School of Legal Studies

CapU offers a comprehensive certificate and has been recognized as a leader in legal education for over five decades.

Our instructors are involved in the legal industry and provide insight, experience and a wealth of knowledge.

Many of our students continue with their university studies through the Paralegal Certificate and some complete the Bachelor of Legal Studies.

No, you don’t need to quit your job. We offer a part-time online program geared toward full-time workers.

Our January full-time intake is now offered during the day but in an online format. Classes are delivered via Zoom or Teams.

Alternatively, the September intake for our part-time online program doesn’t require any on-campus attendance.

The practicum is both a course and a two-week full-time work experience. It is a mandatory and important part of the program.

If you are working in a law firm, it may be possible to complete the practicum with your current employer. The practicum instructor will discuss with you your role at the firm and whether it can meet the practicum requirements.

Each case is looked at individually and presents an opportunity for your firm to consider you for an LAA role if you are not already in that role within the firm.

Based on the previous grad classes, the starting salaries are approaching $48,000/yr. and may be as high as $55,000 yr., depending on the location and the firm.

Yes! You will be eligible for an eight-month post-graduation work permit, but you will also need to apply for a co-op work permit to be able to complete your two-week practicum.

You can find out more information about post-graduation work permits and paths to permanent residency on the IRCC site.

Contact us and we may be able to create a customized program for you so that you reach the 9-credit per semester requirement. See also FAQs about scholarships.

Yes! Many of our practicum hosts offer generous scholarships.

LAAs typically perform administrative or procedural tasks in a legal setting, such as communicating with clients, drafting legal correspondence and scheduling.

On the other hand, paralegals generally perform substantive legal work, such as researching and summarizing case law, drafting legal documents, and interviewing clients.

It is important to note that the roles and tasks of LAAs and paralegals vary among law firms. Additionally, hybrid LAA/Paralegal roles exist.

See the question below for more information about the difference between the LAA and Paralegal programs.

The LAA Certificate combines both administrative and procedural coursework grounded in law and provides the necessary skills and tools for a successful career in the legal field.

The Certificate is offered in three different formats: on-campus full-time (September), online part-time (September) and online full-time delivered through Zoom or Teams during the day (January).

There are no prerequisites to apply for this program other than CapU’s admission requirements. For your application to be successful, you must submit a resume, and letter of reference. Please ensure you attend the next info night (refer to the CapU Events Calendar) to learn more about the program.

The Paralegal programs feature substantive and procedural law coursework. They are rigorous and highly competitive. We offer a Paralegal Certificate (part-time), a Paralegal Diploma (full-time two-year, plus six-month practicum) and a Bachelor of Legal Studies (full-time four-year degree, plus six-month practicum or first year of law school).

To apply for the Paralegal Certificate, a prospective student must have completed the LAA Certificate at CapU or have worked full-time in a legal environment for at least two years.

To apply for the Paralegal Diploma, a prospective student must have at least two years of post-secondary education (though most successful applicants have completed a degree).

The Bachelor of Legal Studies is a four-year degree that requires high school graduation.

Note that it may be possible to ladder into the second year of the Bachelor of Legal Studies after successful completion of the LAA program.

However, this is an option only if certain requirements are met: a minimum of 4.0 GPA in the LAA program, seat availability in the second year of the degree program, a successful interview, and approval from the admission committee for Legal Studies.

See the question above for information about the differences between LAAs and Paralegals.

Below are a few helpful online resources.

• WorkBC - Legal Administrative Assistants
• British Columbia Legal Management Association 
• International Association of Administrative Professionals
• BC Paralegal Association

You can also contact legal-studies@capilanou.ca if you have any questions about career information for legal professionals.