Supporting Ontario paralegal schools with uLaw

Sam Cooley

May 16, 2024 • 5 min read

It's never too late for a student to succeed with the specialized, accurate, and compliant legal accounting and practice management software

While the summer break might be in full swing for law students at universities across Canada, the same can not be said for Paralegal colleges; or at least in Ontario.

The vast majority of paralegal colleges have many students enrolled in summer programs. These students vary widely in terms of their age and various backgrounds. Many have entered the field of law as a second profession; carrying with them a trove of unique life experiences which set them apart from a green student body.

For the majority of Paralegal College programs in Ontario, students will make use of uLawPractice at some point or another in the curriculum. Especially for legal accounting courses, where training modules by instructors focus on the very acute and necessary details related to actually handling a client's money properly through trust & general accounting, and abiding by the specific bylaws of the Law Society of Ontario.

uLawPractice is incorporated into the classroom in accounting modules but in other courses as well. Fanshawe, Durham, and and Centennial paralegal students make use of uLaw to learn how to follow the guidelines laid out by the law society by directly engaging with the software; which automates a large amount of the clerical associated with doing so.

“Integrating uLawPractice software into our paralegal curriculum is a powerful addition to our current program, one that will enhance students’ experience and bolster their credibility as they pursue career opportunities,” offers Ian Bell, Program Coordinator, Paralegal, Anderson College. “By adopting uLawPractice we’re providing students with a tremendous opportunity to gain vital hands-on experience in legal practice management and accounting, crucial skills in the legal profession.

Paralegal students at Centennial College are navigating through training modules to handle accounting with uLaw as one of their tools

There are a few ways paralegal schools in Ontario are doing this, but the focus of the company in the coming year is to bring such courses to other provinces because uLaw is compliant there also. For example, in Alberta the company worked closely with external contractors hired to audit software approved for usage in the province of Alberta.

Ways uLaw can be used in the classroom

Educational Licensing: uLawPractice provides individualized licenses to students enrolled at certain educational institutions. The prices are very low. This is called the "Enhanced Academic Integrity" program, which many schools have opted for.

The other option for schools wishing to incorporate the specialized training of automated practice management and legal accounting is the self managed model; which outfits each school with a series of shared accounts whereby students can log in as if they were a member of a mid-sized law firm to conduct accounting exercises developed by their instructors.

Hands-on experience

By using uLawPractice, students gain practical experience with software that automates various aspects of legal practice management. This includes managing client information, tracking time, handling trust and general accounting, and ensuring compliance with the Law Society of Ontario's regulations.

Automation Skills

When data is inputted into uLaw, it helps repopulate specialized court forms afterwards for example; which can be a useful way to fill out required paperwork in a programmatic fashion

These days, this is a big one. There is a global arms race transpiring for industries across the world when it comes to understanding the nuances of generative AI and how it relates to their business or profession.

uLaw has always used cutting edge software to equip its users with software that matters most when auditors want to ensure a legal business is running smoothly and correctly.

The software helps students learn about automation in the context of legal practice. For instance, it can automate the generation of financial reports, reconciliation processes, and other critical bookkeeping functions. This is essential in an era where efficient data management and compliance are increasingly powered by AI technologies.

Adaptation to AI Technologies

As AI continues to evolve, legal professionals need to stay abreast of how these technologies can optimize practice management and compliance. uLawPractice integrates some aspects of AI, preparing students for future developments that could further automate complex tasks.

But at the end of the day, students won't be able to expect AI to do the heavy lifting. Following exercises laid out by their instructors, students will have no choice but to truly learn how to handle trust and general accounting in a tactile fashion.

Career Readiness

By the time students graduate, they are familiar with the tools that they will likely use in their professional lives, reducing the learning curve in their initial employment phases.

For many 21st century legal professionals leaving college, a wide assemblage of skills is necessary for survival. Thankfully with uLaw, graduates can quickly and cheaply actualize their dream of being a sole practitioner for example, since it is now so easy to run one's own legal business without significant administrative overhead.

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