Legal Assistant

Document Preparation 113 incorporates knowledge and skills acquired through Word 672 and Word 673 to create various office documents in a simulated business environment. Students will be able to key at a minimum rate of 55 net wpm and create various office documents using Microsoft Word.

Upon successful completion of this class, students will be able to perform the following skills/tasks:

• Create well-formatted, concise, error-free documents.
• Demonstrate the ability to multi-task and following direction competently.
• Work independently and in group settings to complete tasks using problem solving skills.
• Format letters, reports, memorandum, tables, newsletters, advertisements, press releases, brochures and other documents according to the standard operating procedure used by the fictional company Saskatoon Junction in this simulation.

Students complete at least 3-months of keyboarding classes. Students are required to complete the regular keyboarding speed of 55 wpm in order to graduate. Speeds are based on an average of five timings per keyboard requirement submitted close to or in the final month of the program.

Instruction in the use of Express Scribe software and the process of transcribing (keying) and formatting documents that are dictated in a time-pressured setting. Blackboard Collaborate will also be used for instruction and document submission.

Upon successful completion of this course, students will have gained knowledge of transcription software use, and be able to listen and keyboard simultaneously to produce “perfect” documents within prescribed time limits.

To facilitate an understanding of synonyms, commonly confused words, plural nouns, and possessive nouns. In addition, students will enhance their business vocabulary.

• Understand why it is important to spell correctly and learn memory devices to enhance spelling
• Spell common business vocabulary correctly
• Complete alphabetized spelling dictations
• Understand the difference between a singular noun and a plural noun
• Apply correct plural rules
• Enhance knowledge of foreign plurals Understand the difference between singular possessive nouns and plural possessive nouns
• Apply correct possession rules Enhance knowledge of commonly confused words and understand the proper usage of these words
• Use commonly confused words correctly in sentences based on context and meaning
• Understand the meaning of a synonym
• Use a dictionary and provide synonyms for vocabulary Develop vocabulary by determining the correct spelling of a word between two or three words

The learning outcomes include:

• Review and to apply grammar principles
• Study and apply punctuation, capitalization, and number rules.
• Develop competence in the use of the following (a) Eight Parts of Speech; (b)Nouns and Gerunds; (c) Pronouns; (d) Verbs and Verbals; (e) Subject-Verb Agreement and Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement; (f) Subjects, Objects, Appositives and NSCs; (g) Phrases and Clauses; (h) Sentence Types and Parts of a Sentence; (i) Who and Whom (j) Prepositions; (k) Conjunctions; (l) Adjectives and Adverbs; (m) Business Number Rules; (n) Business Capitalization Rules; (o) Punctuation.

The learning outcomes are:

• Develop an appreciation for error-free document
• Apply concepts from Communications 211 and 212 to produce error-free documents.
• Demonstrating different types of proofing techniques.
• Apply correct formatting rules to create letters and memos.
• Demonstrate time management in the creation of error-free documents.

Learning Outcomes:

Students will apply fundamentals learned in Communications 214 to:

• Create professionally written emails and letters.
• Demonstrate enhanced knowledge and usage of business words.
• Develop and demonstrate the correct use of their business vocabulary and their knowledge of writing concepts.
• Develop knowledge of email writing and create business emails.
• Enhance knowledge and demonstrated use of application and claim letter formats.
• Develop confidence speaking in front of a group by completing oral presentations.
• Demonstrate effective use of notes, body posture, and voice during speeches.

Upon course completion, the student will be able to:

• Solve and prove simple business problems using addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, ratios and percentages utilizing the order of operations.
• Calculate and present appropriately several business related problems relating to interest, taxes, commissions, insurance premiums, foreign exchange and profit percentage.
• Determine sales tax amounts, series, single discounts, insurance brokerage in buying and selling, time series periods, conversion of currency, and simple net pay.
• Determine perimeter, area volume, proportions.
• Understand and correctly use the metric system.

This course is an introduction to managing one’s personal finances. It seeks to cover general financial knowledge, related to proper budgeting, investing, borrowing and retirement planning. Upon course completion, students will:

• Identify myths about money.
• Learn to manage personal savings, credit and debt.
• Create a budget.
• Assess their personal financial situation and make adjustments in line with their goals.
• Understand the importance of financial planning.
• Learn the difference between TFSA and RRSP and the benefits of each.

To provide students with experience in the manual recording of financial information, such as: journalizing, posting, financial reports, bank reconciliations, statements, petty cash and payroll. Upon course completion, the student will:

• Understand and demonstrate accurate foundational concepts of accounting.
• Analyze transactions- service and merchandize.
• Correctly record transactions using the general journal, general ledger, and prepare trial balance and schedule of accounts.
• Use the special journals and accurately post to general and subsidy ledger.
• Calculate and post taxes- GST/PST
• Journalize /establish petty cash and replenish.
• Prepare bank reconciliation
• Perform basic payroll calculations and journalize entries.

To prepare students for the employment search, assemble employment tools and skills, follow up with employment opportunities and be promoted.

Learning Outcomes:

• Create an effective and professional resume/application letter that will allow the student to obtain an interview.
• Develop confidence in the interviewing process.
• Participate in mock interviews.
• Dress for success.

To prepare students for entering the business world where they will perform routine as well as more advanced office skills, including using professional telephone and email etiquette, addressing needs of customers, planning meetings and the operation of basic office equipment.

Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Work in an office setting in a professional manner.
• Communicate effectively and professionally through the use of modern office communication methods such as emails, texts.
• Practice time management skills.
• Perform customer service duties professionally.
• Professionally and effectively interact with clients/customers.
• Operate basic office equipment.
• Handle postal duties.
• Arrange/assist with the planning of events.
• Appropriately complete and share documents.

Human Relations will help students become successful in predicting, understanding, and influencing the outcome of their interactions with others. The course format is highly experiential, involving the use of case studies, exercises, and class discussions to emphasize a problem-solving and critical thinking strategy to apply accumulated knowledge.

• Introduction to Human Relations
• Motivating yourself and others
• Emotional balance
• Improving communications
• Understanding your communication style
• Building high self esteem
• Attitudes can shape your life
• Team building
• Valuing diversity
• Ethical choices

The learning outcomes of the Records Management course are:

• Understand and develop competence in indexing, coding, and cross-referencing records.
• Develop competence in using the alphabetic subject, geographic, and numeric filing systems.
• Review and create log for records retention and transfer, control of requisitions and charge-outs, and selection of supplies and equipment.
• Use a computer database to apply records management principles.
• Understand electronic records, image records, and establishing a records and information management program.

Students will develop competence in Windows 10 and file management.

• Understand the important features of Windows 10.
• Demonstrate competence in working with files and folders.
• Organize a company’s files and folders.

Students will develop competence in developing and using PowerPoint.

• Create and edit presentations with pictures.
• Enhance presentations with shapes and SmartArt.
• Customize slide masters and presentations.
• Format and insert tables and charts.
• Add media/sounds/music to the presentation.
• Create photo albums and deliver presentations.
• Develop a fully functional PowerPoint presentation.

Learning Outcomes:

• Develop proficiency in building a basic spreadsheet and a chart.
• Work with formulas, functioning and formatting.
• Work with large worksheets, charting, and what-if analysis.

Learning Outcomes:

• Develop competence working with financial functions, data tables, and amortization schedule.
• Work with multiple worksheets and workbooks.
• Create, sort, and query a table.

Learning Outcomes:

• Describe the features of the Access window
• Create a database, tables, and design views.
• Add records to a table.
• Create and use parameter queries; crosstab queries sort data, join table, export data.
• Perform calculations and calculate statistics in queries.
• Customize the navigation pane.
• Use the various functions in maintaining a database—add, change, delete, filter.

Learning Outcomes:

• Manage email messages
• Manage calendars
• Manage contacts and personal contact information
• Create and maintain tasks

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand and efficient and accurately use the features of the QB software.
• Be competent in using the functions of an automated accounting software to do basic accounting tasks.
• Create new customer files, customer accounts, changing account names, creating list of accounts.
• Complete deposits, end of day work and create respective reports.
• Use the QB software to Manage email messages.
• Create and maintain tasks, use the QB features to query accounts.
• Purchasing with cash/credit; receiving cash sales and entering information correctly
• Generate, export and print various reports: PL; BS; TB; Journals, vendor, Customer, Contact lists etc.

Learning Outcomes: Introductory course

• Understand publisher application, its features, and how it can be used in the business environment.
• Create publisher’s design.
• Create business cards, flyers, brochures, newsletter, calendars, catalogs, and other documents used in the business environment.

This class will allow students to integrate the Microsoft Office applications. This includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and Outlook. Students will develop mastery on the use of the Microsoft Suite products and work efficiently with each, saving time.

• Embed a file of one type into a file of another type.
• Link files so that when the original file changes, the change appears in the linked files.
• Import/export data form one file format to another.
• Use merges to make letters and tickets.

Upon completion of this class, students will learn to create and manipulate PDF documents. The student will work through the many important facets of the software used in the business environment. Learning outcomes include:

• Understanding the tools of Abode Acrobat
• Creating and modifying PDF documents
• Use the document navigation tools
• PDF accessibility and document security
• Document review techniques and interactive PDF forms
• PDF distribution & management

Upon successful completion of this course, students will have gained knowledge of Microsoft Word 2019 functions and will be able to create a variety of business documents.

Students will also continue to build keyboarding speed and accuracy.

• Learn and apply the essentials of Word 219 commands
• Create/save, print, apply text paragraph and page formats.
• Navigate, review, and edit documents.
• Format memos, create envelopes, edit letters, and build keyboarding skills.
• Create and format tables, change table structures, create tables in documents, build speed and accuracy.
• Format reports, insert footnotes, files, find/replace texts.
• Adhere to academic reporting standards.
• Create /format documents with pictures, videos, SmartArt, borders, etc.
• Utilize OneDrive’ share folders/documents.

Word 673 builds on the knowledge gained through Word 672. Upon successful completion of this course, students will have gained knowledge of advanced Microsoft Word functions, be able to create a variety of business documents, and will demonstrate the following values/attributes: confidence in their ability to recognize which functions are necessary to complete various documents, and proficient problem-solving skills when tasked with formatting challenges.

Students will also continue to build keyboarding speed and accuracy and complete timings periodically.

Students complete at least 3-months of keyboarding classes. Students are required to complete the legal keyboarding speed at 50 wpm in order to graduate. Speeds are based on an average of five timings per keyboard requirement submitted close to or in the final month of the program.

Comprehensive review of legal terminology. Students will become e familiar with legal terminology in various legal areas.

• Identify, understand, analyze, and use legal terms related to profession.
• Spell and correctly pronounce legal terms.
• Cover legal terminology in areas such as (a) Canadian judicial system (b) legal profession (c) legal correspondence and citation (d) records maintenance (e) accounts maintenance (f) communications and documentations (g) court system (h) civil litigation (i) family law (j) conveyance (k) will/ codicils/estate (l) corporate law (m) criminal law.

Comprehensive review of legal procedures. Students to be familiar with legal procedures in various legal areas and in law office.

Learning outcomes:

• Understand and apply legal procedures in areas such as (a) Canadian judicial system (b) legal profession (c) legal correspondence and citation (d) records maintenance (e )accounts maintenance (f) communications and documentations (g) court system (h) civil litigation (i) family law (j) conveyance (k) will/ codicils/estate (l) corporate law (m)criminal law

• Comprehensive training and usage of legal document precedent bank.
• Students to be familiar with computer applications in various formats, using Word, Acrobat and Excel files.
• Training given to students to convert files and put in binders using Acrobat, Excel and Word formats.
• To have familiarity with legal precedents, legal precedent banks, using Word, Acrobat and Excel files.

• Comprehensive and accurate preparation of legal document.
• Students to be familiar with basic legal document preparation in various legal areas.
• Develop competence and accuracy in legal documentation in areas such as (a) legal correspondence and citation (b) records maintenance (c )accounts maintenance (d) communications and documentations (e) court system (f) civil litigation (g) family law (h) conveyance (i) will/ codicils/estate (k) corporate law (k) criminal law.

Comprehensive review of case law through various chapters in textbook, Case law given to students to brief, Ability to research Rules of Court and various Saskatchewan Statute Law to solve legal problems.

Learning outcomes:

• Review of case law, case law brief procedures, citation procedures, discussions of case law through different sections/areas.
• Memorandum of Law and Opinion letter practice and final assignments given.
• Review of Queen’s Bench Rules of Court and Procedures.
• Case law research.

Comprehensive review of Criminal law in Canada, covering Introduction to Criminal Law, Investigation, Arrest and bringing the accused to Trial, Trial procedures, Criminal Code offences, Criminal Defences, Sentencing principles and release, and The Youth Criminal Justice System, with emphasis on criminal cases.

Areas covered to develop knowledge, understanding, and application (a) Introduction to Criminal Law (b) The Police Investigation, Arrest and Bringing the Accused to Trial (c)Trial Procedures (d) Criminal Code Offences (e ) Criminal Defenses (f) From Sentencing to Release (g) The Youth Criminal Justice System.

Comprehensive review of Civil Disputes, Resolving Civil Disputes, Negligence and Other Torts in Canada, Procedure re civil litigation for Small Claims Court and Court of Queen’s Bench in Saskatchewan. Students will develop knowledge and competence in the following areas:

• Resolving disputes
• Negligence and other Torts
• Small Claims Court SK Documents/Procedures
• Courts of Queens’s Bench; Court SK Document/Procedure

Comprehensive review of Corporation Branch website SK, review and practice in procedures and completion of incorporation of corporations, completion of annual returns, reporting letters, accounts, minutes, and resolutions.

Learning outcomes:

• Access of Corporations Branch website.
• Understand the process for profit and non-profit corporations in Saskatchewan and procedure required to incorporate profit and non-profit corporations in Saskatchewan, Annual Returns.
• Develop competence in procedure/preparation of documentation.
• Review and practice of organizational minutes and directors/shareholders resolutions, share certificates.
• Review and practice preparation of reporting letters and accounts.
• Understand and apply concepts relating to Profit Corporation procedure and documentation required to incorporate Profit Corporation.
• Understand and apply concepts relating to Non-Profit Corporation procedure and documentation required to incorporate profit corporation.
• Accurately prepare all documentation, letters, accounts required for filing of Annual Returns for corporations.

Comprehensive review of Family Law in Canada, procedures regarding Separation, Interspousal Contracts, Divorce, Division of Family Property, Custody. Preparation of documentation regarding Separation, Divorce, Interspousal Contracts, Division of property, using Saskatchewan precedents.
Students will develop knowledge and competence including the preparation of the relevant documents in the following areas:

• Marriage, Divorce and the Family
• Division of Property and Support
• Queen’s Bench Divorce
• Queen’s Bench Financial And Property Statements
• Separation Agreement
• Interspousal Contract

Comprehensive review of Will procedures and preparation, Power of Attorney procedures and preparation, Health Care Directive procedures and preparation, Probate and Administration of Estates procedure and preparation in Saskatchewan.

Learning outcomes:

• Independent Research done by students by accessing online resource, regarding preparation of wills, validity of wills, Administration of Estates through Probate Procedure in Saskatchewan, Administration Procedure in Saskatchewan.
• Preparation of Wills, Power of Attorney and Health Care Directives using Saskatchewan precedents.
• Preparation of all probate documents required for filing in court in order to probate estate.
• Preparation of all administration documents required for filing in court in order to administer estate.
• Wills, Administration and Probate procedures in Saskatchewan.

Comprehensive review of case law through various chapters in textbook, Case law given to students to brief, Ability to research Rules of Court and various Saskatchewan Statute Law to solve legal problems.

Learning outcomes:

• Review of case law, case law brief procedures, citation procedures, discussions of case law through different sections/areas.
• Memorandum of Law and Opinion letter practice and final assignments given
• Review of Queen’s Bench Rules of Court and Procedures
• Case law research

Comprehensive review of and assignments concerning real estate procedures in Saskatchewan – Vendor and Purchaser transactions, review of contract law.

• Understand and apply the elements of real estate procedures.
• Completion of Vendor and Purchaser conveyancing.
• Develop competence using Saskatchewan Precedents to complete Purchaser/Vendor transaction.
• Competence in using Saskatchewan precedents for adjustment calculations, legal fees calculations using Law Society Tariff.
• Review and navigate the Saskatchewan Land Titles website (www.isc.ca) with emphasis on title/judgment searches, registration submission of documentation.
• Elements of a Contract.
• Dispute Resolution re Contracts.
• Completion and review of contract / mortgage documents.
• Independent completion of Vendor transaction, from start to completion using Saskatchewan precedents.
• Independent completion of Purchaser transaction, from start to completion using
  Saskatchewan precedents.