Legal Studies/Paralegal Post-Baccalaureate Technical Diploma

Employment Potential

Paralegals perform work under the supervision of a lawyer in a variety of settings. Paralegals are not authorized to provide legal services directly to the public except as permitted by law. A graduate may be employed by a private 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.

With additional education and/or work experience, graduates may find other opportunities for employment.

• Law Office Administrator
• Law Office Manager
• Paralegal Supervisor
• Paralegal Instructor
• Corporate Compliance Officer
• Regulatory Specialist
• Research Analyst

Requirements for Program Entry

• Completed application.
• Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited institution (transcript to be submitted with enrollment form).
• Ability to use Microsoft Word and Windows proficiently.

Curriculum

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

10-890-101

College 101

1

Credit for Prior Learning Available »

10-890-101 COLLEGE 101 ...Students will utilize digital tools and resources to assess, explore, practice, apply, and evaluate both employability and learning skills. By establishing NWTC cultural values as hallmarks of success in academic, career, and personal settings the course encourages reflective, personalized development of a growth mindset and emphasizes the importance of making wise choices. To maximize the return on investment, students should take this course in their first semester as it identifies key expectations (hidden rules) of higher learning and professional employment.

Course Typically Offered: Summer/Fall/Spring

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10-110-101

Paralegal Intro/Legal Ethics

3

10-110-101 PARALEGAL INTRO/LEGAL ETHICS ...introduction 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: Summer/Fall/Spring

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10-110-104

Legal Research

3

10-110-104 LEGAL RESEARCH ...learn 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/Spring

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10-110-122

Creditor/Debtor Relations

3

10-110-122 CREDITOR/DEBTOR RELATIONS ...exploration 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: Fall

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OR

10-110-115

Administrative Law

3

10-110-115 ADMINISTRATIVE LAW ...exploration 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: Fall

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10-110-102

Civil Litigation

3

Credit for Prior Learning Available »

10-110-102 CIVIL LITIGATION ...exploration 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

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10-110-168

Paralegal Criminal Law

3

10-110-168 PARALEGAL CRIMINAL LAW ...exploration 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: Fall

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10-801-136

English Composition 1

3

Credit for Prior Learning Available »

10-801-136 ENGLISH COMPOSITION 1 ...learners 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/Spring

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Semester Total

19

Second Semester

10-110-175

Legal Computer Applications

3

Credit for Prior Learning Available »

10-110-175 LEGAL COMPUTER APPLICATIONS ...exploration of technology used in a law office; e-filing and electronic courtrooms; apply Microsoft Office Suite features to create law office documents; use legal specialty applications software for calendaring and docketing, timekeeping and billing, case/matter management; 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/Spring

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10-110-103

Civil Trial Advocacy

3

Credit for Prior Learning Available »

10-110-103 CIVIL TRIAL ADVOCACY ...apply 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; compiling a trial notebook, preparing for and participating in a mock trial; drafting appellate documents. (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: Spring

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OR

10-110-162

Intl Law and Immigration

3

10-110-162 INTERNATIONAL LAW & IMMIGRATION ...develop 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: Spring

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10-804-134

Mathematical Reasoning

3

Credit for Prior Learning Available »

10-804-134 MATHEMATICAL REASONING ...This course provides an alternative pathway to earning credit for a college level liberal arts mathematics course. All 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 is not designed for Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) students and/or others who require calculus. (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/Spring

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10-110-105

Legal Writing

3

Credit for Prior Learning Available »

10-110-105 LEGAL WRITING ...develop 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

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10-110-107

Legal Aspects/Business Org

3

10-110-107 LEGAL ASPECTS/BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS ...exploration 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: Spring

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10-110-114

Estates and Probate

3

Credit for Prior Learning Available »

10-110-114 ESTATES AND PROBATE ...exploration 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: Spring

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Semester Total

18

Total Credits

37

Students must take 2 of 4 Selective Courses:

10-110-122

Creditor/Debtor Relations

3

10-110-115

Administrative Law

3

10-110-103

Civil Trial Advocacy

3

10-110-162

International Law & Immigration

3

Curriculum Note: The American Bar Association (ABA) requires each learner to take a minimum of four legal specialty courses in a live, synchronous "real time" format (face-to-face).

+ 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.

Program Outcomes

• Apply ethical principles in a legal environment.
• Process legal documents.
• Perform legal research.
• Apply critical thinking skills to address legal issues.
• Demonstrate professionalism in a legal environment.

Credentials

The Paralegal Program is approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) and is also a member of the American Association for Paralegal Education. American Bar Association 541 North Fairbanks Ct. Chicago, IL 60611 Phone: (312) 988-5617

Study Abroad Opportunities

The International Programs staff continually seeks opportunities for students to travel abroad for educational experiences that may be offered in association with program courses. To find out more about which of your program courses may offer an opportunity during this academic year, contact your academic advisor or visit nwtc.edu/studyabroad.