Paralegal (graduate certificate)

Program Overview

Accredited by the Law Society of Ontario (LSO), this program qualifies graduates to apply to write the LSO’s licensing examination, successful completion of which qualifies the graduate to become an LSO member as a professional, licensed paralegal. Unique to Ontario, the paralegal profession was established to provide affordable legal representation and access to the justice system for people who find themselves facing charges under provincial law or some Criminal Code provisions; those who require legal assistance in dealing with government agencies and tribunals in areas such as human rights, social assistance, immigration and workers compensation; and those who are embroiled in disputes involving residential tenancies or small claims court.

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.

Graduate certificate

Legal Studies

Field Placement

Admission Requirements

Law-related degree (criminology, legal/justice studies, or public policy) or diploma (law and security administration, law clerk advanced, or police foundations) with minimum 2.7 grade point average (GPA)
Proof of English language proficiency required

Non-legal related diploma or degree including a minimum of three law-related courses with minimum 2.7 GPA
Proof of English language proficiency required

A minimum of three years of related industry experience detailed in a professional resumé with a letter of intent may be considered
Proof of English language proficiency required

View All Requirements

Intakes and Availability

Date	Domestic Availability	International Availability
September 2020	Open	Open

Tuition

Year one domestic: $3,630 (CDN)
Year one international: $14,230 (CDN)

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Semester 1 Courses

View All Courses

Career Options

WHAT YOU COULD BE:

A professional paralegal licensed by the Law Society of Ontario, authorized to independently provide legal services to clients in areas such as:

Criminal court summary conviction
Provincial offences court
Small claims court
Tribunals such as immigration, human rights, social assistance, and Workplace Safety Insurance Board (WSIB)

View all Career Options

Program Details

This program is accredited by the Law Society of Ontario (Law Society), the regulatory body governing professional paralegals in the province, and meets its rigorous competencies for paralegals. It will prepare you for the Law Society’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.

The graduate certificate program is also designed specifically for individuals who have a degree or diploma consisting of law related courses or three to five years of legal-related experience. Upon licensing by the Law Society, you will be able to provide legal services within authorized areas of practice.

Graduates who successfully complete the Law Society of Ontario’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. For example, they may apply to the College’s Law Clerk Advanced Fast Track Program and, after completing four courses during a Spring/Summer semester, become enrolled in the 3^rd year of the 3 year Law Clerk Advanced Program, successful completion of which would see the student achieve both a Paralegal Diploma and Law Clerk Advanced Diploma in 3 years. In addition, there are many favourable “bridging” opportunities to Universities at which graduates can achieve a university degree in a condensed period of time.

Admission Requirements

Law-related degree (criminology, legal/justice studies, or public policy) or diploma (law and security administration, law clerk advanced, or police foundations) with minimum 2.7 grade point average (GPA)
Proof of English language proficiency required

Non-legal related diploma or degree including a minimum of three law-related courses with minimum 2.7 GPA
Proof of English language proficiency required

A minimum of three years of related industry experience detailed in a professional resumé with a letter of intent may be considered
Proof of English language proficiency required

If you do not have the requisite undergraduate diploma or degree, you will be required to submit additional documentation.

Applicants whose first language is not English or who are internationally educated in a non‐English speaking country must meet Durham College’s English Language Proficiency Policy.

Courses

Semester 1

Semester 2

Courses and course descriptions are subject to change.

Costs

YEAR ONE FEES	Domestic	International
Tuition	$3,630	$14,230
Compulsory Ancillary	$1,812	$1,812
Program Incidental	$0	$0
Total Fees:	$4,967	$16,042

Please note: fees are based on the 2019-2020 academic year and do not include textbooks. For more information please see Other fees to consider.

Career Options

WHAT YOU COULD BE:

A professional paralegal licensed by the Law Society of Ontario, authorized to independently provide legal services to clients in areas such as:

Criminal court summary conviction
Provincial offences court
Small claims court
Tribunals such as immigration, human rights, social assistance, and Workplace Safety Insurance Board (WSIB)

WHERE YOU COULD WORK:

Administrative tribunals in Ontario such as the Human Rights Tribunal, WSIB, Immigration Tribunal, Residential Tenancies (landlord and tenant), and the Ontario Labour Board
Businesses as in-house paralegal
Entrepreneurship
Government agencies
Immigration offices
Law firms
Provincial offences court
Small claims court
Summary conviction criminal offences court

Field Placement

Your learning experience will be complemented by a 120-hour field placement with a licensed paralegal or lawyer, in a government, court or law firm setting. This field placement will provide you with practical, hands-on experience and the opportunity to apply the theories and concepts learned in the classroom.

Program Transfer, Degree Completion and Additional Credentials

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; Mediation – Alternative Dispute Resolution; Victimology; and Youth Justice and Interventions.

COVID-19 Information

Paralegal (graduate certificate)

Program Overview

Admission Requirements

Intakes and Availability

Tuition

Semester 1 Courses

Career Options

WHAT YOU COULD BE:

Program Details

Admission Requirements

Courses

Semester 1

Semester 2

Costs

Career Options

WHAT YOU COULD BE:

WHERE YOU COULD WORK:

Field Placement

Program Transfer, Degree Completion and Additional Credentials

Paralegal (graduate certificate) in the news

Helpful Resources

College guide September 2020 [PDF]

College guide September 2020 [Interactive]

Graduate Employment Report [PDF]