The office of the Court of Appeal is comprised of approximately twelve paralegals, some at the Court’s Montreal seat and others at its Quebec City seat. At each seat, there is a coordinator who ensures that the selection process runs smoothly, oversees the training and integration of interns within the team and provides them with support. Each seat also benefits from the assistance of lawyers who handle case management matters.

Paralegal interns are selected one session in advance; a call for applications is posted each fall and successful applicants generally start in January. Candidates must be eligible for a paralegal internship by the time they start their professional training period at the Court.

An internship lasts approximately 15 weeks.

A notice calling for applications for 2026 internships will be posted in the fall of 2025.

Paralegals perform a variety of stimulating tasks, including:

• Acting as the clerk at hearings (drafting minutes of hearings, handling the processing of judgments and the administrative follow-up of appeal files, etc.);

• Receiving pleadings filed by lawyers or litigants, analyzing their admissibility and ascertaining whether they comply with statutory requirements and with the Court of Appeal’s rules;

• Entering information in the Court ledger (plumitif);

• Answering requests for information from lawyers or litigants at the Court office counter, on the phone and by email;

• Determining the applicable judicial tariffs.

Paralegals are also responsible for all stages of document archiving according to the retention schedule.

Doing an internship as a paralegal at the Court of Appeal is a highly instructive experience. It provides an opportunity for privileged insight into the workings of the justice system, a clear understanding of the role of judges and the decision-making process, and personalized mentoring by the coordinator of the office of the Court of Appeal. 

During an internship, paralegals also have the opportunity to:

• Work on large-scale, complex cases involving major legal and social issues, and to do so from the very outset of their careers;

• Develop legal knowledge and reflexes in a wide variety of legal fields, including civil law, criminal law, penal law and youth law;

• Acquire sharp legal reflexes and great versatility;

• Follow the progress of cases from the beginning of the appellate process until a judgment is rendered;

• Attend numerous appeal hearings;

• Develop skills for checking pleadings and other documents to be filed in court.

The Court of Appeal is looking for candidates with strong academic records and good drafting skills. Moreover, in performing their duties, they must be thorough, and demonstrate maturity and autonomy.

A complete application must include the following documents:

1. An up-to-date curriculum vitae;

2. A scanned copy of an official transcript of paralegal studies (diploma of collegial studies and advanced studies diploma, as applicable).

These documents must be submitted to the professor in charge of job placement at your educational institution.