WHAT IS A PARALEGAL?
Paralegals assist lawyers in providing legal
service to clients in a variety of ways. Although paralegals cannot provide legal services directly to the public
(except as expressly permitted by law), paralegals work with lawyers in
virtually all areas of legal practice. Paralegals assist lawyers in preparing for trials, drafting legal
documents, performing legal research, preparing for closings, generating
business records. Paralegals are predominantly employed by private law offices
but paralegals work in a variety of industries.
Industries That Use Paralegals
• Law firms
• Real estate companies
• Banks
• Government
• Corporations
• Social service agencies and non-profit organizations
WHAT CAN WRIGHT’S NEW PARALEGAL
PROGRAM DO FOR YOU?
Prepare you for a lucrative and exciting new
career, with employment security superior to most existing jobs. According to
the Department of Labor, employment for paralegals is expected to grow faster
than average through 2012. Chicago is home to some of the largest law firms in
the United States, employing over 1200 paralegals. The average annual salary of
an experienced paralegal is approximately $48,000.
Provide you practical, hands-on training.
Through Wright’s internship, you can meet prospective employers and gain
valuable “hands-on” experience to increase your marketability.
Offer you flexibility and affordability. The
Paralegal Program was designed for a variety of individuals; those who are
seeking a career change, as well as those interested in entering the legal
field as a paralegal. We welcome part-time and full-time students with classes
at an extremely reasonable tuition.
WHAT WILL YOU LEARN AT WRIGHT’S
PARALEGAL PROGRAM?
Upon completion of Wright’s Paralegal
Program, students will be prepared to successfully perform, under an attorney’s
supervision, a wide range of paralegal tasks such as researching legal issues,
interviewing clients/witnesses, preparing legal forms and documents, working on
probate matters, or other related tasks. In addition to studying legal concepts and learning
paralegal skills, students gain experience using online legal search engines,
such as Westlaw, have access to a legal research library and can participate in
activities hosted by the Paralegal Club.
A significant component of the College’s
Paralegal Program is an optional internship during the last semester of a
student’s program. This internship provides the student an opportunity to take
what they have learned in class and apply it in a realistic work environment.
Students of this program will also have access to all of the student services
Wright College offers such as job placement, career development and advising,
and computer lab and library.
WHAT COURSES WILL YOU TAKE?
The Paralegal Associate in Applied Science
degree is a 63 credit hour program comprised of 24 credit hours from the
General Education Core and 39 credit hours of Paralegal Courses.
Paralegal Courses (13
courses, 39 hours)
Introductory Courses (all required)
Introduction to Paralegal
Studies (Business 147)
Civil Litigation (Business
148)
Family Law (Business 149)
Advanced Courses (all
required)
Criminal Law for the
Paralegal (Business 220)
Tort Law (Business 223)
Real Estate Law for the
Paralegal (Business 219)
Business Law for the
Paralegal (Business 222)
Legal Research & Writing
I (Business 150)
Legal Research & Writing
II (Business 225)
Wills, Trusts and Probate
(Business 224)
Electives (choose 3, at
least one must be an *)
Internship* (Business 226)
Computers in the Law Office*
(Business 240)
Immigration Law (Business
229)
Business Organizations
(Business 239)
Elder Law (Business 227)
Environmental Law for the
Paralegal (Business 228)
Legal Ethics (Business 238)
GENERAL EDUCATION
COURSES (8 courses, 24 hours, all required)
English Composition (English
101)
English Composition (English
102)
The National Government
(Political Science 201)
General Course II (Social
Science 102)
Philosophy Course
(Philosophy 105, 106 or 107)
Humanities Course
(Humanities 123 or 201)
Fundamentals of Speech
Communication (Speech 101)
Introduction to
Microcomputers (CIS 120)
PARALEGAL PROGRAM – FAQs
Ø Is there an application or waiting list for the
Paralegal Program?
No. Currently students can enroll in our
introductory courses: Introduction to Paralegal Studies, Civil Litigation
and/or Family Law to begin the program provided they are eligible to take
English 101 and Math 99. This
eligibility can be determined by a placement exam or college transcripts. Students will take English 101 as part
of the Paralegal Program but no math class is currently required. Students do not need to take all the
Introductory Paralegal Courses (Introduction to Paralegal Studies, Civil
Litigation and Family Law) their first semester but if they choose not to do
so, it may take longer to complete other courses since these introductory
courses are prerequisites for later classes. The Introductory Paralegal Courses
will be next offered in the Fall 2008 semester with day, evening and weekend
options.
Ø How long does the program take to complete?
Students
must complete 21 courses to receive the Associate in Applied Science Degree in
Paralegal Studies. Full time
students should be able to complete the program in about two years. Part time students and those taking
less than 5 classes per semester will take longer to complete the program. For example, if you are only able to
take 3 courses per semester, completion of the program will take approximately
7 semesters.
Ø I have never taken classes at Wright College
before. What do I need to do to
register for classes?
Prospective students can also call (773.481.8200) or visit
the Wright College Gateway in Room A-120. Advisors are available both daytime and evenings on a walk-in basis
during the school year. The
Gateway is open Monday – Thursday 9:00am – 7:00pm and Fridays 9:00am
– 2:00pm.
General information on Wright College’s application /
registration process and answers to Frequently
Asked Questions
Ø Will I have to take a placement test to register
for classes at Wright College?
New
students who do not have prior college experience will be required to take a
placement test. Information about
the test (including a study
guide and a list of upcoming placement test dates can be found on Wright’s website.
Ø I have never taken any courses at Wilbur Wright or
any other community college but am eager to get started on the Paralegal
Program right away. What should I
take?
New
students who have placed appropriately on their placement tests (read at a
minimum of the 12th grade level, write at the Freshman Composition
(101) level and placed into Mathematics 099) should register for as many of the
introductory Paralegal Program courses (Introduction to Paralegal Studies,
Civil Litigation and/or Family Law) and General Education requirements as they
feel comfortable taking. The
Introductory Paralegal Courses will be offered in the Fall 2008 semester with
day, evening and weekend options.
Ø Do I have to take any math courses for the
Paralegal Program?
Students must place in the
Mathematics 099 level or above for formal admission, but the program does not
require additional math courses or the completion of Mathematics 099. Note: completion of Pre-Credit Math
Level Two with a grade of “C” or better is sufficient to meet the math
placement requirement for the Paralegal Program.
Ø Will you accept transfer paralegal credits from
another institution?
We
will accept up to nine transfer credit hours of paralegal course work.
Ø Will other courses be offered next semester?
Yes. We will offer additional courses in the
upcoming semester and will continue to offer day, evening and weekend
options. A complete list of the
Paralegal Courses to be offered can be found in the Wilbur Wright College Credit Course
Schedule
Ø Is there any hands-on training in the Paralegal
Program?
There
is currently an optional 3 credit Internship course available as the final
course for the Paralegal AAS program. It is designed to enable students to combine classroom training with
practical paralegal work experience through supervised on the job training in a
public or private legal institution. The internship course will include practical writing assignments (such
as preparing a cover letter and resume) and aims to prepare the paralegal
student for a successful start as a paralegal.
Ø Does the Paralegal Program offer job placement?
The Career Planning & Placement Center of Wilbur
Wright College provides quality
job and career related services to the students, alumni, and community
residents of Wright College that will assist them in their career, educational,
and holistic development. Students can call (773-481-8527) or visit the Career
Planning & Placement Center in Room S-128. The Center is open Monday & Thursday, 8:30am-4:30pm,
Tuesday & Wednesday, 8:30am-7:00pm and Friday, 8:30am-4:00pm. Further information about the Career Planning & Placement Center of Wilbur
Wright College can
be found on Wright’s website.
Ø Is becoming a paralegal a good idea if I think I
might want to go to law school?
The
Paralegal Program is an Associate level degree meaning you could complete your
coursework in two years and begin working in the exciting paralegal field. Being a paralegal will allow you to
experience working in the legal field and can be a good way for you to
determine whether or not you might like to continue with your education and
become a lawyer. It is important
to note that accredited law schools require a Bachelor level degree for
admission, so you will need to complete additional college level work before
applying to law school unless you currently have a B.A. or B.S.
Ø Where can I find information about Wright’s
tuition and fees?
Wright’s
tuition for Chicago residents is $72.00 per credit hour, meaning tuition for a
three credit hour class is $216. Registration and other fees may apply and students
should budget approximately $100 per course for textbooks. Additional information on tuition and fees can be found on Wright’s website.
Ø Where can I find information about grants,
scholarships and financial aid?
Information
about grants, scholarships and financial aid can be found on Wright’s website. You can also
contact our financial aid office at Financial Aid Office, Wright College, 4300
N. Narragansett Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60634-1591. You can contact the Financial Aid Office at 773/481-8100 or
stop by Room A-128 Monday thru Thursday 9:00AM - 7:30PM and Friday 9:00AM -
4:00PM.
Ø I would like to tour the campus. When can I visit?
Information
on campus tours can be found on Wright’s website.
Ø Who can I contact for more information about the
paralegal program?
Please
feel free to contact the Wright College Business Department (ask for the
Paralegal Program Coordinator) at 773.481.8325 or email Wright_Paralegal@ccc.edu
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