Program Courses

• Introduction to Law and Legal Profession [310-DPJ-ID]

  • Characterization of the role of notaries, lawyers, bailiffs, clerks, stenographers, judges and legal secretaries. Information on the role of the paralegal in different legal work environments. Presentation of working tools such as the Civil Code of Québec, the Code of Civil Procedure, etc. How to use a Table of Contents to research these working tools. Distinction of legislative powers. Distinction of the various levels of the judicial system. Information on the laws and the organization of the judicial system. Basic notions in legal terminology.

• Word Processing 1 [310-TT1-ID]

  • Analysis of the work situation. Link between training and the demands of the workplace. The Microsoft Word™ document platform such as the input screen, menu bar, and toolbars. How to use default settings including margins, tabs, styles, fonts, etc. Text entry. The options in the "File" menu. The buttons on the toolbar. Open, save and print files. Copy, move and delete a file. Editing commands such as cut, copy and paste text. Find and replace text. Applying special effects: bold, italic, colors, etc. The options of the "Format" menu. Headers and footers. Tabulation. Tables and forms. Spellcheck.

• Bilingual Legal Terminology [310-TJB-ID]

  • Learning French and English legal vocabulary. Interpretation of French and English legislation. Comparison of French and English legislation. Introduction to Common Law. Summary of French and English judgments. Interpretation of case law in both French and English.

• Word Processing 2 [310-TT2-ID]

  • Analysis of the work situation. Link between training received and the demands of the workplace. Creating Microsoft Word™ documents. Inserting references. Style and formatting. Creating and modifying a table. Document merge and mail merge, envelopes and labels. Automatic correction option. Document protection. Creating forms. Macro commands. Creating a presentation. The toolbar and the "Graph" function bar. Insertion and layout of images. Legal texts.

• Database and Application Software [310-BDL-ID]

  • The work environment: the input screen and the menu bar. Database design such as tables, forms, and reports. Creating sub forms. Creating tables in a spreadsheet. Entering, editing, deleting and saving articles. Sorting. Creating and editing reports. Printing reports. Creation of legal tables, forms and sub forms, using basic terminology. Nominal entry relating to users. Searching within an existing database.

• Ethics and Legal Financial Management [310-EGJ-ID]

  • Distinction between the Code of Ethics of different practitioners within the legal field. Understanding of regulations related to the Code of Ethics. Application of the Code of Ethics to practical cases. Application of ethics at work. Definition of professional secrecy. Extent of professional secrecy. Drafting of fees (service contract). Distinction of the different accounts owned by a practitioner. Creation of accounts and updating them. Invoice preparation. Preparing a timesheet with the appropriate software. Keeping a timesheet up to date. Summary of the tasks performed in client accounts. Information on the different rates of legal fees applicable in Québec.

• Law Review and Methodology [310-1MD-ID]

  • Distinction between positive and natural law. Prioritization of the sources of positive law. Characterization of the sources of positive law. Differentiation between legislative, executive and judicial power. Basics of elections, Parliament and the Government of Québec. Distinction between the bill, the annual law and the revised law. Canadian Constitution. Procedure for adopting a provincial law. Search for the appropriate law according to the facts presented. Understanding of the publication, numbering and citation of the bill, the annual act and revised federal statutes. Procedure for adopting a federal law. Basics of elections, Parliament and the Federal Government. Sharing of legislative powers. Constitutionality of laws. Summons of Québec and federal regulations. Functions and jurisdiction of the courts. Reference of a judgment. Research method for jurisprudence and doctrine. Characteristics of a judgment and doctrine. Creation of a table of judgments and a bibliography.

• Legal and Obligations Basis [310-FD0-ID]

  • Obligations in general. The terms of the obligation. The execution of the obligation. Transmission and transfer of the obligation. Restitution of benefits. The extinction of the obligation. The contract. Extra-contractual liability. Exemptions from liability. Some other sources of the obligation (business management, receipt of the undue and unjustified enrichment). Basics of the Consumer Protection Act. Basic concepts of named contracts (sale, donation, charter, transportation, work contract, money order, deposit, loan, bond, annuity, insurance, gambling, betting and transaction). Definition of heritage. The notion of property. Distinction between real rights and personal rights. The acquisitive prescription. Basic concept of co-ownership, superficiary property, usufruct and use, emphyteusis, easements, land registration, trust and the administration of the property of others. Basics on priorities and mortgages. Explaining a collocation state.

• Human Rights and Family Law [310-DPF-ID]

  • The existence of a legal personality. The conditions of the existence of the legal personality. The attributes of the legal personality. Individualization of natural persons, such as name, domicile and civil status. Disabilities distinction between marriage, civil union and de facto spouses (Divorce Act versus the Civil Code of Québec). Establishment of the marriage bond. The effects of marriage. Annulment of a marriage. Definition of the separation of body. Causes of legal separation. Proceedings in legal separation (the application, the evidence, the provisional measures, the adjournments and the reconciliation). Effects of body separation. The end of the separation of body. The dissolution of the marriage. Causes of divorce (Divorce Act). The effects of divorce. The formation, the effects, the nullity and the dissolution of the civil union. Sources of parentage (blood filiation, medically assisted procreation and adoption). Proof of the source of the filiation link. The means of contesting the bond of descent. Basics on parental authority and youth protection. Declaration of family residence. The family patrimony. Distinction between the safeguard order, interim measures and the final judgment. Manual calculation of alimony. Calculation of the shareable value of the family patrimony. Compensatory allowance.

• Computerized Legal Research [310-RJU-ID]

  • Complete a legal research form. Presentation of the various computerized legal databases. Research on the various computerized legal databases. Research for the appropriate legislative texts. Doctrine research. Presentation of research results and legal reasoning.

• Legal Drafting 1 [310-RJ1-ID]

  • Determination of the procedure to be drafted according to the law applicable to the facts. Writing of formal notices. Writing a letter that accompanies the invoice sent to a client. Writing a letter to a client indicating an overdue account. Application of French in the office. Writing a cover letter. Writing a resume. Writing official emails. Transmission of electronic documents. Writing a fax slip. Notification of documents by fax. Writing a contract.

• Provincial Trade Law [310-DEP-ID]

  • Act respecting the legal advertising of sole proprietorships, partnerships and legal persons. Charter of the French language. Regulations on corporate names and fees payable for the registration of a corporation. Types of businesses. Registration requirement. Business Corporations Act. Transitional measures. Companies Act vs. Business Corporations Act. The constitution of a society. The declarations. The dissolution of the society. Business Register. The corporate name. The formation of a corporation. Reservation of a name at the enterprise registrar. Share and share capital. The private corporation. The book of corporations. Resolutions, minutes, and certified extracts. The responsibility of the directors. The positions of leaders. The role of the shareholders. The unanimous shareholder agreement. Meetings of directors and shareholders. Procedures and voting at meetings. The modification statuses. Transactions involving share capital. Declaration of dividends and solvency test. Updating the book of the corporation. The dissolution of a corporation. The non-profit corporation. Cooperative. Securities Act. Act respecting the transfer of securities and obtaining intermediated securities. Stock Exchange listing.

• Civil Proceeding 1 [310-PC1-ID]

  • The court of first instance. Guiding principles of the procedure. Jurisdiction and territorial jurisdiction of the courts. Common rules applicable to all judicial remedies. Abuse of procedure. Notification and service of pleadings. Application instituting proceedings. Assignment and response of the defendant. The management of the instance. Protocol of the proceeding. Preliminary means of protest. Contestation on the merits. Preparation of the file and registration for instruction and judgment. Treatment of registered cases as a result of defendant's default. Incidents of the instance. The constitution and the communication of the proof. Examination for preliminary investigation and expertise. General rules relating to judgment. Court hearings and counting of time. The non-contentious procedure. Special rules applicable to family matters. Drafting of main pleadings and endorsements. Analysis of the rules of civil procedure.

• Legal Drafting 2 [310-RJ2-ID]

  • Use of an e-mail software. Updating an agenda. Calculation of limitation periods. Registration of the limitation period in the agenda. Analyzing the mandate of the practitioner for different types of files (civil, matrimonial, and commercial). Determination of the work to be done following the analysis of a file. Follow-up on scheduled deadlines. Install a folder ranking. Follow-up actions in each folder. Determination of the procedure to be drafted. Organization of procedures and acts in each case.

• Alternative Dispute Resolution [310-MRC-ID]

  • Identification of alternative methods of conflict resolution (arbitration, negotiation, settlement conference, and mediation). Determination of the power of an arbiter. Identification of the role and power of the judge in a settlement conference. Identification of the role of a mediator. Determination of the qualifications required to be a mediator. How to search for a qualified mediator according to the needs of the client. Family mediation. Determination of the needs of the professional and the client through active listening. Drafting of an amicable settlement (out of course). Determination of the document to be drafted when an agreement occurs. Writing a disclaimer. Legal research for the preparation of the bargaining plan. Writing a negotiation plan. Simulation of a negotiation. Application of the techniques used in negotiation. Appropriate use of communication techniques.

• Criminal Law, Rules of Court and Evidence [310-DPP-ID]

  • Criminal law in Canada. Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms. Criminal law (levels of jurisdiction, fundamental principles, and classification of offenses). Elements of the offense: actus reus and mens rea . The general intention vs. the specific intention. The offense of absolute liability vs. strict liability. The charges. Offenses against provincial laws and municipal by-laws (Highway Safety Code, Code of Criminal Procedure). State of infraction. The defenses. Penal disabilities. Offense against the person. Offenses against the right of property. Offenses under the Act regulating certain drugs and other substances. Jurisdiction of the courts of first instance in criminal matters. Preparation of the pursuit. Judicial process. Progress of the trial. Judgment and execution of the sentence. The penal registry. The municipal court.

• Matrimonial Property and Estates [310-RMS-ID]

  • Matrimonial regimes. Qualification of assets in the case of a separation for each matrimonial regime. Administration of property and liability for debts, the dissolution of the partnership of acquits regime. Separation of property. Community regimes. Disposition of assets. The estate. Intestate succession. Maintenance obligation. Rights of the state. Nature of the will. Competencies needed to analyse a will. Types of wills. Limits on the freedom to make out a will. Conditions on the validity of a will. Testamentary transactions and legatees. Types of legacies. Principle of representation in a testamentary succession. Revocation of a will or legacy. Lapse and nullity of a legacy. Evidence and probate of a will. Liquidation of succession. Debt payments and legacies by particular title. End of the liquidation. Distribution of the estate, reports, effects, and distribution nullity. Gift inter vivos vs. gift mortis causa . Marriage contract. Institute and object. Obligations and liabilities of a trustee. Life insurance.

• Civil Proceedings 2 [310-PC2-ID]

  • Appeal in retraction of a judgment. Statement of appeal and application for an appeal. A brief and statement of appeal. Course of call. Stopping. Rule of Procedure of the Court of Appeal in Civil Matters. Drafting pleas and endorsements. The execution of judgments. Seizure of property. Unseizable property. Sale under judicial authority. Distributing the proceeds of the execution. State of collocation. Seizure before judgment made.

• Federal Trade Law and International Law [310-DEF-ID]

  • A company incorporated under federal law. Legislative authority. Modes of constitutional interpretation in a federal society. Registration. Merger, sale of shares, and dismemberment. Cheque or bill of exchange and promissory note. Shareholder rights and remedies. Bankruptcy and insolvency. A holding proposal. A consumer proposal. Private international law (the conflict between laws in private international law, the actual statue, the contract of employment, the assignment of debt, the status of proceedings in private international law, the recognition and enforcement of foreign decisions and jurisdiction of foreign authorities).

• Labour Law Procedures and Legislation [310-LDT-ID]

  • Shared jurisdiction in labor law. Fundamental rights. The right of association. Labor Code. Accreditation. Definition of legal powers and obligations of a labour union. Negotiation process. Collective agreements. Grievance arbitration. Disciplinary sanctions. Employment contract. Act respecting labor standards. Role of the Commission des normes du travail . Penal and civil remedies. Role of the Committee on Standards, Equity, Health and Safety. Occupational Health and Safety Act (rights and obligations). Precautionary cessation of work. Act respecting industrial accidents and occupational diseases. Compensation.

• Examination of Ownership Titles [310-ETP-ID]

  • Drafting of a cadastral designation. Drafting of an easement provision. Identification of the lot number and the cadastre (tax account or call to the municipality). Distinction between renovated and old lots (part). Analysis of a deed of sale. Analysis of a mortgage deed. Registrations analysis of the Land Register. Understanding of written provisions from a land-surveyor and plans. Land register research. Drafting title chains as per research done Identification of errors in long deeds drafting. Identification of Land Register service fees. Registration of an act in the Land Register. Determination of the acts registered in the Registre des droits personnels et réels mobiliers (RDPRM). Registration of acts at the RDPRM. Determination of the costs of using the RDPRM. RDPRM Research.

• Administrative Procedures [310-PAF-ID]

  • Public law vs. private law. Primacy of the law, prerogatives, privileges, immunities, and privative clauses. Role of the Commission on Human Rights and Youth Rights. Regulatory powers of the administration in enabling legislation. Characteristics of an act or quasi-judicial power. Administrative Justice Act. Administrative courts. Restrictive clauses of jurisdiction. The Administrative Tribunal of Quebec. Appeal in judicial review. Habeas corpus . Injunction. Declaratory judgment. Attributes of the municipality and cities. Possible recourse against municipal administration.

• Contentious Right and Practice [310-PDL-ID]

  • Formal demand. Drafting of an originating motion. Legal mortgage notice. Address notice. Act of Full Release. Cancellation of registration on the Land Register. Prior notice to exercise mortgage law. Demand for forced abandonment and sale under judicial control. Statement of expenses. Public announcement of property sale under judicial order. General and specific sales terms and conditions under judicial order. Drafting of a bailiff report. Drafting of a property sale report under judicial order. Determination of the effects of the sale. Taking a payment. Drafting of a notice of exercise of a mortgage right. Sale by the creditor. Taking possession for administration purposes. Drafting of a legal mortgage of the construction. Registration to the RDPRM. (Register of personal and movable real rights). Voluntary abandonment (private deed). Notice of delivery of property. Request for retention of a legal mortgage.

• Notarial Procedures and Law [310-PDN-ID]

  • Authentic deeds, semi-authentic deeds, and private deeds. Parties to the deed. Special formalities. Bureau of the publicity of the rights (role and functioning). Advertising (effects and modalities). Property registration. The cancellation of inscription in different registers. Types of notarial procedure. Conducting a search. The will. The mandate in case of incapacity. The power of attorney (proxy). Opening of an estate. Probating of wills and letters of verification. Means of contesting deeds. Accountability. Document appointing the testamentary executor. Renunciation from the testamentary executor. Inventory of the safety deposit box. Procedure for the sale of the property of others. Report and distribution of the sale proceeds. Sale under judicial order. Marriage and common-law union contract. Information to be collected when selling property. Calculation of the transfer tax, taxes and other accounts on a pro rata basis. The property sale contract. Easements. Cadastral description. Mortgage deed. Deed of easement. Documents registration at the appropriate registries. Registration costs at the registry. Invoicing a client.

• Internship [310-STA-ID]

  • Link between training and workplace requirements. Inclusion of essential skills developed throughout the training. Introduction of ethical rules related to the practice of the profession. Oral and written communication skills. Reports outlining observations and the work situation analysis in the legal community. Self-assessment of the work carried out and behaviour in the workplace. Ethical behaviour when dealing with various parties from the legal community. The professional's assessment of the paralegal regarding their ability, work produced and behaviour demonstrated during the stage.