| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2024-09-03 | - |
| 2025-01-09 | - |
Program Overview
The Legal Assistant Diploma program at Bow Valley College is a five-term program that provides students with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in a law office, legal department, or the judicial system. Students learn about legal procedures, document processing, and communication skills. They also gain practical experience through a field placement. The program prepares students for a wide range of employment opportunities in legal support services.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
The Legal Assistant Diploma program at Bow Valley College prepares students for a key role in a law office, a corporate legal department, or the judicial system. Strong verbal and written communication skills are essential for success in this field. The Legal Assistant Capstone course brings theory and practice together in a law office simulation. Students are expected to achieve a keyboarding speed of 60 words per minute by the end of the program.
Outline:
The Legal Assistant Diploma program is a five-term diploma program that can be completed as quickly as 18 months (including field placement). A standard course load is five courses per term. Students can maintain full-time status with at least three courses. Taking less than five courses per term will take longer to complete the program.
Course Schedule:
Term 1:
- ADMN1101 - Introduction to Professional Keyboarding (3 credits)
- LEGL1201 - Introduction to the Legal Profession (3 credits)
- LEGL1401 - Legal Document Processing I (3 credits)
- LEGL1501 - Litigation I (3 credits)
- MGMT1201 - Business Communication (3 credits) (Earn a minimum grade of B-)
Term 2:
- LEGL1502 - Litigation II (3 credits)
- LEGL1602 - Real Estate Law I (3 credits)
- LEGL2105 - Criminal Law for Legal Assistants (3 credits)
- ADMN1102 - Advanced Professional Keyboarding (3 credits) (Earn a minimum grade of B-)
- LEGL1402 - Legal Document Processing II (3 credits) (Earn a minimum grade of B-)
Term 3:
- ADMN1203 - Business Technology (3 credits)
- LEGL1603 - Real Estate Law II (3 credits)
- LEGL2101 - Corporate Law (3 credits)
- LEGL2103 - Family Law (3 credits)
- LEGL2104 - Wills & Estates (3 credits)
Term 4:
- LEGL2102 - Commercial Law (3 credits)
- LEGL2601 - Credit & Collections (3 credits)
- LEGL2301 - Communication Skills for the Legal Assistant (3 credits)
- LEGL2702 - Legal Assistant Procedures (3 credits)
- LEGL2703 - Legal Assistant Office Simulation (3 credits) (Earn a minimum grade of B-)
Term 5:
- LEGL2998 - Field Placement for Legal Assistants (3 credits) (Must complete all program courses and other eligibility requirements before completing the Field Placement Course. Learners with keyboarding experience have the opportunity to improve their technique to achieve higher levels of speed and accuracy.
LEGL1201 - Introduction to the Legal Profession:
This course provides a summary of the fundamental aspects of the Canadian legal system and the role of legal assistants in that system. Principles of tort, contract, and employment law are also introduced. Learners are introduced to basic and intermediate Microsoft Word skills which can be applied to a variety of documents. Focus is placed on correctly formatting legal business letters and proofreading. Introductory steps in a civil litigation dispute are covered up to a process called "Questioning." Knowledge is applied by preparing key documents used in the civil litigation process.
MGMT1201 - Business Communication:
This course enhances a learner's confidence in business communication skills, preparing them for a professional career. Learners use strategies and techniques to develop effective communication while using digital tools. Through practical exercises focused on real-world dynamics, learners also develop interpersonal skills essential for today's workforce. Emphasis is placed on the conformity with the Alberta Rules of Court and the role of the legal assistant. Learners explore real estate law terms and principles in relation to land ownership, rights and obligations of buyers and sellers, and statutes affecting land. Emphasis is placed on gaining familiarity with the Criminal Code as statute law and applicable procedural requirements.
ADMN1102 - Advanced Professional Keyboarding:
Building on the skills developed in ADMN1101, learners have the opportunity to improve their touch-typing technique to achieve higher levels of speed and accuracy to meet industry standards. Through continued development of proofreading strategies, along with a focus on the keying of legal and general terminology, learners have the opportunity to develop the attention to detail expected in the legal assistant profession.
LEGL1402 - Legal Document Processing II:
Learners expand their word processing skills by exploring and applying advanced features in Microsoft Word. Focus is placed on producing, formatting, proofreading, and editing multi-page legal documents. Secondary financing, bridge financing, and residential leasing are also introduced.
LEGL2101 - Corporate Law:
This course introduces learners to the three main types of business organizations - sole proprietorships, partnerships, and corporations. Learners examine why business owners would choose one type of organization over another and what the process would be to create these organizations. The impact of the Business Corporations Act, the Partnership Act, and the Securities Act on business organizations is also reviewed. Agencies associated with domestic disputes and enforcing court orders are also introduced.
LEGL2104 - Wills & Estates:
This course examines estate planning and estate administration in Alberta. Learners prepare Wills, Personal Directives, Enduring Powers of Attorney, Applications for a Grant of Administration and Grant of Probate in accordance with Alberta legislation and common legal practice and procedure.
LEGL2102 - Commercial Law:
This course introduces learners to the legal structures and processes that enable businesses to generate revenue and make a profit. Legal Assistants complete agreements, documents and forms required to turn legal advice into legal and business reality. Learners review and prepare share transfer agreements, offers to lease, commercial real estate land transfers and mortgage documentation, commercial personal property lending documents, and closing agendas. The commercial impacts of the Alberta Business Corporations Act, Land Titles Act, Law of Property Act, and the Personal Property Security Act are also examined.
LEGL2601 - Credit & Collections:
This course introduces the legal assistant's role in the theory and practice of debt collection. Learners become familiar with the daily routine and duties of a legal assistant including office interactions, time management, client file management, law firm accounting, and court filing procedures.
Careers:
This program prepares students for a wide range of employment opportunities in legal support services. This is a growing field with excellent employment prospects. Legal assistants assist lawyers in carrying out their duties and perform a variety of secretarial and administrative duties in law offices, legal departments of large organizations, courts, real estate companies, and land title offices. Specific examples of legal assistant duties include handling real estate transactions, preparing common forms of wills, estates, probate work, collection work, litigation and corporate work, plus general office and clerical duties.
Other:
- Courses are available both in class and online. Please note that not all courses may be available online each semester. Consult with the Academic Advising Team to assist with program planning.
- For courses with scheduled final exams, they are required to be completed in person or at an approved invigilation site.
- A mandatory field placement is a requirement of the program. Mandatory field placement is a 3-credit, unpaid, 4-week work experience that occurs at the end of the program. To be eligible for mandatory field placement, students need to finish their coursework and complete all pre-placement requirements.
- Transfer opportunities are available to a variety of institutions.
