating templates  Text
Week 6 - 14 Mar  Review and Portfolio document 1  Text/Printing credits
Week 7 - 21 Mar  Topic 4 Extending your table skills  Text
Week 8 - 28 Mar  Topic 5 Creating newsletter layouts  Text
Week 9 - 4 Apr  Topic 6 Working with long documents  Text
Week 10 - 11 Apr  Topic 7 Complex mail merge

 Text
Week 11 - 18 Apr  Topic 7 Complex mail merge  Text
Midsemester break  Midsemester break  
Week 11 - 28 Apr  Topic 7 Complex mail merge  Text
Week 12 - 2 May  Review and Portfolio document 2  Text/Printing credits
Week 13 - 9 May  Topic 8 Automating repetitive tasks  Text
Week 14 - 16 May  Topic 9 Designing forms  Text
Week 15 - 23 May  Review and Portfolio document 3  Text/Printing credits
Week 16 - 30 May Special consideration assessments to be completed  Text/Printing credits


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

Tilde Publishing, Be Competent in Complex Legal Documents Office 2010

9780734607867

References


Other Resources


Overview of Assessment

Students will complete a portfolio of evidence which includes business documents created throughout the program and a final assessment.


Assessment Tasks

Students must demonstrate an understanding of all elements of competency to be deemed competent.

Assessment methods have been designed to measure achievements of each element of competency in a flexible manner. Students are advised that they are likely to be asked to personally demonstrate their assessment work to their teacher to ensure that the relevant competency standards are being met.

Assessment 1 will assess knowledge of relevant legislation, rules, regulations, codes of practice and policies and procedures relevant to the workplace. Students will also complete a portfolio of evidence which focuses on the practical component of developing and using a range of advanced functions within MS Word 2010. Each portfolio document is to be completed individually in class as indicated on the Teaching Schedule and is open book. Students are not permitted to share books when completing each portfolio document.

Students who have not received a satisfactory result in all elements of competency will be given an opportunity to show competency in Week 16 and will receive a result of either Competency Achieved (CA) or Not Yet Competent (NYC), no graded result will be recorded.


Assessment Matrix

Element of competency Ass 1 Portfolio 1 Portfolio 2 Portfolio 3
Establish document design and structure   Yes Yes Yes
Develop precedents and macros for document design     Yes Yes
Organise self or others to produce documents Yes Yes Yes Yes
Organise self or others to print documents   Yes Yes Yes
Save file and exit system   Yes   Yes

Other Information

Students will be producing documents throughout the semester which they will use in the Practice Firm and LAW 5109 Practice in a Legal Environment (PILE) in second semester.

Students will also be given the opportunity to gain experience using Quikscribe a digital dictation software.

Course Overview: Access Course Overview