Law Clerk

4 Semesters B258 (Distance CH) B258W (Distance CH - Winter)


Type	PDF
Size	178 KB

Open original PDF →

Referenced from: Program Outlines Archive

Document text

Law Clerk

PROGRAM INFORMATION

Academic Year

2024 - 2025

Credential

Ontario College Diploma

Program Delivery

Full - Time

Duration

2 Years

Length

4 Semesters B258 (Distance CH) B258W (Distance CH - Winter)

Program Codes

Delivery Method for B258-CH and B258W-CH

All instructors are offsite, and all lectures are provided by distance through video and/or web-based platforms.

DESCRIPTION

A flexible program to kick-start your law clerk career.

Offered exclusively online, Northern’s two-year Law Clerk program has built-in flexibility as you gear up for a career as a legal assistant in a law office, or government or industry legal department. Focusing on real estate, wills, estates, and family law and litigation, you’ll learn how to conduct advanced legal research, navigate conflicts of interest, and interview clients to assess the truthfulness of a claim. You’ll get up to speed on legal terminology, master law office management, and even get a crash course in civil and criminal litigation.

What’s more, you’ll also improve your written and verbal communication skills. And ultimately put it all to the test in a fieldwork placement in the working world. This program has both a fall and a winter semester intake. The faculty members are lawyers and law office professionals. The Law Clerk program provides flexibility for returning or mature learners by offering fall and winter intakes. Classes have a regular schedule, and students can log into the live classroom from any personal location or Northern College campus. Through this online web format, students can see the professor and have the option of sharing their image. The app sharing tool allows for PowerPoint slide presentations, images, documents, and includes a virtual whiteboard. This virtual classroom also provides for chats, polling, verbal and written communication among students and professor. For additional flexibility and access, programs are recorded for student use and review.

You will acquire an understanding of the general principles of law while building the specific skills to be an effect and efficient contributor to a law office. You will use your communications and computer skills in every course as you interpret detailed instructions, both verbal and written, and prepare a variety of legal documents and letters. In addition, you gain a rounded coverage of legal fields, including Legal ethics, Canadian law, family law, legal interviewing, corporate procedures, provincial offences, criminal law, employment law, legal research, debtor-creditor law, legal software landlord tenant law and legal accounting.

Courses in this program are supported asynchronously through the college’s learning management system, Blackboard Learn. Course materials are uploaded online. Students can join discussion boards, share documents, and connect with the professor and other students.

Program Outline | March 2024

Disclaimer: Information in this document is correct at the time of publication. Content of programs and courses are revised as needed and/or required. Program outlines and information are subject to changes and may be delivered in different or alternate ways then listed in this document. You are advised to always reach out to Northern College if you have questions related to content on the website or outline publications.

Program Pathways

Articulation agreements with Laurentian University and UOIT permit graduates to get transfer credits towards an undergrad degree — another academic path for students to write the LSATs for Law School.

What is a law clerk and why consider a career as a law clerk?

Law clerks are administrative assistants with specialized training to relieve lawyers of routine legal and administrative duties and help them with more complex legal work when needed.
Interesting, varied, and responsible tasks
Working in a variety of private and government organizations.
Provide professional support to complete the forms and processes necessary for the smooth operational processing of their legal administrative procedures and services.
Typically, Law Clerks are key contributors to the effectiveness of their organizations, liaising professionally with clients, lawyers, managers, other organizations and other staff.

Potential employment opportunities may include:

Law offices, court houses, legal aid, and municipal offices.
Collection and bankruptcy offices
MP and MPP offices
Service Ontario/Service Canada
Process servers and legal researchers.
Various legal departments in ministries such as: Attorney General, Northern Development and Mines, Labour, Official Guardian and Public Trustee, Legal departments in banking, insurance, corporate, real estate development, construction, and mining, etc.

Why the Northern College Law Clerk program?

Flexibility of when you start with fall and winter intakes. Winter is often of particular interest and value for returning or mature learners.
You can study at one of our college campuses and take part in the on-campus student life experience. Contact North | Contact Nord community centres which allow you to connect from home or any broadband-enabled location.
Study with options, whether attending a real-time scheduled class or a video class recording.
Full-time, part-time and a la carte (individual course) options. A la carte is of particular interest to those working within the field that wish professional development in particular areas of law.
Delivery of this program has been organized around supporting a quality educational experience for distance students.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Law Clerk
Employed by law firms, record search companies and in legal departments in the private and public sectors.

Program Outline | March 2024

Law Clerk

VOCATIONAL LEARNING OUTCOMES

Support the needs of clients and legal professionals through the use of accurate terminology and professional communication strategies, both orally and in writing.
Complete all work within routine and unexpected timelines and limitation periods within the legal environment.
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 generate legal documentation, complying with current regulations and procedures.
Research and summarize the presenting legal issues, applying knowledge of substantive law, to support the legal team.
Apply rules of procedure to support best legal practices.
Conduct oneself professionally in adherence to the guidelines of the Law Society of Upper Canada.
Carry out clerical and administrative duties for the operation of a variety of legal environments.
Outline strategies for ongoing professional development to ensure continuing competence as a Law Clerk.
Act equitably and justly with diverse populations.
Provide support for legal professionals in courts and administrative tribunals within the legal system.

PROGRAM COURSES

The following reflects the planned course sequence for full-time offerings of the program. Programs at Northern College are delivered using a variety of instruction modes. Courses may be offered in the classroom or lab, entirely online, or in a hybrid mode which combines classroom sessions with virtual learning activities.

Source: https://www.northerncollege.ca/uploads/2025/08/Law-Clerk-2024.pdf