Willis News

Thank you for speaking with us, Patricia. Can you start by telling us what students will learn in the Law Clerk program?

Patricia Bennett:
If you choose to take the Law Clerk program, you’ll learn everything there is to know about family law, criminal law, wills and estates, real estate, civil litigation, legal accounting, legal research, and corporate and commercial, and so much more. When you’re taking the program, that seems like a lot, but it really isn’t when you break it down:

In Family Law, there’s child custody and divorce, separation and common law relationships.

In Criminal Law, if you are working for a defense attorney, you’ll learn about the criminal charges. You’ll be dealing with the Crown Prosecutor, and a lot of government agencies. You’ll learn a lot about the criminal code of Canada.

With Wills and Estates, you’ll be working with people like young families wanting to set up their family estate planning, things like planning their wills, and what will happen if something happens to them. And you’ll also be dealing with the other end of it. When somebody passes away, you’ll be dealing with their estate.

Real Estate law is buying and selling homes. You’ll be working with realtors, banks, other law firms as well.

You are  required to have a certain typing speed as a Law Clerk, so you’ll be taught typing skills. You’re also required to know how to do transcription, or as other people say, dictation. We also work on your grammar, spelling, formatting. You also have access to be taught the full range of soft skills required anywhere from Word, Excel, PowerPoint, business communications. There is human resources, occupational health and safety as well as how to obtain your Commissioner for Oaths for your province.

What kind of job opportunities are available for graduates?

Patricia Bennett:
There are so many. You could work at law firms, you could work at the courthouse, you could work at different government agencies. You could work, say, even for banks. Banks have legal departments. Most big corporations have legal departments. You could work for the film industry. There’s such a broad range of places that you could work with, with having graduated from the Law Clerk program, because there are so many places that have legal departments. You could work for the town or the city that you’re in. There’s just such a big area that you could choose from.

What kind of support will students receive throughout the program?

Patricia Bennett:
The program itself gives you all of the information that you will require, given the fact there is the greatest support team you will ever find backing you up. There’s a practicum that will give you real life experience, and there’s always the continuing support of Willis College. Having said that, if you choose the Law Clerk Program, you also have the opportunity to enroll in different associations in your province. In Ontario, there are two associations right now; the Institute of Law Clerks of Ontario, as well as the Ontario Association of Certified Law Clerks, so there’s support for their Law Clerks and Legal Assistants in that, but it differs province to province.

Once you graduate the Law Clerk Program, you’re not left on your own. Willis College offers you lifetime support for building your resume and finding positions. Also, once you’re out in the workforce, each province has different associations that you can join and that offers support, where you’ll find mentors and peer support.

Do you have any advice for someone considering the program?

Patricia Bennett:
If I could give any advice for somebody considering this program, I’d say go for it. To be honest, and this is giving my age away, but I went to a similar college when I was 18 years old, and I’ve been in the same field for over 30 years, and would I do it any different? No. Was it hard sometimes? Of course, but the benefit that you can receive from working in an area of law that you love…for me, it was Family Law. I loved family law. I felt like I was helping families. A girlfriend of mine that I worked with, she worked in wills and estates, and that was her passion. Once you find your niche, you’ll be happy.