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CCA paralegal grads find rewarding careers, growth

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Contributed by: Tracy Williams on 9/25/2007

An integral part of the legal community, paralegals assist lawyers in the delivery of quality legal services. And make no mistake - it's a big job with skills that are in demand even outside of the legal field.

Louise Lella, a Community College of Aurora (CCA) graduate, received her paralegal certificate in 2005 and can attest to that.

Lella is now working as an assistant manager in the regulatory policy and contracts department for a large insurance company in Denver.

"I work in a department with four attorneys and I disseminate information regarding retirement plans to our customers," said Lella.

Lella enrolled at CCA as a returning student to bolster the bachelor's degree in social sciences that she had earned earlier in life.

"I wanted something extra to help me stand apart from other job applicants," she said. "CCA's paralegal program was the perfect fit because I could pursue my interests and make myself more marketable in the workplace."

Just as important was Lella's need for an education she could afford.

"CCA was right up my alley because affordability was a big issue for me."

The fact that CCA's Paralegal Studies Program is approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) was also a draw for Lella and other students.

"The ABA component is really important in the real world," Lella said. "A lot of community colleges don't have that, which made CCA even more appealing to me. And it sure helps when you're going after a job in this industry."

According to Colorado's Department of Labor and Employment, the average entry-level salary for paralegals in the Denver Metro area is $33,504 annually. For seasoned paralegals, that figure rises to approximately $49,500. Opportunities in the field are expected to grow by up to 28% by 2015, which is an above-average growth rate.

"This industry is growing and CCA students know that," said CCA Paralegal Program Coordinator and Instructor Margaret Uchner.

And if CCA's enrollment figures in the program are any indication, the paralegal profession is getting hotter all the time.

"Enrollment is up in this department," said CCA Paralegal Instructor Tim Wilkerson. "Almost all of our classes are full and we're offering classes twice a year now that we used to offer only once."

Paralegals work under the supervision of an attorney and perform tasks such as conducting client interviews, locating and interviewing witnesses, conducting legal research, drafting legal documents that do not contain independent legal opinions or advice, and assisting at trials.

CCA's paralegal studies program offers two associate's degrees and a paralegal certificate.

"If students already have an associate's or bachelor's degree, they can complete the 30-hour course requirement to earn the certificate," explained Uchner. "If not, they must complete the curriculum for an associate's degree."

While paralegals cannot give legal advice to clients, they must possess a deeply rooted understanding of the substantive and procedural law necessary to qualify them to perform legal work under the supervision of licensed attorneys.

"I came out of CCA's paralegal program feeling really confident about what I learned because they were so dedicated to helping us learn the ins and outs of the profession," said Lella. "In fact, taking Tim Wilkerson's Contracts class is what piqued my interest in the field, and it's also what gave me the confidence I needed to go after the job I have now."

And for attorney Mary Jean Kindschuh, confidence is a very important characteristic to bring to the job.

Kindschuh is a licensed attorney who taught CCA's Probate and the Estates class and now employs CCA paralegal program grad Diane Myers in her firm.

"Diane is just another example of how prepared students are when they leave the program," said Kindschuh. "She stepped in and was effective immediately because she was so well-trained at CCA.

"I've been everything from a paralegal to a legal secretary myself, so I know what's required and how hard it can be. I, therefore, have more confidence in these students because of CCA's longer, more rigorous program - they have the vocabulary and know the issues, and they know enough to have the confidence it takes to say 'I don't know,' which is critical."

Myers, who graduated from CCA's paralegal program in May 2007, began as an intern at Kindschuh's firm and stayed on as a full-time employee after graduation.

While Myers' career path was not identical to Lella's, her reasons for choosing CCA were similar.

"I appreciated the thorough and extensive curriculum of the program," she said. "I have friends who have gone through shorter paralegal programs that just skimmed the surface and I'm amazed at how much they miss out on."

CCA's ABA-approved program was also a big factor in Myers' decision.
"That approval is major and made the value of my buck ten times greater."

Although Myers' favorite classes included Mediation and Family Law, Myers was also impressed by the program's attention to ethics.

"Every single class went in-depth with regard to subject matter, but ethics was woven into every class."

Myers also appreciated learning the parameters of the paralegal profession as opposed to the legal profession.

"If I had come to work for Mary Jean without that background and a thorough understanding of what paralegals can and cannot do, I probably would have said things to clients that I shouldn't have."

It is that respect for those parameters, in addition to her on-the-job efficiency, that makes her working relationship with Kindschuh a near-perfect union.

"Mary Jean and I really understand where that line is, which is important because the paralegal-attorney team need to be able to rely on each other."

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Tracy Williams

Aurora , CO

Tracy Williams has posted 327 stories and 0 comments since joining on 1/2/2007. Tracy Williams 's average story rating is 5.

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