Program Courses

• Student Success Strategies [SSSO]

  • The purpose of this course is to optimize learning through equipping students with effective study techniques. This course also provides an introduction to personality styles that will be encountered in the workplace and allows students to practise appropriate and productive interaction between the various styles. Emphasis is placed on the types of communication that work best with each style in order to achieve a good working relationship and to manage and resolve conflicts that arise. Students are also introduced to strategies for setting personal goals, managing time, and managing the stress that results from study or work and builds on positive group dynamics and setting expectations for student success

• Professional Skills [PSKO]

  • 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.

• Logic and the Art of Argumentation [LAAO]

  • This course is intended to provide students with practical court and tribunal experience. While there will be few formal lectures in this course, students will mostly learn through the use of field trips and gain experience by attending various courts and tribunals. While some court or tribunal visits will be related to specific courses, students will also learn about advocacy, procedures, and other matters that are argued and heard before the courts.

• Introduction to the Legal System [ILSO]

  • This is the first introductory compulsory legal course the Paralegal student will take. It will provide an overview of Canadian and Ontario law. Some aspects of this module will be expanded upon in other specific and in-depth modules. This course will give the students a general understanding of the legal system and touch on some specific legal aspects such as the Charter, the Constitution, Property, Business and Consumer laws. This course will also introduce the student to an overview of the Federal and Provincial court systems.

• Communication and Writing - College English [CMWO]

  • This course is designed to provide the students with the basic written communication skills they will need. The course will provide them with the foundation necessary to prepare business correspondence such as letters, memos, and emails. In addition, it will prepare them for the reports and assignment that they will be required to complete for other courses. This course is also a good prerequisite to the written communication course that they will take later in the program.

• Legal Research and Writing [LRWO]

  • In this course, students will become familiar with the special tools and requirements to master the use of libraries and the Internet for legal research. In the second portion of this program, students will learn legal writing skills including the preparation of various legal documents. They will also learn to prepare court documents using various templates.

• Legal Computer Applications [LCPO]

  • This course will provide Paralegal students with the skills required to produce and edit legal documents and forms. The paralegal student will also learn to manage files and documents for a paralegal practice. Students must keep in mind that they must also have sufficient computer skills to work in a legal firm or department and will often be required to use Office tools such as WORD, EXCEL, POWERPOINT, OUTLOOK, and other Microsoft applications. This course will focus on these Microsoft applications.

• Administrative Law [ADLO]

  • This course will focus on administrative laws as they apply to the many administrative boards, agencies, commissions, and tribunals in Ontario. Administrative law is one of the areas of public law dealing with the relationship between government and its citizens. Paralegals play an important role in Administrative Law as they help clients resolve issues with the availability of various government and public agencies such as the Landlord Tenant Board, the Social Benefits Tribunal, and the Assessment Review Board, to name a few.

• Introduction to Paralegal Accounting [PLAO]

  • This course covers the day-to-day operations of a Paralegal business organization. This includes general journal transactions, general ledgers, and reconciling bank statements. While students will be learning generally Accepted Accounting Practices during this module, students will also become familiar with the Paralegal Bookkeeping Guide and By-Law 9 pertaining to accounting practices with particular attention given to the treatment and maintenance of Trust Accounts.

• Tribunal Practice and Procedure [TPPO]

  • This course will focus on various provincial and federal tribunals and the role that a Paralegal has within this system. Students will learn the rules and procedures for representing clients in specific tribunals along with how to prepare their clients accordingly. Students will learn about motions, applications, hearings, and decisions. Students will also learn to prepare clients for examination procedures and how to present evidence.

• Provincial Offences and Motor Vehicle Offenses [PMVO]

  • This course will provide paralegal students with an overview of the Provincial Offences Act, the applicable Ontario courts, and the various procedures that apply to quasi-criminal matters. In this course, students will focus on court procedures and case analysis with a particular focus on highway traffic matters. Students will also learn the steps required to prepare, file, and defend cases and advocate for clients before the Ontario Court of Justice.

• Torts and Contracts [TOCO]

  • This course will focus on the various laws that apply to contracts and tort law. During the course, students will learn how a contract is developed, executed and enforced. They will also learn about contractual defects, breaches and the steps that can be taken to remedy them. Students will also learn about Torts and Tort Liability and how to represent a plaintiff or a defendant in a related matter. Students will also spend a considerable amount of time studying case law and how it applies to tort law.

• Small Claims Court [SCMO]

  • During this course, students will learn about Small Claims Court and where it fits in the scheme of our provincial legal system. Students will learn about the limits of Small Claims Court, how to file a case, and how to argue the case on behalf of their client. Students will explore various litigation techniques used in the Small Claims Court with a specific focus on the Rules of the Small Claims Court.

• Residential Landlord and Tenant Law [RLTO]

  • In this course, students will learn about Ontario landlord and tenant law with a specific focus on the Residential Tenancies Act and how the Landlord Tenant Board operates. As part of the hands-on experience of this module, students will practice advocacy skills to be utilized at the Landlord Tenant Board (LTB) and will learn how to file an Application on behalf of a landlord or a tenant. Rules, Forms, and Guidelines of the LTB will be examined as well.

• Employment Law [EMLO]

  • This course will build on a number of employment related laws in Ontario and will help students understand how they can use specific employment legislation to represent their clients. During this course, students will be familiarized with Ontario Employment Standards, Human Rights, Labour Law, Pay Equity, and Health and Safety laws to name a few. Students will also learn about how to file an employment claim with the Ontario Ministry of Labour.

• Criminal/Summary Conviction Procedure [CCPO]

  • This course will provide students with an overview of the Canadian Criminal Code system with a particular focus on areas that are within the paralegal scope of practice. Students will review various provincial and federal criminal law procedures and will learn how to determine the best means of resolution for the client. This course will help students prepare for criminal court appearances and how to represent the client accordingly.

• Evidence and the Litigation Process [ELPO]

  • In this course, students will learn proper procedures for gathering evidence and how evidence laws apply to specific legal matters. The course will focus on the Ontario Evidence Act and the Canada Evidence Act. Students will also learn about the litigation process from start to finish and some valuable ways of avoiding litigation by using such measures as early settlement or mediation based on the evidence as provided.

• Alternative Dispute Resolution [ADRO]

  • Litigation can be very time consuming and expensive for all parties involved. It is always best if conflicts can be resolved without having to use the court system. As an alternative to litigation, parties may choose to resolve issues and conflicts using alternate dispute resolution methods. The Paralegal plays a key role in this area of law. In this course, students will learn about various types of conflicts and will learn how to negotiate, mediate, and arbitrate various matters in dispute. Through practice and role play, the student will also learn the role of a mediator.

• Ethics and Professional Responsibility for Paralegals [EPCO]

  • Paralegals must practice ethical behavior and work in the best interest of their clients. This course will discuss the various ethical obligations and legal requirements that must be followed by Paralegals in order to maintain ethical behaviour in the field. Students will discuss the Paralegal Rules of Conduct, the accompanying guidelines, and the by-laws that apply to Paralegal practice.

• Practice Management/Operating a Paralegal Business [PMOO]

  • This course will teach students all aspects of how to run and manage a paralegal office including accepting fees and appropriate advertising procedures. This course will be particularly valuable for students who intend to set up their own Paralegal practice as they will learn to plan out their business and will learn to develop an appropriate business plan. Students will also learn about appropriate advertising techniques as part of the business plan development process.

• Advocacy [ADVO]

  • This course will reinforce the student's role as a hardy advocate with an emphasis on how to conduct effective direct examinations and cross examinations, how to effectively challenge witnesses, and how to properly present evidence. This course will provide students with guidance on how to prepare clients and witnesses for mock trials or hearings and will help build on their court/tribunal skills from a variety of perspectives.

• Career and Employment Strategies [CESO]

  • In addition to learning career-oriented skills, students learn how to get a job in their chosen profession. Our Employment Services department will assist the graduate in resume writing, as well as preparing for job interviews. Our staff is sensitive to current job market trends and the needs of employers in each local market. Our graduates receive guidance and training to use career tools that help job seekers build a better resume and cover letter, manage an online portfolio, hone interviewing skills, and develop a personal brand online. Students will have the use of a computer lab which has unlimited Internet access, as well as job search resources. Facilitators will also be made available to advise on job finding resources, interview skills and techniques and to carry out mock interviews. This course also looks at the planning, preparation, execution, and follow-up stages of an interview: How people find jobs; Employer expectations; Presenting an enthusiastic attitude; Focusing on the right job and the hidden job market; Transferrable skills; Thank you letters; Effective telemarketing; Handling objections, self-confidence, and self-esteem; Individual counselling and coaching.

• Practicum [PLGO120(6)]

  • This module will help prepare students for their transition to the workforce as the college will provide them with a field placement. The field placement will be completed in a qualified legal environment with a licensee in good standing with the Law Society. This placement will provide students with an insight into how law firms, paralegal firms and legal departments operate. At the end of the placement, students will be evaluated by their licensed supervisor and will be required to acquire a passing grade in order to finalize and finish the paralegal program.