Why Choose North Island College?

• Skills you can use. Today’s businesses prefer to hire entry-level employees who are comfortable with a range of office skills. With a Legal Administrative Assistant certificate, you’ll have the specialized knowledge required for office positions in law offices, notaries, and legal departments of many different organizations.
• Virtual classrooms. As part of the BC Campus initiative, courses are available online, giving you the opportunity to study whenever, wherever you wish. You can complete your coursework on your own time while continuing to work.
• Flexible schedules. Most courses are self-paced, and qualified students are admitted on a continuous basis subject to the availability of space. That means you can tailor your program to suit your ability, availability, and lifestyle.
• Credit for what you know. If you are transferring from another college or institution, you may be given transfer credit for prior course work. Prior office work experience may also be eligible for credit. Check with a Student Advisor for details.

Program Highlights

This certificate consists of 11 online legal courses, beginning with an introduction to the Canadian legal system. Students are introduced to legal office procedures, litigation, family litigation procedures, conveyance procedures, corporate procedures, and wills and estates.

Students participate in hands-on projects in which they integrate keyboard, computer, transcription, and document formatting skills with their legal knowledge. Students are also familiarized with specialized terminology used in corporate procedures, and gain the practical experience necessary for maintaining records of a British Columbia corporation.

By completing these diverse and specialized legal courses, graduates will discover a variety of employment and career advancement opportunities.

Career Opportunities

Graduates will qualify for a wide variety of administrative support positions in law, corporate, government, federal, provincial, and municipal government offices, notaries public, insurance and real estate offices.

Credit for Prior Learning

Students transferring from other colleges or institutions may be given transfer credit for course work upon presentation of transcripts provided the course credit was awarded no more than three years prior to the application for transfer credit to a maximum of 50% of the certificate's required courses. Recent graduates from high school should ensure that they meet with an advisor to determine if any of their high school credits are eligible for transfer credit. Students with office work experience wishing to enter a certificate program must contact the department chair to determine their eligibility and program planning needs.

Admission Requirements

1. Successful completion of the Office Assistant I certificate, and ABT 120 Job Search or employment in the legal administration field.
2. Keyboarding speed requirement is 40 w.p.m. with a maximum error rate of three errors in at least three two-minute timed writings.

To Be Successful

• Starting the program in September, January, or April offers online students the best opportunity to access courses that they require. Students are required to contact a Student Advisor to help them create an educational plan that meets both their goals and the available time needed to complete the program.
• Students will need access to a computer, the internet, and have a personal email account for correspondence. Additional supplies or equipment may be required for other courses.

Program Requirements

First 30 Weeks

• Complete the Office Assistant I certificate

Next 30 Weeks

• ABT 102 Keyboarding II
• ABT 170 Introduction to the Canadian Legal System
• ABT 171 Legal Office Procedures
• ABT 172 Litigation Procedures I
• ABT 173 Litigation Procedures II
• ABT 174 Family Litigation Procedures
• ABT 175 Conveyancing Procedures I
• ABT 176 Conveyancing Procedures II
• ABT 177 Corporate Procedures I
• ABT 178 Corporate Procedures II
• ABT 179 Wills and Estates

Completion Requirements

• To be eligible to receive a certificate, the student must achieve a minimum of 70% (B-) in each course listed for the certificate; except ABT 102 requires exit speed of 50 w.p.m.