Legal Studies: Paralegal Post-Baccalaureate - Technical Diploma
Paralegals perform work under the supervision of a lawyer in a variety of settings – a private law firm, insurance company, corporation, bank, private business, legal clinic, government agency, legal aid office, law department, special interest group, public defender’s office, prosecutor’s office, service company, or consulting firm. The Paralegal program is approved by the American Bar Association and is also a member of the American Association for Paralegal Education. Paralegals are not authorized to provide legal services directly to the public except as permitted by law.
Delivery
Explore Locations
Program Costs & Financial Aid
Tuition: $6,896, Books: $1,475, Supplies: $100
This program is fully eligible for financial aid.
Estimates based on in-state residency. Please visit the following URL to learn more about tuition and fees for this program. https://www.nwtc.edu/admissions-and-aid/paying-for-college/tuition-and-fees?ProgramCode=311101
Requirements for Program Entry
- Apply at www.nwtc.edu/apply.
- Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited institution (transcript to be submitted with enrollment form).
- Tip! Our admission advisors will assist you through every step. Have questions? Connect with NWTC Admissions at start@nwtc.edu or 920-498-5444.
Program Outcomes
- Apply ethical principles in a legal environment.
- Process legal documents.
- Perform legal research.
- Synthesize various sources into a supportable legal conclusion.
- Demonstrate professionalism as a member of a legal team.
Curriculum
The Paralegal Post Baccalaureate Technical Diploma is offered in the day and in the evening. Students following the study plan below will complete the Technical Diploma in the number of semesters shown.
First Semester
8 Week 1
8 Week 2
Full Semester
Second Semester
8 Week 1
8 Week 2
Full Semester
- Students must take 2 of 4 Selective Courses:
- 10110122 Creditor/Debtor Relations 3
- 10110115 Administrative Law 3
- 10110103 Civil Trial Advocacy 3
- 10110162 International Law & Immigration 3
- Curriculum Note: Per the ABA (American Bar Association) requirements, at least 9 credits (135 hours of class attendance) of the program's legal specialty courses must be taken in person or in a live online format (i.e., courses that meet a specific time each week, whether in person in a classroom or in person via web-conference).
- A grade of "C" or better must be achieved in 10-110-101 Paralegal Intro/Legal Ethics in order to continue enrollment beyond the first term in any 10-110-xxx course for which 10-110-101 is designated as a co-requisite.
- The credit for 10-890-101, College 101 is an Institutional Requirement for graduation. Consequently, it is not part of the program requirements, but must be passed with a C or better.
- The following courses are offered in full semester: 10-110-104 Legal Research and 10-110-105 Legal Writing
Course Descriptions
Students gain skills that lead to success in college and employment. This course encourages students to develop a growth mindset and make wise choices. Students should take this course in their first semester. (Pre-requisite: None.)
Course Typically Offered: Summer Fall SpringIntroduction to and exploration of the paralegal profession and paralegal roles; legal ethics, state and federal court systems; civil and criminal procedure; overview of substantive areas of law; locating and interpreting statutes and cases; drafting legal correspondence.
Course Typically Offered: Fall SpringExploration of legal rights of creditors and debtors, collection of outstanding debts, execution of judgments, small claims court, bankruptcy procedures, and filing bankruptcy petitions and schedules. (Associate Degree Prerequisite: 10-110-101, Paralegal Intro/Legal Ethics with a "C" or better; Technical Diploma Corequisite: 10-110-101, Paralegal Intro/Legal Ethics)
Course Typically Offered: FallExploration of the paralegal's role in preparation and representation of cases before administrative agencies, structure and authority of administrative agencies, procedures, and substantive state and federal administrative law. (Associate Degree Prerequisite: 10-110-101, Paralegal Intro/Legal Ethics with a "C" or better; Technical Diploma Corequisite: 10-110-101, Paralegal Intro/Legal Ethics)
Course Typically Offered: FallExploration of the civil litigation process; jurisdiction and venue; evaluating facts, causes of action and defenses; statutory requirements and considerations for drafting pleadings, motions and supporting documents and discovery; service of process; ethical issues and the paralegal's role in civil litigation practice. (Associate Degree Prerequisite: 10-110-101, Paralegal Intro/Legal Ethics with a "C" or better; Technical Diploma Corequisite: 10-110-101, Paralegal Intro/Legal Ethics)
Course Typically Offered: Fall SpringExploration of substantive and procedural criminal law, the role of paralegals in both the prosecution and defense of criminal actions, emphasis on investigations and preparation of legal documents. (Associate Degree Prerequisite: 10-110-101, Paralegal Intro/Legal Ethics with a "C" or better; Technical Diploma Corequisite: 10-110-101, Paralegal Intro/Legal Ethics)
Course Typically Offered: FallLearners develop knowledge/skills in planning, organizing, writing, editing. Students will also analyze audience/purpose, use elements of research, format documents using standard guidelines, and develop critical reading skills. (Prerequisite: High school GPA greater/equal to 2.6; OR ACT Reading score greater/equal to 16 AND English greater/equal to 18; OR Next Gen Reading score greater/equal to 250 AND Writing score greater/equal to 260; OR "preparatory course(s)", contact academic advisor at 920-498-5444)
Course Typically Offered: Summer Fall SpringLearn and apply skills related to research terminology; sources of law; primary/secondary authority; mandatory/persuasive authority; citation form; factual/legal issues; effective research strategies; validating and updating results; computer-assisted legal research; Internet research. (Associate Degree Prerequisite: 10-110-101, Paralegal Intro/Legal Ethics with a "C" or better; Technical Diploma Corequisite: 10-110-101, Paralegal Intro/Legal Ethics)
Course Typically Offered: Fall SpringExploration of estate planning and probate practice; classification of property and property ownership; intestate succession; introduction to trusts, powers of attorney and other estate planning documents; drafting, modifying, revoking and contesting wills; drafting probate documents; ethical issues and the paralegal's role in estate planning and probate practice. (Associate Degree Prerequisite: 10-110-101, Paralegal Intro/Legal Ethics with a "C" or better; Technical Diploma Corequisite: 10-110-101, Paralegal Intro/Legal Ethics)
Course Typically Offered: SpringExploration of technology used in a law office including hardware, and general applications software, MS Office, and legal applications software for calendaring, docketing, timekeeping and billing, case/matter management; Wisconsin e-filing and electronic courtrooms; ethical issues and the paralegal's role with respect to technology in a law office. (Corequisite 10-110-101, Paralegal Intro/Legal Ethics)
Course Typically Offered: Fall SpringApply skills introduced in Civil Litigation 10-110-102, including organizing and managing a civil litigation matter; drafting pleadings, discovery requests and responses; summarizing and abstracting discovery responses and evidence; and compiling a trial notebook. (Prerequisites: 10-801-136, English Composition 1; 10-110-101, Paralegal Intro/Legal Ethics with a "C" or better; 10-110-102, Civil Litigation)
Course Typically Offered: SpringDevelop the knowledge, skills, process and understanding of international law and immigration including international organizations, treaties and courts; student and worker visas; citizenship, residency and removal; and legal systems throughout the world. (Associate Degree Prerequisite: 10-110-101, Paralegal Intro/Legal Ethics with a "C" or better; Technical Diploma Corequisite: 10-110-101, Paralegal Intro/Legal Ethics)
Course Typically Offered: SpringAll college students, regardless of their college major, need to be able to make reasonable decisions about fiscal, environmental, and health issues that require quantitative reasoning skills. An activity based approach is used to explore numerical relationships, graphs, proportional relationships, algebraic reasoning, and problem solving using linear, exponential and other mathematical models. Students will develop conceptual and procedural tools that support the use of key mathematical concepts in a variety of contexts. This course may be used as the first of a two part sequence that ends with Quantitative Reasoning as the capstone general education math requirement. (Prerequisite: Next Gen Arith score greater/equal to 250 AND Rdg score greater/equal to 250; OR TABE A 9/10 Math greater/equal to 12.7 AND Rdg greater/equal to 8.8; OR TABE 11/12 Math greater/equal to 780 AND Rdg greater/equal to 567; OR ACT Math score greater/equal to 15 AND ACT Reading score greater/equal to 16; OR prep courses-contact an academic advisor 920-498-5444)
Course Typically Offered: Summer Fall SpringExploration of formation, operation, and dissolution of types of business organizations, and substantive and procedural law involving business organizations. (Associate Degree Prerequisite: 10-110-101, Paralegal Intro/Legal Ethics with a "C" or better; Technical Diploma Corequisite: 10-110-101, Paralegal Intro/Legal Ethics)
Course Typically Offered: Summer SpringDevelop the knowledge, skills, process and understanding of: legal writing fundamentals; micro-synthesis of legal authorities; case briefing; macro-synthesis of legal authorities; analytical writing; legal research memos. (Prerequisites: 10-801-136, English Composition 1; 10-110-101, Paralegal Intro/Legal Ethics with a "C" or better; 10-110-104, Legal Research)
Course Typically Offered: Fall Spring