Program Highlights
Become a qualified paralegal through CapU’s Paralegal Certificate while employed in a legal setting and studying part time onsite or online. Pursue a rewarding and challenging career in law working under the supervision of a lawyer.
The Paralegal Certificate is offered to individuals who wish to study part time and who are already working full-time in the legal field. Students primarily study substantive law and legal skills courses while gaining their procedural law skills on the job.
Some procedural law courses, including courses dealing with litigation procedures, are available as electives. You can begin your studies either in the fall term in September, the spring term in January or the summer term in May.
Our graduates are highly sought after, and we work closely with representatives of the legal industry to ensure that our curriculum is current and relevant.
Effective Fall 2022, course offerings for the evening option of the Paralegal Certificate program will be delivered online synchronously. Classes will be held online once a week from 5:30 — 8:20 p.m. All prospective applicants who live within the Greater Metro Vancouver (south of Squamish/west of Abbotsford) must apply for the evening option.
Once admitted to the evening option, those students will be allowed to register for evening online synchronous courses and/or waitlist for online asynchronous courses, or a mixture of both.
- Demonstrate the ability to examine various legal problems by identifying appropriate areas of the law and sources to consult in commencing the process of legal analysis.
- Demonstrate competence in researching legislation, case law and other secondary legal materials.
- Summarize legal research findings in appropriate legal formats with clear and compelling analysis and conclusions.
- Demonstrate competence in effective communication in legally relevant contexts such as presentations of case summaries, interviewing clients, and group presentations.
- Prepare, draft and produce legal documents, including pleadings and other court documents, wills, corporate documents, or real estate documents.
- Demonstrate an awareness of and ability to identify legal issues in a broad range of areas through an exposure to a variety of legal subjects.
Admission Requirements
English language requirements
English is the language of instruction at CapU. All applicants are required to demonstrate competence in the English language prior to admission.
If English is not your first language or you’ve received your education in a language other than English, you must meet our English Language Requirements.
Basic requirements
- High school graduation
- English 100 level or higher course (B- or higher) or
- CMNS 159 (B+ or higher) or
- LPI exam (level 5 or higher) or
- CAEL (70 or higher)
- One of the following:
- Two years legal admin work experience or
- Graduation from Cap U’s Legal Admin Assistant (LAA) program with a B+ or higher (other LAA programs may be considered) or
- Graduation from Cap U’s online LAA program with B+ or higher (other online LAA programs may be considered) plus one year legal admin work or
- Relevant life/work experience with or without legal admin work experience (some limitations)
Program-specific requirements
- Resume
- Letter from employer (confirming current full-time legal employment)
Additional information
Please note: In the School of Legal Studies the EDT is not accepted in place of the LPI or CAEL.
Program Requirements
Total program credits: 30.00
Program Notes
Certificate requirements must be completed within five years of commencing the program. The five-year period may be extended in exceptional circumstances.
Continuation Requirements: Any student whose cumulative grade point average falls below 3.0 (B) after completing LAW 101, LAW 110 and LAW 210 may be required to withdraw from the program in consultation with the Chair(s). Any student whose cumulative grade point average falls below 2.0 (C) will not be permitted to continue in the program. Students must work-full time in a legal office setting while completing the Paralegal Certificate program, subject to exceptions approved by the School of Legal Studies.
Graduation Requirements: Students must complete all courses in the curriculum (the five required courses and 15 credits of electives) and achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (B) or higher in order to graduate. Students who complete the course requirements without being admitted in the certificate option (for instance, by taking the courses in the degree or diploma option, or transferring in credits from other institutions) and without two or more years of legal work experience will not be eligible to graduate automatically. In these circumstances students must complete at least two years full-time relevant work experience in consultation with the Chair(s) before being eligible to graduate.