“My experience has been great! I couldn't ask for better instructors.” - Sara N., Legal Administrative Assistant Graduate
Legal administrative assistants are a key element to any legal team. In order to succeed in this fast-paced and fascinating career, you'll need a strong education in the policy and procedures of a modern law office, as well as an understanding of the Canadian legal and court system.
CDI College's Legal Administrative Assistant program will teach you legal terminology, court systems, office procedures, legal record keeping and bookkeeping. Students will also build strong transcription and keyboarding skills and become adept at using common office software such as MS Word and Excel. Course material in this program will include wills and estates, real estate, corporate and commercial law, civil litigation, and family law.
Job Opportunities
- Legal Secretary
- Legal Administrative Assistant
Legal Administrative Assistant - BC
Also offered in Alberta as Legal Administration - AB At:
Edmonton SouthAlso offered in Manitoba as Legal Administrative Assistant - MB At:
WinnipegAlso offered in Ontario as Legal Administrative Assistant - Ontario At:
Ajax Hamilton Mississauga North York Scarborough TorontoProgram Courses
The program outline below is for British Columbia. Click here to see the outlines for Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec.
| Code | Course Name | Hours |
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- This course will introduce students to skills and concepts that will help them achieve personal, academic, and career success.
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- This course presents an introductory look at Windows 7 and its interface, tools and features. You will learn about the fundamentals of navigating and personalizing the interface, organizing files and folders, using media devices, and searching for information. This course relies heavily on practical hands-on activities that allow you to learn the concepts by practicing them on a regular basis.
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- This course gives the student an introduction to the fundamentals of keyboarding. This course will help the students reinforce their English language skills and develop their ability to key and compose information and develop the proper keyboarding techniques and skills. The gradual pace of this course will help the students develop both speed and accuracy while applying the proper keyboarding techniques and position. Students will also develop their proofreading techniques, and improve their word processing techniques in a windows environment.
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- Excellent communication skills are essential in the smooth operation of a business office. In this course, the emphasis is on the application of language arts skills to produce grammatically correct communications.
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- This course is the first of two courses covering Microsoft Word 2007. This level 1 course will present the MS Word application interface, tools and features. You will learn about the fundamentals of word processing, document, and paragraph and character formatting, working with
templates, lists and tables. This course relies heavily on hands-on practical activities that allows you to learn the concepts by practicing them on a regular basis.
- This course is the first of two courses covering Microsoft Word 2007. This level 1 course will present the MS Word application interface, tools and features. You will learn about the fundamentals of word processing, document, and paragraph and character formatting, working with
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- This course explores the use of electronic spreadsheets using Microsoft Excel 2007. This course will present the MS Excel application interface, tools and features. You will learn about the fundamentals of spreadsheets, working with data, formatting cells, working with ranges of data and cells as well as applying functions and formulas to manipulate the data in the rows and columns of a spreadsheet. In addition, you will learn how to present tabular data in a variety of different chart formats. This course relies heavily on hands-on practical activities that allows you to learn the concepts by practicing them on a regular basis.
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- Students will explore both basic and more advanced features of Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 while creating visually attractive and effective presentations.
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- Students work with basic and more advanced features of Microsoft Outlook 2007 to manage messages for efficient communication, maintain personal and business contacts, and organize appointments and tasks.
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- This course is designed to equip students with interpersonal skills identified by employers as essential for success in the professional world. Using a variety of instructional methods including case studies, group exercises and discussion, students learn and practice key communication skills.
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- Students will be provided with an overview of the Canadian legal system, legal institutions and the structure of the Canadian court system. Students learn about the history of Canadian law, including an analysis of the development of the Canadian constitution. The Legal Professional Act and the Rules of the Law Society of British Columbia will be discussed with a view towards professionalism and ethics in the field.
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- In this module, students learn about the day-to-day organization,management and procedures of a legal office. The latestdevelopments in office technology are presented and practicallyapplied as students draft standard legal documents (agreements,statements of claim and defense, letters and memos). Studentsare also introduced to the important skills of timekeeping, filingand the effective use of communication systems (telephone,fax). Law office, trust accounting concepts and procedures arecovered. One of the most highly valued abilities of legaladministrative assistants and paralegals is that of being able toprioritize and organize multi-task workloads. Students learnthese important skills in tandem with problem solving andcritical thinking skills development.
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- The focus of this course is on civil litigation. Students learn the steps for opening and maintaining a litigation file and the British Columbia court litigation stages and procedures. Familiarization is built with different types of damages and claims as well as the procedures for proving a claim. Students gain experience preparing all relevant documents (for pre-trial and trial proceedings). Proceeding to trial is also covered, along with the procedure for actions (in Provincial Court and Civil Division). Mediation and settlement are introduced.
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- This course introduces the family court system in British Columbia. Students become familiar with Provincial and Supreme Court documentation and procedures used to bring issues of marriage, separation, divorce, custody/access, child welfare, adoption, maintenance and property to resolution using the legal system. The Family Relations Act and the Divorce Act re covered. Students gain experience in completing a contested divorce file. Child Support guidelines are also covered.
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- Students are introduced to the incorporation and organization of a British Columbia company. There will be an overview of the British Columbia Business Corporation Act (by which the BC Company Act was repealed), the Society Act, the Canada Business Corporations Act and the Canada Corporations Act. Guidelines and procedures for selecting a corporate name are covered. Student understanding of corporate by-laws and corporate structure is built, along with the typical requirements of corporate meetings, minutes, resolutions and the duties of directors and officers. Students use legal precedents to prepare articles of incorporation and corporate by-laws. Experience is gained with routine filings and resolutions. Students learn how to set up and maintain corporate records (Records Book as well as the transitions to the new Business Corporations Acts). Corporate securities, records and changes are also covered.
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- This course focuses on the substantive law of real estate. Students are introduced to basic convenyancing procedures. The registration system in British Columbia is covered, along with other forms and documents related to transfer/deed, charge/mortgage, and discharge of charge/mortgage. The structure of a real estate sale is illustrated. Students also learn the requirements when acting for the vendor or acting for the purchaser. Students also gain knowledge about closing a real estate transaction.
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- In this foundation course, students learn about wills and estates planning, estate succession, testacy, intestacy, requirements of a valid will and execution procedures. There is an introduction to the roles of the Executor and Trustee. Students learn about the Notice to Beneficiaries, Living Wills, Power of Attorney and Representations Agreements. Assets, inheritance and estate inventory are also presented.
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- This course looks at the planning, preparation, execution, and follow-up stages of an interview. Students will learn about how people find jobs, employment expectations, transferable skills, effective telemarketing, job search management and many other helpful, career strategy topics.
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- This program includes a practicum component consisting of 100 hours of work at a job site. This practicum work experience is a mandatory diploma requirement and the business organization does not pay for the services of the student during the practicum.