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Ministry-approved title: Court And Tribunal Agent
Accredited by the Law Society of Ontario (LSO), this program qualifies graduates to apply to write the LSO’s licensing examination to become a professional, 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.
Students could 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.
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 provide legal services as a professional, licensed paralegal or work as a paralegal under the supervision of a lawyer.
Graduates who successfully complete the LSO’s Licensing Examination are recognized as Professional Licensed Paralegals and are afforded the privilege of providing legal services in prescribed areas of law before many courts and tribunals in Ontario, such as Small Claims Court, Provincial Offences Court, 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 in By-Law #4.
Furthermore, graduates may decide to continue their education and achieve further academic credentials. There are many “bridging” opportunities to universities through which graduates can achieve a university degree in a condensed period of time.
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.
Your learning experience will be complemented by a 240-hour field placement with a licensed paralegal or lawyer, in a government, court or law firm setting. Field placement 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 Durham College’s Law Clerk Advanced fast-track program (three semesters), the successful completion of which provides them with a Law Clerk Advanced diploma (in addition to the Paralegal diploma). Other related Durham College programs include: Advanced Law Enforcement and Investigations; Court Support Services; Conflict Resolution and Mediation; Victim Justice and Interventions; and Youth Justice and Interventions programs. 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 towards a degree.
Looking for more pathway opportunities or to transfer to Durham College? Click here for more information.
To help students 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. While not required, students 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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