The Legal Assistant certificate program will provide you with technical skills and a specialized education that will prepare you for a career as a legal office assistant. Emphasis is placed on the practical demands of the job including the understanding of legal terminology and procedures, professional ethics, meeting deadlines and interpersonal relations.
Specialized terminology and documentation will form the basis on which your keyboarding skills are developed. In addition, you will develop an understanding of the core areas of legal office administration with emphasis on the practices and procedures of law including: Family Law and Criminal Law, as well as the practices involved in Litigation, Corporate, Real Estate and Small Claims Court.
Part-time Studies courses are being offered in either of the following four formats: Online, Flexible, In-person, Hybrid. Click Availability below to see current offerings.
Office Procedures help students acquire practical and transferable office administration skills, attitudes, behaviours and knowledge which are valuable in obtaining and retaining careers in today's fast-changing office environment.
MS Word 2019 or 365 for Windows, a word processing package that has the convenience and efficiencies of pull-down menus. Learn to create, edit, format and print documents. Use paragraph, page, and character formatting commands. Create multiple page documents with tables, and desktop publishing with MS Word.
In this course, students develop their knowledge of contemporary English grammar standards and organizational writing patterns, which together create a strong foundation for organizing and writing tasks in subsequent communication courses.
LEG303 is not eligible for Prior Learning Assessment.
Students build a vocabulary of common legal terminology used within a law office, government agency, court systems, social services and current affairs through practice, study guide and quizzes.
Students become more familiar with the wide range of duties and responsibilities in the area of Real Estate law for Law Office Administration/Assistants program including document and file preparation.
Wills & Estate Practice & Procedures focuses on the function and drafting of Wills and Powers of Attorney and the laws and procedures relating to the administration of estates in Ontario.
Corporate Practice & Procedures focuses on the preparation and filing of articles of incorporation, the organization of Ontario and Federal corporation, corporate changes, steps involved in annual filings and updates as well as registering other forms of business organization.
Law Office Accounting focuses on accounting procedures relating to the keeping of records and recording of transactions in a law office and the requirements of the Law Society of Upper Canada.
This course examines the role of a legal administrator in relation to litigation, small claims, family, and criminal law proceedings in support of the legal team. Students identify the components of forms used in each field, including, but not limited to, statements, affidavits, notices, and motions, from both the plaintiff and defendant's perspectives. Emphasis is placed on legislation and courts including the Family Law Act, the Rules of Civil Procedure, and Superior Court of Ontario procedure. Students are also expected to determine the appropriate uses of client information based on techniques learned in the course and knowledge gained about the fields.
This course will develop students' knowledge and expertise in the area of civil litigation. Students will become familiar with a wide range of activities, responsibilities and document preparation.
Criminal Law Practice & Procedures help students better understand the criminal justice system and the Charter of Rights and Freedom. The focus of this course will be taking the student through the adult criminal justice process from arrest to completion of criminal charges.
Note: Students who started the program prior to Summer 2023 and wish to graduate under the new requirements may use LEG307 in lieu of LEG316. However, they must complete a total of 12 courses in order to graduate.
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
1. I have completed Legal Assistant courses elsewhere. Will you accept them?
If you have completed a course at another institution that you think is the same as one of
the courses in the Legal Assistant program, you can apply for a Transfer Credit. Please visit the
Transfer Credit web
page for more information. You will be required to provide an official course outline of the course
you completed and your official transcript showing your final grade in the course.
2. Once I complete this program, can I apply any of the courses to the Law Clerk
program?
No, unfortunately, none of the courses in the Legal Assistant program are equivalent to the
Law Clerk courses or the Paralegal program.
3. Is this program available through online delivery?
Yes, this program is only available through online delivery.
4. How long do I have to complete this program?
We recommend students complete their studies within a 10-year period, unless stated otherwise
on the curriculum page of the website. There can be time restrictions due to curriculum
updates.
5. Do I have to pay for the entire program when I start?
No, you will be required to pay for the courses you register in each semester. Course fees
are paid individually at the time of enrolment/registration. Cost per course is accessible via the
Curriculum
link. If you see a "Notify Me" button, then the course is not being offered for the upcoming
semester.
6. How long will it take to complete the program?
Students will need to complete the 10 mandatory courses outlined on the
Curriculum
Link, along with a choice of two elective courses, making a total of 12 courses to fulfill
program requirements. These courses are typically offered during the winter, fall, and summer
semesters, although not all courses may be available every term. Students have the flexibility to
progress through the program at their own pace, with most part-time students opting for one to
three courses per term. It is advisable to aim for program completion within five years,
considering that course content may evolve over time. The duration of the program will vary based
on the number of courses taken each semester. For instance, completing two courses per semester
without breaks would typically result in program completion within two years.
7. How do I access the course after I have registered?
You will receive an email providing instructions. To learn more about online delivery for
this program, visit our
Getting Started -
Self-Directed Online Courses web page.
8. Do I have to buy textbooks?
Yes, some of the courses do require a textbook at this time. The instructor will let you know
what you need to purchase at the start of the course. You can also find the information on the
subject outline which is posted on the website.
9. Do I have to apply to take this program?
No, please feel free to register in courses to begin your studies.
When you meet all program requirements and become eligible for a certificate, diploma, or degree, you must inform the Registrar by completing a Graduation Application form and paying the graduation and alumni fee. Certificates, diplomas, and applied degrees are issued twice a year in the Fall (October), Spring (June) and Winter (February).
For further information including deadlines and fees, please visit the Convocation website or contact the Convocation Office at theservicehub@senecapolytechnic.ca.
Annie Kirkham
Program Assistant
Annie.Kirkham@senecapolytechnic.ca
416-764-0985
Yasmeen Syed
Academic Program Manager
Yasmeen.Syed@senecapolytechnic.ca
416-764-0965
For more information about this program, fill out the following form.