Paralegal Studies Degree Paves the Way for Internationally-Educated Lawyer's Bar Admission Journey

Paralegal Studies alumna Niyousha Firouzfar successfully leveraged her education as a stepping stone toward achieving bar admission status in Canada. Having previously earned a Bachelor of Law degree from Azad University of Mashhad in Iran, Niyousha sought to bridge the gap in her common law knowledge by enrolling in the Paralegal Studies program and graduated with an impressive program GPA of 86.9 percent.

As part of her field placement, Niyousha gained hands-on experience as a paralegal intern at Affinity Law Professional Corporation, a firm specializing in personal injury law and insurance litigation. Her responsibilities included requesting productions, drafting pleadings and affidavits, preparing documents for the Licence Appeal Tribunal, and summarizing case conferences. Upon completing her degree, she obtained her P1 Paralegal License from the Law Society of Ontario.

Determined to advance her legal career in Canada, Niyousha had her law degree assessed by the National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) to qualify for the Law Society’s bar admission program. She successfully completed the eight prescribed NCA exams and was awarded a Certificate of Qualification. Niyousha is currently a Lawyer Licensing Candidate and is actively pursuing an articling position.

Reflecting on her journey, Niyousha credits Humber Polytechnic for equipping her with the legal knowledge and skills needed to navigate the Canadian legal system. She emphasized that her studies helped her quickly grasp legislation, legal principles, terminology, and case law—an advantage when preparing for the NCA exams. She also expressed her gratitude to Paralegal Studies Program Coordinator Bernie Aron for his unwavering support and guidance. "Humber Polytechnic played a pivotal role in helping me flourish in my expertise," Niyousha remarked.

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