Paralegal Course & Program  

In-class Diploma Program

• 50 weeks total time to complete including a 4 week full time practical placement
• Monday to Friday, 4 hours per day
• Offered mornings or evenings

Online Hybrid Distance Education Diploma Program

• 50 weeks total time to complete based on 20 hours per week of dedicated learning plus homework
• Includes a 4 week full time, in-person practical placement
• Approximately 30% of the course content is completed online within pre-scheduled milestones
• Instructor meeting time is scheduled each week on campus via online video link

Are you a well-organized, quick-thinking individual, with excellent communication and customer service skills? The Paralegal program may be the right choice for you! Paralegal is a licensed profession in Ontario and clients are looking for access to cost effective legal services. Our Paralegal Diploma program prepares you for a career in this expanding field.

Approved as a vocational program under the Ontario Career Colleges Act, 2005.

Paralegal Program Objective  

The objective of the Paralegal Diploma program is to provide our students with the required substantive law training to successfully enter the Law Society of Ontario’s paralegal licensing process.  Students will learn constitutional and administrative law, client interviewing, legal research, evidence, small claims court, provincial offences, legal writing, dispute resolution and mediation, legal computer applications, tribunals, immigration law and landlord and tenant law. All law courses are taught by lawyers or licensed paralegals.

The following paralegal courses will help you establish a legal services business of your own: ethics and professional responsibility, practice management / operating a small business and legal accounting. Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and Bookkeeping are also invaluable tools.

The structure of our paralegal program includes lecture and seminar courses, as well as field trips to local Courts and tribunals. There are also a number of mock hearings and presentations throughout the program. A practical placement will ensure you graduate with exposure to the profession, and the requisite hours to qualify for the licensing process.

Is a Fulfilling Legal Career Right for You?

Take the "Algonquin Academy Legal Career Training Readiness Quiz"

 The fun, online quiz takes 3-minutes to complete and you’ll get a personalized report. Identify your strengths and social style plus the training and positions you’re best suited for. Get your Legal Career Training Readiness score now!

Paralegal Placements

Our students will have a four week practical placement under the supervision of a LSO Licensee during which you will use the skills learned in the classroom and experience your profession from the practical perspective.

Paralegal Accreditation  

The Paralegal program of Algonquin Careers Academy is accredited by the Law Society of Ontario to 2025.  

Becoming a Licensed Paralegal in the Province of Ontario  

To provide legal services in Ontario a person must be licensed by the Law Society of Ontario (“the Law Society”).  

To obtain a license, a person must graduate from a program accredited by the Law Society, pass a licensing examination and be of good character.  

For more information about the paralegal regulation and licensing requirements, please visit the Law Society’s website at  www.lso.on.ca  or call the Member Resource Centre at 416-947-3315 or 1-800-668-7380.   

Paralegal Career Opportunities  

Paralegals in Ontario now have their own scope of practice and, within these permitted areas, provide an affordable option for legal services.

Paralegals may act independently in the representation of clients. Paralegals may represent clients in small claims matters; landlord/tenant matters; matters before all federal and provincial agencies, boards and commissions as well as tribunals such as the Landlord Tenant Board and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board. They may also appear on summary conviction procedure criminal offences.

Paralegals may also find employment in a wide variety of workplaces, including:   

• Government (Federal, Provincial, Municipal)  
• Large Corporations
• Self-Employed Paralegal  
• Law and Paralegal Firms
• Banks/Financial Institutions  
• Insurance Companies  
• Courts (Federal and Provincial)  
• Legal Clinics  
• Other Law-Related Occupations   

Paralegal Wage Information

$/hr rate:

Source: Paralegal (NOC 42200) Ontario www.jobbank.gc.ca, April 2024

Paralegal Program Admission Requirements

• Ontario Secondary School Diploma or the equivalent, or if 18 years of age or over, you may apply as a mature student and write an entrance exam
• Ontario grade 12 English or equivalent
• Language proficiency is an essential skill required for all Paralegals
• Canadian Citizen, Permanent Resident or Immigration approval  
• Assessment Interview to determine suitability for the Paralegal program
• A criminal record may affect a graduate’s ability to become licensed in Ontario – please discuss with our Admissions Advisor or LSO before enrolling in a paralegal program

Paralegal Fee Information

Tuition: $12,100    Textbooks and other fees: $2,294    International Student Fee: $2,000