Advisories Registration for CPLED Legal Research and Writing Course

The NCA is pleased to announce that registration for CPLED’s Legal Research and Writing (LRW) course is now available. The course costs CDN $375; registration is available through the CPLED web site. The first course begins January 26, 2022.  The course is offered every second month of 2022. The next registration period will open January 26, 2022.

As of January 1, 2022, all new NCA applicants are required to either complete the legal research and writing module developed by the NCA and the Canadian Centre for Professional Legal Education (CPLED) or complete an NCA approved course in legal research and writing through an approved Canadian law school program.  CPLED will prioritize registration of applicants who have been assigned LRW but will fill any remaining seats with people who are electing to complete the module.  Applicants who do not yet have their NCA assessment can register for the module.

This 8-week-long, online course offers useful tips and best practices to improve writing skills. It was designed to help law students educated outside Canada learn how to conduct research and write as they prepare for bar admission and practise in the Canadian legal system. The online course consists of two modules.  Each module includes an assignment with a research and writing component, followed by a multiple-choice quiz. Students in the course may also receive direct feedback from trained assessors.

The course was piloted early in 2020 by a group of NCA students who were all at different stages in the NCA process.  They provided preliminary feedback used for further development, resulting in the course content now being offered.  The LRW course is considered a useful tool in preparing to write NCA Exams. In addition, students who successfully complete the course and take CPLED’s Practice Readiness Education Program (PREP) for bar admissions in provinces participating in the program will be exempt from two PREP Foundation Modules.