vcc.ca
OADM 1150: Office Procedures for Legal Administrative Assistants
Effective date
September 2025
Department
Legal Administrative Assistant
School
Hospitality, Food Studies and Applied Business
Description
This course introduces students to the skills necessary to be effective in a legal environment. Topics covered include federal and provincial legislative processes and court systems, legal documents, legal correspondence, confidentiality and professional responsibility, fees and billing, legal research and citations of law, vocabulary, and transcription
Credits
3.5
Year of study
1st Year Post-secondary
Prerequisites
OADM 1140.
Corequisites
None
Course Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Develop and deliver a meaningful land acknowledgement that demonstrates understanding, respect, and appreciation for the Indigenous peoples and their traditional territories.
- Communicate effectively, using the language, theory and precedents appropriate to legal offices.
- Analyze the personal attributes essential to the success of a competent legal administrative assistant.
- Identify the structure of Canada's court systems and the processes of dispute resolution and essential characteristics of each.
- Identify the sources of Canadian law.
- Analyze and solve legal office procedures problems independently and collaboratively.
- Create accurate correspondence and documentation relating to accounts, agreements, affidavits and declarations.
Prior Learning Assessment & Recognition (PLAR)
None
Hours
Lecture, Online, Seminar, Tutorial: 29
Clinical, Lab, Rehearsal, Shop, Kitchen, Simulation, Studio: 43
Total Hours: 72
Clinical, Lab, Rehearsal, Shop, Kitchen, Simulation, Studio: 43
Total Hours: 72
Instructional Strategies
This course emphasizes practical skills training, including keyboarding and transcription. Students will work individually and in groups in a computer lab. Theory is presented in lectures, videos, and demonstrations. Both practical and theoretical knowledge may be supported withguest presenters such as VCC Counseling Services, VCC Indigenous Elder.
Grading System
Letter Grade (A-F)
Passing grade
C+
Evaluation Plan
|
Type |
Percentage |
Assessment activity |
|
Assignments |
40 |
Assignments |
|
Other |
5 |
Speed and Accuracy Timed Typing |
|
Quizzes/Tests |
30 |
2 Theory quizzes, each worth 15% |
|
Final Exam |
25 |
Practical exam |
Course topics
- Foundations of a meaningful Land Acknowledgement
- Introduction to the role of the legal administrative assistant
- The legal workplace
- The legal system
- Statements of account and file closing
- The office file management system
- Maintaining client files
- Fee arrangements and financial procedures
- Communication and correspondence with clients
- Preparing documents from precedents
- Communicating with other law firms
- Preparing documents from transcription
Notes:
- Course contents and descriptions, offerings and schedules are subject to change without notice.
- Students are required to follow all College policies including ones that govern their educational experience at VCC. Policies are available on the VCC website at:
https://www.vcc.ca/about/governance--policies/policies/. - To find out if there are existing transfer agreements for this course, visit the BC Transfer Guide at https://www.bctransferguide.ca.