Paralegal

PRLG 1003 credits
Introduction to Law
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Paralegal diploma program
This course introduces the basic framework, concepts, and terminologies used by paralegals in their daily work, the role of paralegals in the Canadian legal profession, and the skills they must acquire to work efficiently. The course will also cover introductions to the history of law and legal systems, Canadian courts and the legal profession, theories and forms of law, the major divisions of law and how they relate, research methodologies and the effective reading of statutes, case law, and legal citations, law from various domestic and foreign sources, procedural rules and formats, ethics in the workplace, and a general overview of how various disputes and legal issues are resolved in Canada. This survey course will answer the central questions of what law is and what it does in Canadian society.

PRLG 1051.5 credits
Legal Office Procedures
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Paralegal diploma program
This course introduces the basic features of working in a law office and the duties of its personnel (e.g., lawyers, paralegals, office managers, and legal assistants/secretaries) as well as related service providers such as actuaries, accountants, agents, and process servers. Additionally, students will learn how to identify various basic office documents and their uses, and will examine filing systems, notification systems, and billing systems. Filing requirements and the organization of the court registries will also be covered. Students will trace the flow of legal documents in a typical civil action, understand and appreciate the roles of all members of a law firm, achieve familiarity with various filing, diary, and billing systems used in the profession, understand how to file civil documents in the Court Registry, understand the concept and importance of confidentiality in client records, and describe the purpose, distribution and proper handling of office documents.

PRLG 1101.5 credits
Information Technology and the Legal System
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Paralegal diploma program
This course examines the present and evolving function of information technology in the legal field. Students will learn how technology is used to facilitate document generation, billing and time management, client file management, and the advantages of networked environments within the law office. They will explore how the Internet can be used to access legal research tools and databases for legal research purposes. In addition, students will examine how to use specialized applications, common programs, and technology to update information and research. A number of online applications, services, and sources of legal information will be used and assignments given to illustrate their functions.

PRLG 1153 credits
Evidence
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Paralegal diploma program
This course examines the standards and rules Canadian courts use to determine the proof of a claim in a trial setting. Central concepts such as establishing materiality and relevance, identifying hearsay, characterizing evidence as direct or circumstantial, burdens of proof, presumptions in evidence, Judicial Notice, the role of expert witnesses, and the testimonial qualifications of witnesses will be examined. Students will be introduced to provincial and federal evidence acts and their application; how law enforcement bodies collect, preserve, and present evidence at trial; the underlying rationale for the rules of evidence and the principles upon which they are based; the various types of evidence and their application/admissibility at trial; the presentation of evidence, including examination in chief and cross examination; privileged communications and other types of excluded evidence; and the effects of changes and decisions in Canadian evidence law.

PRLG 1203 credits
Family Law
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Paralegal diploma program
This course examines the central aspects of family law: the formation and dissolution of legal relationships, the division of resources, and the obligation of child support and care. Students will examine the rationale guiding court decisions in family law cases; the legal effects of divorce; the protections for children; domestic contracts; the purpose of the governing legislation related to Family Law (e.g., the Family Relations Act(s)), the Divorce Act, and child protection legislation and procedures; the content and purpose of financial statements and family property statements; and the requirements for a legal marriage and divorce in Canada.

PRLG 1253 credits
Criminal Law and Procedures I
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Paralegal diploma program
This course introduces the basic concepts, terminology, history, and legislation regarding criminal law in Canada. Major emphasis will be put on the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Criminal Code of Canada and related legislation, and their respective impacts on our society, as well as the various initiatives for Criminal Law reform. Emphasizing the procedural framework, students will examine the criminal court system as it relates to adult and youth crime, in addition to types of crime, defenses available to the accused, sentencing, and the correctional system. The role of juries will be examined, as will a selection of cases illustrating the difficulties encountered in criminal prosecutions. Other topics will include the element of intent in the definition of crimes, selected criminal offences and the defenses applicable to them, and the courts’ considerations regarding sentencing of offenders.

PRLG 1303 credits
Intellectual Property Law
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Paralegal diploma program
The basic aspects of intellectual property law are covered in this course, with an emphasis on identifying and securing actionable rights in creative works and the various forms these rights take. The scope of the interest and the difficulties associated with overlapping claims will be discussed. The responsive nature of this area of law, driven by financial considerations or in order to encompass new technologies and arrangements, will also be studied. Included will be examinations of the history and rationale behind the protection of intellectual property rights, the scope and legal effects of copyright, the purpose of the governing legislation related to intellectual property law, the Copyright Act, the Patent Act, the Industrial Design Act, the Trade Marks Act, etc. Also covered will be how common law, whether codified or not, forms the basis for the protection of creators’ rights, the legal protections available for various forms of creative activity, as well as the requirements for legal use of copyright material.

PRLG 1353 credits
Wills and the Probate Administration Process
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Paralegal diploma program
This course covers the creation and execution of a will and a codicil, the process of probate, and the administration of estates. Students will learn to draft a will and explore the ways an estate can be administered. The legal status of holographic wills, dying declarations, and living wills/directives for future care are examined. The Wills Variation Act and Estates Administration Act are introduced and the subsequent effects of intestacy are reviewed. The course also examines the essential elements of a will; the legislation governing wills and estate administration; the elements of capacity; how different wills are created and used; how to revoke a will; the purpose of a codicil; the difference between testate estates and intestacy; the distribution of an estate to beneficiaries, creditors, trustees, and others; and the purpose and tasks of an executor/estate administrator.

PRLG 1403 credits
Property Law
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Paralegal diploma program
This course examines the common law rules relating to personal and real property in all its forms, and the relevant provincial and federal legislation. It examines conveyancing in British Columbia, the procedures for real estate sales and transfer of title, and financing arrangements. The practice of acting for either the purchaser or vendor is explained. Other topics include the common law framework for dealing with property in B.C.; the type of land title and personal property registration in B.C.; the different ways of identifying a parcel of land; the purpose of various related documents for the purchase and financing of real property; the procedures used in purchase, title transfer, and settling accounts; the rights of finders of property; transfer of title/risk; bailments; gifts; and forms of interest in property.

PRLG 1453 credits
Criminal Law and Procedures II
Prerequisite(s): PRLG 125
This course examines in depth a number of cases to illustrate the concepts and processes studied in Criminal Law and Procedures I. The utility of present systems and the various historical, existing, and theoretical alternatives will be discussed, and an understanding of the major issues in criminal law viewed from the various public policy perspectives will be achieved through comparative readings. The complementary roles of judges and juries will be studied in depth, and the structures and procedures of other related organizations, such as police and Correctional Service Canada, will be illustrated.

PRLG 1503 credits
Contracts I
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Paralegal diploma program
This course examines the importance of contracts: agreements between two or more competent parties that can be enforced in court, in everyday transactions, and business. The principal types of such agreements will be covered, such as expressed and implied contracts, unilateral and bilateral contracts, true contracts and gratuitous promises, and those contracts that are not enforceable before the courts. The basic elements to a contract are examined, along with how contracts are interpreted by the courts. Students will also canvass available remedies and orders, as well as statutory consumer protections. Other topics include the requirements for capacity to enter into contracts; the protection for minors entering into contracts; the elements of valid offer and acceptance, counteroffers, and an invitation to treat; the idea of consideration and its importance to the law of contract; and remedies for breach of contract

PRLG 1553 credits
Corporate and Commercial Law
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Paralegal diploma program
This course focuses on the laws that govern business and commerce in Canada. The various types of business associations are explored, as well as their relative advantages and disadvantages in practice. The areas of agency law, employment law, contracts, tort, professional liability, sales and consumer protection, property (personal, real, and intellectual), and insurance law are discussed in the context of commercial dealings. The legal instruments used to facilitate business, as well as the regulation of securities markets, will be examined.

PRLG 2003 credits
Litigation I
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Paralegal diploma program
This course examines resolution of civil disputes in the courts in Canada. The sources of law in Canada are identified, and the structures and procedures to achieve results are examined. The flow of events in various types of litigation is followed, from initiation to appellate resolution. The drafting and purpose of the relevant documents applicable to the various courts will be reviewed. The courts as a system of dispute resolution and their history will be illustrated, and the roles of the various participants will be discussed. The rules of civil procedure and other guides will be studied, and the mechanisms of procedural change will be discussed.

PRLG 2053 credits
Insurance Law
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Paralegal diploma program
This course examines the principles of Canadian insurance law. Topics covered include the history and nature of the insurance arrangement, regulation of the industry, governing concepts (e.g., indemnity, insurable interest, misrepresentation, notice and proof of loss, valuation, abandonment and salvage, waiver and estoppel), duties of the parties, the law that applies to principals and agents, the elements forming and the creation of insurance contracts, the claims process, the different classes of insurance, and the effects of no-fault systems.

PRLG 2103 credits
Torts I
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Paralegal diploma program
Torts are the study of wrongful or negligent acts and their treatment in civil law. Specific topics to be considered that apply to persons, relationships, and property include intentional torts, negligence, and strict and absolute liability. Students will examine the courts’ handling of the question of damages, including the concept of apportionment and other remedies for personal and business recovery from tortfeasors. Other topics are the concepts of the duty of care, the standard of care, the rationale guiding court decisions in tort law cases, the legal effects of state of mind as it applies to tort law, the relationship between a criminal wrong and a tort, and the necessary elements of the various tort claims.

PRLG 2153 credits
Administrative Law
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Paralegal diploma program
Administrative law is the field of law concerned with the delegated powers of tribunals, boards, and other regulatory bodies, and the scope of appeals available. The history and jurisdiction of such bodies will be examined, as well as their procedures. Students will discover how to determine the applicable powers of tribunals and how to understand their regulatory framework. The extent of applicable remedies will be canvassed and the relevant public policies discussed. Major topics will be the notion of “natural justice” and the extent of judicial review, the applicability of Charter protections in administrative law, the central role of a tribunal’s empowering legislation, the concept of “standing” as it applies to administrative law, and the function of “discretion” as a concept in administrative law.

PRLG 2203 credits
Contracts II
Prerequisite(s): PRLG 150
This course reviews the elements to a contract, and covers a detailed examination of the principles of drafting basic contracts, using examples illustrating several common types. Cases illustrating various problems encountered in this field, potential liabilities, and the effects of drafting errors, are also studied. The rules and principles that guide how contracts are drafted and subsequently interpreted by the courts, both in common law and in legislation, are examined. Students also examine in detail available remedies and orders and how they are used to settle disagreement and breach. The expanding role of statutory consumer protections over the last century is illustrated and examples in various jurisdictions in Canada are studied.

PRLG 2253 credits
Litigation and Its Alternatives
Prerequisite(s): PRLG 200
This course examines sample cases and follows them through the litigation process, where the strengths and weaknesses of the legal system will be identified. Alternative forms of process are examined and their utility assessed. The trial process is illustrated in a mock trial to demonstrate how courts reach decisions and to illustrate the form of reasoning used by judges and juries. Other related topics include the process of Discovery and its rationale, the trial process and the roles of the various actors within it, and the forms of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and their respective rationale and structures. Structured negotiation, arbitration, and mediation are examined, using current examples of functioning systems. General trends regarding the utility and efficacy of the various forms of civil and criminal law ADR and litigation are also discussed.

PRLG 2303 credits
Legal Research and Writing I
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Paralegal diploma program
This course explores legal research strategies and methodologies and the fundamentals of legal writing and document drafting. The content includes locating (through the use of research guides) and analyzing case briefs, memoranda, statutes, and reasons for judgment. Use of electronic and manual resources, such as database systems, indices, annotated reports and statutes, law reviews, law reports, treatises, and legal encyclopedias, are also covered. The basic features of computer-based legal research and some of the available online resources, and the traditional law library resources used to locate applicable statutes and decisions, are examined in depth. The difference between primary and secondary sources, the importance of proper form and accuracy in citations, and the importance of updating legal research are covered. Students are able to distinguish constitutional law, statute law, regulations, and the case law originating from the various courts, and explain the relative significance of each.

PRLG 2353 credits
Torts II
Prerequisite(s): PRLG 210
Several cases are examined in depth to illustrate the logic and scope of allowable claims in tort law. Legislative modification of the common law framework for dealing with civil wrongs is examined through comparative studies. The effects of pivotal tort law decisions and concepts in changing the standards (personal, professional, and commercial) on which our society relies are discussed from a public policy perspective. Also examined are the no-fault systems and other alternative administrative schemes such as workers’ compensation.

PRLG 2403 credits
Legal Research and Writing II
Prerequisite(s): PRLG 230
Sample research problems are examined in this course, and hypothetical situations will be used as research assignments. The research methodologies explored in Legal Research and Writing I are reviewed. Additional subjects focus on the development of listening, speaking, and writing skills necessary for work in the legal profession. Students review grammar and sentence structure and learn the mechanics of legal writing and its common formats. The style, tone, and layout of legal and standard business correspondence are examined to understand the writing styles appropriate for internal memos, court documents, and correspondence. Students develop the skills to draft specific clauses in legal documents and revise and prepare basic contracts, pleadings, and affidavits. Students have the opportunity to practice drafting complete formal court documents and memoranda.

PRLG 2503 credits
Paralegal Practicum
Prerequisite(s): Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0.
This six-month paid practicum, which is mandatory for all students, provides participants with an opportunity for practical application of skills and techniques gained in coursework. Evaluations are made by both the agency and a UFV practicum supervisor.

Last extracted: April 14, 2011 09:45:24 PM