Calgary, Alberta (August 6, 2024) – The Canadian Centre for Professional Legal Education (CPLED), a pre-Bar call legal education leader, is excited to announce updates to one of our cornerstone courses, the Legal Research and Writing (LRW) course. These updates reflect our commitment to providing exceptional legal education experiences that align with student needs and the evolving demands of the legal landscape in Canada.

It is fundamental that educational resources keep pace with current practices and anticipate their students’ future needs. That is why, after completing a comprehensive review of the course and its delivery, which included valuable feedback from students and Assessors, CPLED is proud to announce enhancements to the LRW course.

Key Updates

• Revamped course structure – based on feedback, CPLED has updated the course content to focus on skill development that students can apply to real-world scenarios. Students will work through two self-directed modules, learning the necessary legal research and legal writing skills. After each module, students will complete a multiple-choice assessment to test their knowledge as well as completing practice assignments. They will then apply what they have learned in their written assignments, and experienced lawyers will assess those assignments. A weighted approach of the four course deliverables determines a student’s final course grade, providing a balanced and comprehensive performance assessment.
• Increased course offerings – CPLED has experienced an overwhelming interest in the LRW course offerings, and registration has reached capacity for every intake in the past year. That is why CPLED will now offer the course six times yearly. Please see the Course Schedule for more details.
• Enhanced support resources – recognizing the importance of support during the learning journey, CPLED has expanded our suite of resources for students, including practice quizzes and assignments, increased library resources and student question-and-answer sessions.
• Anonymous assessment – to eliminate potential biases—whether unconscious or otherwise—by focusing purely on the content and quality of the assignments. CPLED is introducing anonymous assessments where a student’s identity will be concealed from Assessors during the evaluation process.

“Our goal has always been to deliver outstanding competency-based legal education, empower our students to feel confident in their skills, and inspire them to apply these skills in their future legal careers,” says Liza Worthington, CEO of CPLED. “These updates are a testament to CPLED’s responsiveness to the needs of the legal community and our dedication to providing education that truly makes a difference to our students.”

Registration for the updated LRW course opens on the CPLED website on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, at 9 a.m. MT. For more information about the LRW course, visit our website or contact the LRW team at LRW@cpled.ca.

Background information:

The Canadian Centre for Professional Legal Education (CPLED) is a non-profit organization that delivers pre-Bar call legal education to aspiring Canadian lawyers.

CPLED officially launched the Legal Research and Writing course in January 2022 and has had over 2,000 students enroll.