Legal Assistant Program
| Length of Course: | 12 Months |
| Entrance Requirements: | Grade 12 Transcripts or qualify as a Mature Applicant |
| Program Start Date: | Twice per year |
Graduates will have the skills required to assist lawyers in the delivery of legal services. They will have the knowledge regarding the legal system, and ethical considerations of the legal profession, which will enable them to do work of a legal nature under the direct supervision of a licensed lawyer.
Program Courses
Introduction to Law & Legal Research
Criminal Law
Students are introduced to the principles and administration of criminal law using the Criminal Code of Canada including procedures from arrest through trial, sentencing, punishment and appeals. Definitions and elements of crimes are explained, including crimes against a person and against property.
Family Law
Students will complete a mock file using the rules of Court, Matrimonial Property Act, the Marriage Act and the Divorce Act, producing documentation for Prenuptial Contracts, Separation Agreements, and uncontested and contested Divorces. Maintenance, support, custody, visitation, adoptions, parent and child law are also studied. Students learn to interview clients with family law problems and prepare complaints and agreements.
Corporate Law
Students will be introduced to various forms of business organizations, including sole proprietorship, partnerships and corporations, Students will prepare a document portfolio on procedures from researching, incorporation, maintaining a corporation - articles, by-laws, amendments, calling meetings, directors, shareholders, minutes, obtaining trademarks/patents - to dissolution.
Real Estate
This course is an overview of the land titles system, types of ownership and types of documentation. Students will work on a real estate transaction from both the Seller’s and Buyer’s point of view and study the contract for sale of land, condominium properties, and the sale and purchase of rural lands. Mortgage purchase and financing, residential foreclosure procedures and Landlord and Tenant Laws will be examined.
Litigation/Civil Procedures
The students will learn the steps of a litigation file in chronological order including organization and structure of the lawsuit, documentation control, communication between lawyer(s) and paralegal(s), preparing for trial, the paralegal’s role during trial, settlement techniques, and post-trial activities. The course covers a Statement of Claim, Judgments if no defense, Statements of Defense and Counterclaims, Examinations, for Discovery. This course will deal with such topics as civil claims (provincial Court), personal injury actions, judicial reviews, bill of costs, and civil appeals. It will also introduce students to provincial legislation and Rules of Court. Students will become familiar with the various steps in the preparation for an Appeal and the Courts of Appeal.
Estate Planning
This will be an introduction to laws relating to Estate Planning – succession on testacy and the essentials of a valid will; Probate and Administration of Estates; Family Disputes; Family Trusts; and Dependent Children and Adults. Students will become familiar with language in the area of will and estate matters, procedures in handling the estate including preparation of final tax returns. Students prepare Application for Letters of Probate; produce a Will; learn about personal representatives, administrators, trustees, guardians and beneficiaries.
Credit & Financial Procedures
This course will deal with Bankruptcy, Consumer Rights and Protections, and practical aspects of creditor rights. The student will learn about provincial legislation and procedural rules relating to a simple debt action, the filing of writ of enforcement, various means of enforcing a judgment, understanding personal property security, Insurance Laws, collection fees and reminder letters.
Computer Applications
This course provides students with a comprehensive look at computer concepts, such as the Windows operating system, the use of database management software, and the integration of word processing, database, and spreadsheet applications. The applications students explore include the following: Access, Excel, Word, WordPerfect and PowerPoint. Emphasis is on building keyboarding speed (net 60 wpm) and accuracy skills, and includes producing business and legal correspondence, business forms, and legal documents. Students receive instruction in dictaphone usage and transcription of accurate documentation.
Business Communications
This course aims to help students improve their writing, reading, speaking, and listening skills. Skills will be transferred to business writing, oral reporting, and resume writing. Students strengthen and expand their writing skills effectively for a variety of audiences and purposes. A research portfolio made up of reports, memos, letters, and business proposals focused on format, grammar, spelling, and content will be prepared.
Bookkeeping
Students will review business math operations utilized in the accounting cycle and record-keeping functions. Special journals, payroll, bank reconciliation, and petty cash controls will be highlighted involving various forms, and papers that are routed throughout a business and the importance of following proper procedures.
Office Procedures & Human Relations
Relations skills emphasized are teamwork, conflict resolution, stress management, and culture and gender differences in communication styles. This course will examine the organization and operation of the law office including systems and billing, avoidance of unauthorized practice of law, and dealing with the client. Federal, provincial and local courts, processes and institutions involved in making laws, operations of the legal/judicial system, and Constitutional Law will be introduced. Students will develop a general understanding of legal research and the tools including Quick Law and will work with the citation system and its proper reporting. Other topics include the role of and ethics/professional responsibilities for the Paralegal.