Legal Assistant
Donald School of Business - Downtown
Contact:
Fred Cardwell
Chairperson
Program Information:
E-mail: inquire@rdc.ab.ca
Phone: 403.342.3400 OR 1.888.732.4630
Department Information:
For more information visit the Legal Assistant Department, under Academic Departments.
Two-Year Diploma
Legal assistants often find work in law offices, governments, financial institutions, and oil and gas companies. They work under a lawyer's supervision, taking over many routine legal and administrative responsibilities.
Specific examples of Legal Assistant duties include handling real estate transactions; preparing common forms of wills, estates, and probate work, collection work, and litigation and corporate work. Legal Assistants may also perform general office and clerical duties, especially in the beginning.
Students may become members of the Alberta Association of Professional Paralegals. Apply to the Association.
The Program
In this two-year program you will be introduced to rules of law, legal procedures and some basis assistant skills. You will also gain practical experience in a law office.
Admission Requirements
A minimum of 50% in ELA 30-1 or 65% in ELA 30-2, or equivalent,
or
a minimum score at the 50th percentile on the English component of the College Board Placement Test or
the Test of Adult Basic Education and a score of 2 or higher on a writing sample.
Note: It is to your advantage to have basic keyboarding and grammar before beginning the Program.
Note: While not an admission requirement for the program, some practicum agencies and field placements may require Criminal record checks of students working in their organizations. Information about obtaining Criminal Record Checks will be provided to students after they have been admitted to the program.
Communications Course Placement Testing
Students will be required to take a College placement test before registering in a written communications course. (Students with 60% or greater in ELA 30-1 will be exempted from this test.) Students who do not achieve a satisfactory mark in this test will be required to complete COMM 150 before they can register in the required course, COMM 250. Students should take the placement test early in the event preparatory work (COMM 150) is required.
Program Content
Year 1
Year 2
* The work experience requirement (practicum) is to be completed during May and June following the second year. A minimum of 210 hours (full time) is needed for your practicum. The Department will help you find a suitable placement in Alberta. Practicum is graded on a credit/no credit basis. Normally, you must be eligible to graduate by June 30 to take part in a practicum.
Program Cost Estimates
Graduation Requirements
You must pass all courses and achieve a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00.