Course Description
This course introduces the student to the role and responsibilities of a Legal Administrative Assistant employed in the field of family law in British Columbia. Students will gain knowledge and practical experience in topics such as statutes and rules, divorce and family courts, marriage in B.C., pre-nuptial and separation agreements, undefended and defended divorce actions, chambers applications, annulment, change of name, adoption and applications to Provincial Court. This is a “hands-on” course in which the students integrate keyboard, computer, document formatting and transcription skills, with a knowledge of family law.
Course Content
- Historical Overview: historical developments in family law
- Overview: why the family law client is unique
- Opening family law files
- The Divorce Act: grounds for divorce, bars to divorce, forms of divorce (undefended, joint, defended), jurisdiction
- The Family Law Act: relief available, importance of provisions concerning division of family property, jurisdiction
- Types of family law agreements
- Application of the Supreme Court Family Rules
- Financial disclosure
- Child support: Child Support Guidelines
- Simple calculations of child support amounts
- Preparation of documents in support of a joint divorce
- Preparation of documents in support of an undefended divorce
- Preparation of documents in support of a defended divorce
- Family law court document preparation using specialized litigation software
- Divorce order: preparation, approval by counsel
Learning Activities
A combination of lectures, guided practices, assignments, case studies and research assignments will be used. Active learning is an integral part of this course, and emphasis will be placed on a “hands-on” environment to allow students to work both independently and collaboratively to learn and apply 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.
Means of Assessment
| Assignments |
5% - 11% |
| Simulations |
30% - 40% |
| Midterm and/or Test(s) |
25% - 30% |
| Final Exam |
20% - 25% |
| Keyboarding |
4 - 5% |
| Total |
100% |
A maximum of two evaluations 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 evaluation 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.
Learning Outcomes
The learner has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
- read and understand the relevant statutory materials, the Supreme Court Family Rules, the Divorce Act, and the Family Law Act;
- identify the distinct applications of the Divorce Act and the Family Law Act;
- recognize the primary relief available under the Divorce Act and the Family Relations Act;
- prepare family law agreements;
- identify the rules on financial disclosure;
- calculate basic child support under the Federal Child Support Guidelines;
- prepare correspondence and documents required in a joint divorce proceeding;
- prepare correspondence and documents required in an uncontested divorce proceeding;
- prepare correspondence and documents required in a contested divorce proceeding;
- prepare correspondence and documents using specialized divorce document preparation and management software;
- transcribe family law correspondence and documents, including marriage and separation agreements, using appropriate and relevant legal terminology;
- observe ethical standards with respect to client confidentiality in the completion of all work;
- keyboard with accuracy; and
- demonstrate the ability to meet deadlines in a manner required to meet legal industry standards.
Textbook Materials
Textbooks and Materials to be Purchased by Students:
Family Law Manual, Latest Ed., Douglas College or other family law textbook as approved by the department.
Department approved keyboarding material and software.
Course packs as determined by the instructor.