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Ministry-approved title: Court And Tribunal Agent
Accredited by the Law Society of Ontario (LSO) Durham College’s paralegal training program qualifies graduates to apply to write the LSO’s licensing examination to become a licensed paralegal. Unique to Ontario, the paralegal profession was established to provide affordable legal representation and access to the justice system in prescribed areas of law before many courts and tribunals in the province.
Durham College’s paralegal training will prepare you to pass this qualifying exam and enter this important field of work. Students in the paralegal program participate in a 240-hour field placement with a licensed paralegal or lawyer, in a government, court or law firm setting to gain practical, hands-on experience and the opportunity to apply the theories and concepts learned in the classroom.
Admission requirements for Ontario applicants to the paralegal program are below. Please contact our Admissions Office for out-of-province or international admissions.
Durham College (DC) offers pre-admission assessment testing to mature domestic applicants to meet admission requirements in English and/or math. Domestic applicants that are 19 years of age or older as of the start date of their program, and who do not have the required program credit(s) i.e., Grade 12 English and/or Grade 12 math are eligible to take an admissions assessment test.
Learn more about how to book Pre-Admission Assessment Testing here.
DC also offers Academic Upgrading. Courses are FREE and designed to help you meet the admissions requirements for this program. Available to individuals 18+, these courses are offered on-campus at DC. Boost your qualifications with:
Learn more about Academic Upgrading and connect with our team to get started.
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Whether you provide paralegal services in your own professional capacity, as a member of a law or paralegal firm, or as an employee of a government agency, your passion and integrity, combined with extensive skills and knowledge, will make you the ideal legal representative for those challenged by the law.
This program is accredited by the Law Society of Ontario (LSO), the regulatory body governing professional paralegals in the province, and meets its rigorous competencies for paralegals. It will prepare you for the LSO’s paralegal licensing examination, which graduates are eligible to write, and is designed to provide the specialized knowledge and skills required to independently or as part of a firm provide legal services as a licensed legal professional.
Graduates who successfully complete the LSO’s Licensing Examination are eligible to provide legal services in prescribed areas of law before many courts and tribunals in Ontario, such as Small Claims Court, Provincial Offences Court, the Ontario Court of Justice for Criminal Summary Conviction matters, the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal, and the Landlord and Tenant Board, to name a few. Graduates may also find employment in law firms, working under the supervision of a licensed lawyer or paralegal, immigration and refugee law, as well as in several organizations approved by the LSO.
Furthermore, graduates of Durham College's paralegal program may decide to continue their education and achieve further academic credentials. There are many “bridging” opportunities through which graduates can achieve a degree in a condensed period of time.
Upon completion of Durham College’s paralegal program, you can expect to be able to:
The courses listed below are for incoming students. If you are a current student, please refer to your program of study for the year you began your program. Your program of study can be found on MyDC.
Courses, course descriptions and delivery formats are subject to change.
In person
Students will come to campus to complete in-person learning requirements. Detailed schedules, with course-specific delivery information, will be available after registration. Courses, course descriptions and delivery formats are subject to change.
Following your successful completion of our paralegal program and passing the Law Society of Ontario’s qualifying exam, you could take on a range of interesting, challenging roles that help people with legal questions and problems. Durham College is ready to prepare you for an exciting new career!
A diploma from the paralegal program can open doors to a future you can grow with and build on.
Your learning experience in the paralegal program will be complemented by a 240-hour field placement with a licensed paralegal or lawyer, in a government, court or law firm setting. The field placement is an integral part of Durham College’s paralegal program that will provide you with practical, hands-on experience and the opportunity to apply the theories and concepts learned in the classroom.
Please note: there are pre-placement requirements for the field placement component of this program.
Qualified graduates can apply to other Durham College programs related to the paralegal program include: Law Clerk, Advanced Law Enforcement and Investigations; Court Support Services; and the Victim Justice and Interventions programs
If you decide to further your education after the paralegal program, Durham College also offers degree completion opportunities with a number of Canadian and international institutions. Sample diploma-to-degree opportunities include:
Please visit our pathways page to learn more about how you can transfer your credits from our paralegal program towards a degree.
Looking for more pathway opportunities or to transfer to Durham College? Click here for more information.
To help students in the paralegal program have the best learning experience possible, Durham College’s IT Services department has identified technology recommendations for each program based on course needs and software requirements. Students entering the paralegal program or starting a new academic year may want to consider these suggestions if they are purchasing a computer or laptop for the upcoming academic year.
Processor: i7 RAM: 16GB Storage: 256GB SSD Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Professional or Education x64 SP1 Internet Browser: Internet Explorer 11 or Google Chrome (newest version) or Firefox (newest version) Network Adapter: 802.11ac 2.4/5 GHz wireless adapter Camera: Webcam/built-in camera Internet connection
Questions regarding technology recommendations can be directed to the IT Service Desk.
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