Our Paralegal Program has been designed to provide you with the education you need to become a paralegal. In Ontario, paralegals are licensed and regulated by the Law Society of Ontario (LSO). A licensed paralegal can provide specific legal services and represent clients in certain courts (including provincial offence court, summary conviction criminal court, small claims court and administrative tribunals). In addition to working independently in the areas of law permitted for paralegals, many licensed paralegals also work under the supervision of lawyers in other areas.
This program is an LSO-accredited paralegal education program that can be completed in anywhere from 24 months (in its compressed format) to a maximum of 36 months.
Intake Date(s)
September and January
Admission Requirement(s)
You must secure departmental approval before you can register for courses (see How To Apply). Approval will only be considered if you meet the following requirements:
- You must have advanced computer skills. If you do not meet the computer skills requirement, you must complete our COMP 9727 Microsoft Office Fundamentals and our COMP 9191 Microsoft Word course or our COMP 9719 Microsoft Word (Distance Learning) course.
- You must complete the General English Assessment and score high enough to be assigned to College English. If you do not meet this requirement, you must complete our ENGL 1030 Skills for College English course.
How to Apply
You must complete the Paralegal Program online entrance form. If you are accepted, you will receive an email within seven business days (excluding college closures) of the day we receive your application. Once you receive your confirmation, you can register in your Term 1 Module courses. You must complete the entrance form before you register for courses or you may be withdrawn at any time.
Completion Details
You can only receive exemptions from the Legal Studies department for a maximum of 40% of the program's total courses. Once you have completed all the requirements of this program with a cumulative grade average of C (63%) or better, you can request to receive a certificate. Program graduates are eligible to apply for admission to the LSO's two-part paralegal licensing process.
Certificate Stream
Pre-module: Core Courses (One)
One of these:
Term 1 Module: Core Courses (Three)
Modules must be completed in the order shown. Courses must be completed in the term shown.
- LAW 9095 Communication Skills for Paralegals
- LAW 9040 Introduction to the Legal System
- LAW 9056 Legal Computer Applications
Term 2 Module: Core Courses (Three)
Modules must be completed in the order shown. Courses must be completed in the term shown.
- LAW 9050 Administrative LawOnline Option
- LAW 9042 Legal Research and WritingOnline Option
- LAW 9041 Torts and ContractsOnline Option
Term 3 Module: Core Courses (Three)
Modules must be completed in the order shown. Courses must be completed in the term shown.
- LAW 9052 Employment LawOnline Option
- LAW 9055 Legal AccountingOnline Option
- LAW 9051 Tribunal Practice and ProcedureOnline Option
Term 4 Module: Core Courses (Three)
Modules must be completed in the order shown. Courses must be completed in the term shown.
- LAW 9048 Criminal Summary Conviction ProceduresOnline Option
- LAW 9049 Provincial and Motor Vehicle OffencesOnline Option
- LAW 9053 Residential Landlord and Tenant LawOnline Option
Term 5 Module: Core Courses (Three)
Modules must be completed in the order shown. Courses must be completed in the term shown.
- LAW 9044 Evidence and Litigation ProcessOnline Option
- LAW 9039 Paralegal Practice ManagementOnline Option
- LAW 9047 Small Claims CourtOnline Option
Term 6 Module: Core Courses (Three)
Modules must be completed in the order shown. Courses must be completed in the term shown.
- LAW 9045 AdvocacyOnline Option
- LAW 9046 Alternative Dispute ResolutionOnline Option
- LAW 9038 Ethics and Professional ResponsibilityOnline Option
Post-module: Core Courses (One)
This can be completed along with or after the Term 6 Module:
Additional Information
Disclaimer: Graduates of our Paralegal Program are not eligible to attend the college's convocation ceremonies as those ceremonies are for full-time program graduates only.
Disclaimer: The Paralegal licence is awarded by the LSO. The information provided here does not represent the extent of the requirements for the Paralegal licence. The requirements are set by the LSO, not George Brown College, so you must follow the process listed on the LSO website and meet the requirements applicable to you to achieve the Paralegal licence. LSO policies are subject to change without notice, and George Brown College is not responsible for any information errors or inaccuracies that result from a change in LSO policy.