Paralegal careers in Wisconsin may be found within corporations, law firms, educational facilities, health care facilities, nonprofit organizations, government locales and more.
Examples of recent employers of paralegals in Wisconsin are:. You are now a paralegal working in Wisconsin! Remember to maintain any credentials you have earned through certification by completing the proper continuing legal education CLE , if applicable. Also, check into the following membership organizations for legal assistants and paralegals in Wisconsin:. Home About Contact. Toggle navigation. Step 1. An ABA approved paralegal education consists of at least 60 semester hours, made up of at least 18 semester credits of general education courses and at least 18 semester credits of legal specialty courses.
This is because the ABA feels strongly that some general liberal arts courses are foundational to becoming a well-rounded and capable paralegal prepared to thrive in the professional environment of a law office or corporate legal department. Many ABA-approved programs offer flexible curriculum options, including part-time and evening study. Schools seeking ABA approval for their paralegal programs must complete an exhaustive series of self-evaluation reports to ensure they operate in compliance with ABA Guidelines.
Once they successfully complete the evaluation process, they are approved for a period of seven years. After this period, the school must go through the approval process again. Even before a school can apply to gain ABA-approval for their paralegal program, the program must have been in place for at least two years so there is a record of students having successfully graduated.
Schools must also provide the ABA Approval Committee with a detailed list of their curriculum, including their legal specialty coursework. This means an approved program must not only meet specific curriculum guidelines, but its faculty must meet the high standards of the ABA, as well. Once the ABA Approval Committee determines that the program has met the minimum criteria for approval, they schedule an on-site evaluation of the paralegal department, as well as the entire institution.
If you choose a program that has been ABA-approved, you will be guaranteed several perks. For example, each program must operate under an advisory committee that includes practicing lawyers and paralegals from the public and private sector. ABA-approved programs must also be structured to allow students to go on to achieve higher levels of education. The ABA even encourages schools to enter into articulation agreements with other schools to help students more seamlessly continue their education.
When it comes to legal specialty courses, ABA-approved programs must also meet specific requirements. Courses like legal research, litigation, and legal writing are all considered legal specialty courses if they emphasize practical paralegal skills. Other courses encouraged include business classes, computer technology courses, and field experiences in the form of internships.
Internships offered through ABA-approved programs must meet clearly defined requirements and must ensure ongoing communication between the student and the field experience supervisor. As part of an ABA-approved program, you will also be guaranteed comprehensive student services, including counseling and advisement.
Some of the services that must be offered as part of an ABA-approved program include:. This is because some employers in larger metropolitan areas require paralegals to possess a degree from an ABA-approved program, while in other parts of the country there is little mention of ABA approval.
You will also find that some state paralegal associations go as far as to recommend that employers give preference to paralegal candidates who hold a degree or certificate from an ABA-approved program. The ABA does not approve undergraduate certificate programs and online paralegal programs, though these programs certainly have their place. For example, in certain parts of the country, an undergraduate paralegal certificate may be the standard credential for entry-level employment, so it might not make much sense to pursue a longer and possibly more expensive course of education.
Many respected institutions offer quality paralegal programs via interactive, online platforms, allowing working students like you to study on your own time.
A number of online programs in paralegal studies are also self-paced, allowing you to complete the course requirements as your schedule permits. You may also reside in a part of the country where there are no paralegal programs—ABA-approved or otherwise. An online paralegal program may be the only viable option for you, allowing you to pursue the profession regardless of your geographic location. Institutional accreditation through one of these regional accrediting agencies is the long-held standard for determining the quality of a school:.
If a school has been accredited, you can be confident that it has met high standards in terms of faculty, curriculum, and the programs it offers. ABA-approval, on the other hand, applies only to the paralegal program , rather than being a school-wide accreditation.
Since ABA-approved programs will inevitably be housed in quality schools that hold regional accreditation, you can think of ABA-approval as a second layer of assurance. There are a few characteristics that are constant among quality paralegal programs, whether or not they hold ABA approval:. Does it offer a flexible curriculum, with opportunities for practical, on-the-job experiences?
Does it offer the online, accelerated, or hybrid format you need? Pelfrey Telephone: Ronald Ron E. Frazier Telephone: Knudsen Telephone Waters Telephone Hauert Telephone: Marks, MCC Telephone: Telephone: Telephone: Fax: www. Greenberg Telephone: Barnes Telephone: Ellis Telephone: Additional Location: Wilshire Blvd. Tardiff Telephone: Vargas Telephone: Darrel Harrison Telephone: Ramey Telephone: Hance, Esq Telephone: www. Carol D. Kellogg Telephone: Richard Manzano Telephone: Zielina Telephone: Richards Telephone: Dunlap Telephone: Stewart Telephone: Slonka Telephone: Great Path, P.
Holland Telephone: Member — National Federation of Paralegal Associations. All rights reserved. See also the American Bar Association's document on this topic. Bryant and Stratton College …. American Bar Association … the American Bar Association is the one of the largest voluntary professional membership organizations in the world.
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