The emphasis throughout this course will be on active learning. Learning activities will simulate the procedures and tasks carried on in a legal office. Both learning activities and evaluations will be structured to stress problem solving, accuracy, and working within time constraints. The instructor will use short lectures, learning assignments, cases, and modeling to introduce new procedures and formats.
- Roles, Professional Behaviours, and Duties of Legal Administrative Assistants.
- Know and apply the specialized skills, knowledge, and character attributes required.
- Identify and complete general and corporate records office tasks under supervision.
- Practice discreet and ethical behaviours.
- Appreciate the expertise, roles, and duties of the members of the legal team within which the legal secretary works.
- Legal Terminology.
- Pronounce, spell, and define.
- Legal Correspondence and Documents.
- Understand content and keyboard letters, memoranda, accounts, and general and corporate legal documents.
- Proofread and edit legal correspondence and general legal documents.
- Legal Systems.
- Understand Canada’s and British Columbia’s systems of justice.
- Understand citing sources of law and keyboard citations.
- Legal Records.
- Open, maintain, and close client files.
- Understand and use tickler/bring forward systems.
- Understand general and trust accounts.
- Understand time sheets, receipts, and disbursements.
- Calculate fees and disbursements and prepare client accounts.
- Corporate Law Procedures.
- Understand proprietorships and partnerships and handle their formation and dissolution.
- Understand non-reporting corporations and handle incorporation, post-incorporation, annual, mid-year, dissolution, and Minute Book procedures.
- Legal Transcription.
- Transcribe using transcription software.
The learner has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
- transcribe using transcription software;
- use legal terminology appropriately;
- keyboard within given time limits and in correct format from instructions and/or rough draft correspondence, general legal documents, and company law documents;
- proofread and edit legal correspondence and documents;
- describe and understand the legal systems in British Columbia and Canada;
- describe and apply procedures and tools used in keeping legal records;
- describe and differentiate between types of business ownership; and
- follow current non-reporting corporate law procedures, guidelines, and statutes.
| Legal Office Procedure Assignments/Simulations | 20% – 30% |
| Midterm Examination | 25% - 30% |
| Corporate Assignments/Simulations | 20% – 25% |
| Final Examination | 25% – 30% |
| Total | 100% |
Corporate Assignments worth up to 20% may be assigned and due in the last 14 days of class. Some class time is provided to work on any assignments due in the last 14 days of class.
THERE ARE NO ORAL PRESENTATIONS IN THIS COURSE.
Students may conduct research as part of their coursework in this class. Instructors for the course are responsible for ensuring that student research projects comply with College policies on ethical conduct for research involving humans, which can require obtaining Informed Consent from participants and getting the approval of the Douglas College Research Ethics Board prior to conducting the research.
Textbooks and Materials to be Purchased by Students
Introduction to Legal Office Procedures Manual. Latest ed. Douglas College or other legal office procedures textbook as approved by the department.
Corporate Law Manual. Latest ed. Douglas College or other corporate textbook as approved by the department.
Course packs as determined by the instructor.