Paralegal Certificate

The UFV Paralegal certificate program delivers employment-focused education and professional training to prepare you to work immediately as an entry-level paralegal in the province of B.C., and to acquire membership with the B.C. Paralegal Association. ​

In British Columbia, paralegals have excellent employment prospects. Paralegals can work in law firms, government offices, compliance departments in public or private corporations, legal aid clinics, banks, search houses, marketing agencies, recruitment agencies, consulting firms, educational institutions, research firms, or in companies that support the legal profession. Many paralegals opt to be self-employed and work for lawyers on a contract basis. Some paralegals choose to become a notary public or a trademark agent, as these related professions are complementary.

In June 2012, the BC Law Society adopted rules to allow designated paralegals to give legal advice and appear in court, opening new areas of practice for professionals in the field. Consequently, demand for these legal professionals continues to be high, as they deliver cost-effective legal services to a variety of clients. In fact, the Government of Canada's Job Bank predicts that, over the period 2015–2024, there will be a shortage of paralegals to fill new job openings.

View entrance requirements in the UFV Academic Calendar.

Students are also required to complete a keyboarding assessment before you start your classes.

The eight courses provide the necessary foundation and fundamental skill set to begin work as a paralegal in B.C. Elective courses, a cross-disciplinary selection, focus on different areas of law including: family, criminal, litigation, wills and probate, property, insurance corporate & commercial and intellectual property. The certificate ladders into the Paralegal diploma.

Students enrolled in the Paralegal program will:

• Define, discuss and apply the ethical standards of modern paralegal practice.
• Name, define and differentiate Canadian sources of law.
• Apply basic British Columbia legal procedures.
• Discuss and articulate essential legal concepts in torts, contacts and corporate/business and family applications.
• Draft, copy and distribute various documents and legal correspondence using modern technologies.
• Conduct basic research including identifying legislation and citing case law.

Courses

Required (Core Courses): 4 courses

• PRLG 100 - Introduction to Law
• PRLG 150 - Contracts I
• PRLG 210 - Torts I
• PRLG 230 - Legal Research and Writing I

Electives: 4 courses

• PRLG 120 - Family Law
• PRLG 125 - Criminal Law and Procedures I
• PRLG 130 - Intellectual Property Law
• PRLG 135 - Wills and the Probate Administration Process
• PRLG 140 - Property Law
• PRLG 155 - Corporate and Commercial Law
• PRLG 200 - Litigation I
• PRLG 205 - Insurance Law

For full Paralegal course descriptions, see the UFV Calendar.

Course Schedule

We strongly encourage you to complete PRLG 100 and PRLG 230 before PRLG 150, PRLG 210, or any elective.

 *Please note that the Course Schedule is subject to change. To view the official course offerings, please click here.  

Evaluation

Students whose grade point average (GPA) falls below 2.0 may be required to withdraw from the program. Students who fail to maintain cumulative GPA of 3.00 (B average) will not be eligible for graduation.

Instructors

Classes are taught by lawyers and paralegals possessing exceptional academic and professional qualifications. This program blends substantive legal study with instruction and hands-on practice in paralegal skills.