Law Clerk

Description

As integral members of the legal team, law clerks work independently under the general supervision of a lawyer and assist with numerous tasks associated with the handling of diverse legal matters, including significant client interaction. In this program, students learn to draft legal correspondence and memoranda and prepare various court documents in practice areas such as real estate, corporate, estates, civil litigation and family law, utilizing current legal software to produce documents to professional standards. Students learn legal administration skills, substantive law, ethics and professionalism. Students engage in experiential learning through a field placement that reinforces and expands upon the knowledge and skills acquired in the classroom. 

Career Opportunities

Law clerks work in a vast array of legal environments, including paralegal or law firms, government offices, legal clinics, courts, financial institutions, corporations and insurance companies. Workplaces might include exposure to any number of areas of law, including real estate, family, small claims, corporate, personal injury, wills and estates, and general civil litigation.

Program Learning Outcomes

The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

1. support the needs of clients and legal professionals through the use of accurate terminology and professional communication strategies, both orally and in writing;
2. complete all work within routine and unexpected time lines and limitation periods within the legal environment;
3. use current and relevant electronic and print resources, within the legal environment, to conduct legal research, to assist with file and evidentiary management, to facilitate communication and general legal documentation, complying with current regulations and procedures;
4. research and summarize the presenting legal issues applying knowledge of substantive law, to support the legal team;
5. apply rules of procedure to support best legal practices;
6. conduct oneself professionally in adherence to the guidelines of the Law Society of Ontario;
7. carry out clerical and administrative duties for the operation of a variety of legal environments;
8. outline strategies for ongoing professional development to ensure continuing competence as a Law Clerk;
9. act equitably and justly with diverse populations;
10. provide support for legal professionals in courts and administrative tribunals within the legal system;
11. employ environmentally sustainable practices within the profession;
12. apply basic entrepreneurial strategies to identify and respond to new opportunities.

Program Progression

The following reflects the planned progression for full-time offerings of the program.

Fall Intake - Barrie

• Sem 1: Fall 2024
• Sem 2: Winter 2025
• Sem 3: Fall 2025
• Sem 4: Winter 2026

Winter Intake - Barrie

• Sem 1: Winter 2025
• Sem 2: Summer 2025
• Sem 3: Fall 2025
• Sem 4: Winter 2026

Articulation

A number of articulation agreements have been negotiated with universities and other institutions across Canada, North America and internationally. These agreements are assessed, revised and updated on a regular basis. Please contact the program co-ordinator for specific details if you are interested in pursuing such an option. Additional information can be found on our website at https://www.georgiancollege.ca/admissions/credit-transfer/

Admission Requirements

OSSD or equivalent with

• Grade 12 English (C or U)

Mature students, non-secondary school applicants (19 years or older), and home school applicants may also be considered for admission. Eligibility may be met by applicants who have taken equivalent courses, upgrading, completed their GED, and equivalency testing. For complete details refer to: www.georgiancollege.ca/admissions/academic-regulations/

Applicants who have taken courses from a recognized and accredited post-secondary institution and/or have relevant life/learning experience may also be considered for admission; refer to the Credit for Prior Learning website for details:
www.georgiancollege.ca/admissions/credit-transfer/

Graduation Requirements

19 Program Courses
2 Communications Courses
3 General Education Courses
1 Field Placement

Graduation Eligibility

To graduate from this program, the passing weighted average for promotion through each semester, from year to year, and to graduate is 60%. Additionally, a student must attain a minimum of 50% or a letter grade of P (Pass) or S (Satisfactory) in each course in each semester unless otherwise stated on the course outline.

Program Tracking

The following reflects the planned course sequence for full-time offerings of the Fall intake of the program. Where more  than one intake is offered  contact the program co-ordinator for the program tracking.

Plan of Study Grid

Semester 1		Hours
Program Courses
COMP 1012	Introduction to Business Documentation	42
COMP 1048	Introduction to Keyboarding	42
LAWS 1023	Introduction to Legal Office Administration	42
LAWS 1024	Foundations of the Canadian Legal System	42
LAWS 2046	Contracts and Torts	42
Communications Course
Select 1 course from the communications list during registration.		42
	Hours	252
Semester 2
Program Courses
COMP 1003	Microcomputer Applications	42
LAWS 1014	Family Law 1	42
LAWS 1015	Debtor and Creditor/Landlord and Tenant Law	42
REAS 1003	Legal Research and Writing	42
Communications Course
Select 1 course from the communications list during registration.		42
General Education Course
Select 1 course from the general education list during registration		42
	Hours	252
Semester 3
Program Courses
LAWS 2039	Family Law 2	42
LAWS 2040	Corporate and Commercial Law 1	42
LAWS 2044	Real Estate Law 1	42
LAWS 2051	Advanced Legal Office Administration	42
LAWS 2053	Civil Litigation 1	42
General Education Course
Select 1 course from the general education list during registration.		42
	Hours	252
Semester 4
Program Courses
LAWS 2032	Estates Law	42
LAWS 2041	Corporate and Commercial Law 2	42
LAWS 2043	Civil Litigation 2	42
LAWS 2045	Real Estate Law 2	42
LAWS 2052	Legal Professionalism and Ethics	42
General Education Course
Select 1 course from the general education list during registration.		42
Field Placement
LAWS 2037	Law Clerk Field Training	84
	Hours	336
	Total Hours	1092

Graduation Window

Students unable to adhere to the program duration of two years (as stated above) may take a maximum of four years to complete their credential. After this time, students must be re-admitted into the program, and follow the curriculum in place at the time of re-admission.

Disclaimer: The information in this document is correct at the time of publication. Academic content of programs and courses is revised on an ongoing basis to ensure relevance to changing educational objectives and employment market needs. 

Program outlines may be subject to change in response to emerging situations, in order to facilitate student achievement of the learning outcomes required for graduation. Components such as courses, progression, coop work terms, placements, internships and other requirements may be delivered differently than published.