Photo: Paralegal students conducting a mock trial at Herzing College Toronto (2019)
Paralegal has become such a popular career in Ontario that we’ve seen dozens of training programs pop up across the province.
There are paralegal diplomas and certificates, ranging from 1-3 years, and a mix of on-campus and online training options.
Herzing College has been offering an accelerated Paralegal diploma program for several years, at campuses in both Toronto and Ottawa.
What do all the paralegal programs have in common? They are all accredited by the Law Society of Ontario. The Law Society regulates paralegal training, so schools must get approval to legally offer the program.
This means that all accredited paralegal diplomas and certificates offer the same core curriculum, as dictated by the Law Society.
But that doesn't mean all programs are identical or created equal.
Things like career services, student reviews, and graduate employment rates vary widely across paralegal programs.