Paralegal

Mission Statement                                    

The mission of the Harold Washington College (HWC) Paralegal Program is to offer students of diverse backgrounds, talents and abilities quality legal instruction leading to career advancement. We fulfill our mission through our courses and other activities which are designed to allow the students to develop effective listening, legal research, critical legal thinking and legal writing skills. Our strategy encourages students to solve academic or job related challenges in a manner that demonstrates proficiency in fundamental procedural and substantive law and in legal research and drafting techniques.                                  

What Can The Harold Washington College 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 much faster than ave-​rage through 2018. Chicago is home to some of the largest law firms in the United States, employing over 1200 paralegals. According to the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-2011 Edition, the middle 50 percent of full time paralegals in the United States earned between $36,080 and $59,310. 

• Provide you with practical, hands-on training. Through HWC’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 who are entering the legal field as a paralegal as a first time career. We welcome part-time and full-time students with classes at an extremely affordable cost per credit hour.                                 

What Will You Learn at the Harold Washington College Paralegal Program?

Upon completion of the Harold Washington College 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 duties. In addition to studying legal concepts and learning paralegal skills, students gain experience using online legal research service, such as Westlaw, have access to a legal research library and can participate in activities hosted by the Harold Washington College Paralegal Club.       

Program Goals

1. Develop a general framework and understanding of legal knowledge necessary to work as a paralegal in the legal field. Through a logical progression of sequential and interrelated courses, develop the background, problem solving and decision making skills so students can successfully work as paralegals.
2. To have every student proficient in legal research and communication.
3. Provide adequate opportunities for students to use current technology for research, writing and communication.
4. Develop effective instruction on legal ethics.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Students will demonstrate the ability to think and read critically so that can effectively solve legal problems.
2. Students will demonstrate competency in basic substantive and procedural law.
3. Students will be able to communicate effectively using legal terminology.
4. Students be able to perform legal research and writing at a level sufficient to enter the paralegal profession.
5. Students will be capable of using appropriate technologies to complete research and writing tasks.
6. Students will apply understanding of ethical principles learned in the classroom in the workplace.

Internship

A signi​ficant component of the College’s Paralegal Program is an optional internship during the student’s last semester. 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 Harold Washington​ College offers such as job placement, career development and advising, and computer lab and library.                   

Note: Paralegals may not provide legal services directly to the public, except as permitted by law.    

Synchronous Instruction  

​The maximum number of paralegal courses for which students can receive transfer credit is three classes (nine semester hours). 

Students must take at least nine semester credits or the equivalent of legal specialty courses through synchronous instruction. 

Paralegal Program Course Transfer Policies for Paralegal Courses

1. Students may apply to receive transfer credit towards graduation with the Associates in Applied Science in Paralegal Studies degree from Harold Washington College.​
2. Harold Washington College’s paralegal courses are listed below.
• ​Introduction to Paralegal Studies (Business 147)
• Civil Litigation (Business 148)
• Family Law (Business 149)
• Legal Research & Writing I (Business 150)
• Real Estate Law for the Paralegal (Business 219)
• Criminal Law for the Paralegal (Business 220)
• Business Law for the Paralegal (Business 222)
• Tort Law (Business 223)
• Wills, Trusts and Probate (Business 224)
• Legal Research & Writing II (Business 225)
• Internship (Business 226)
• Elder Law (Business 227)
• Environmental Law for the Paralegal (Business 228)
• Immigration Law (Business 229)
• Legal Ethics (Business 238)
• Business Organizations (Business 239)
• Computers in the Law Office (Business 240)​
3. ​Transferring institutions must be accredited by the Higher Learning Commission or equivalent.  Transferring institution programs must be approved by the American Bar Association.
   Further, Harold Washington College shall not accept in excess of 9 credit hours of legal specialty courses from any institution. However, remaining credits can be used as elective credits.
   Therefore, all credit should be reviewed, but only 9 will be accepted into the Paralegal Program.
4. Students wishing to transfer paralegal course work from a school using academic quarters must combine two paralegal courses to receive credit for one course from Harold Washington College.  For example, a student who took Contracts and Corporations at a school using academic quarters may apply for transfer credit at Harold Washington College for Business Law for the Paralegal.
5. To receive transfer credit, students must provide the course catalogue from the institution from which they wish to transfer credit, the course syllabi and examples of their work from the courses for which they are seeking transfer credit.
6. Applications for transfer credit must be submitted to the Paralegal Program Coordinator.
7. These policies are subject to change and interpretation by the Paralegal Program Coordinator.