Online courses for paralegal in Ontario prepare students for paralegal work. Although Internet courses can help, you need to follow the regulations to graduate.
Overview
All paralegal licensing are handled by the Law Society of Upper Canada. It is the guidelines of the Law Society that you have to follow. It is important that all the rules are obeyed as Canada is very strict about this. In some countries you don’t have to take a paralegal exam if you have a license.
In Ontario, you still have to take the Ontario exam regardless if you have a license. Before you study for the course, you should use Ontario law resources. The more you know about law in Ontario, the less difficult studying will be. You can also use other Canadian law sites on the web to help you with the research.
How to Become a Paralegal
The first step is to enroll in an accredited Internet course. Every application after June 2010 should graduate from an accredited paralegal education center at Ontario. If you graduated from a legal program prior to 2007, you need to contact the Law Society.
Those who studied outside Ontario have to submit other documents and records. This is necessary to determine if they are up to par with the Law Society’s standards. You will be accepted if they are up to par.
The next step is to apply online at the Society. You either download the application form or apply online at the Society website. The Good Character Amendment form has to be submitted as well. As the name suggests, it consists of questions to assess your character.
Before you apply at the site, get an email address. The Society will need contact information. Keep the email, address, phone number etc updated. This is what the Society will use to get in touch with you.
Other Information
The paralegal in Canada is more prevalent than lawyers’ assistants. Under Ontario laws, they are allowed to represent people in various legal proceedings. Paralegals however, may only represent them in cases with light penalties (i.e., where the maximum sentence is less than a year). There is an application fee. This is subject to change; get in touch with the Law Society for more information.
Taking up online courses for paralegal in Ontario has other benefits. Unlike in a traditional class, you can use the Internet to study Ontario courts, legal cases and other facts.