(Part 2 in a series about Madison College’s post-baccalaureate programs)

The first article of this series looked at the biotechnology post-baccalaureate program as a conduit to accessible skills that prepare bachelor’s degree-holding students for the workplace.

Madison College’s paralegal post-baccalaureate program offers yet another route to obtaining an in-demand skill set. Students graduating with four-year social science degrees often know that employment in their desired field will require a master’s or professional degree, but with rising education costs and job market uncertainty, many are hesitating before furthering their education.

Paralegals are responsible for the paperwork, legal research and administrative tasks necessary to support the work of lawyers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the occupation will experience an 18 percent increase in employment between 2010 and 2020. As written on the BLS website, “Paralegals can be a less costly alternative to lawyers and perform a wider variety of duties, including tasks once done by lawyers.”

In light of this increased demand, some who were intent on law school are now finding paralegal certification an alternative path into the legal field.

James Gowin and Maggie Jaszewski had law school in their sights as undergrads at UW-Madison. Gowin, 22, was a psychology and legal studies major. Jaszewski, 23, majored in political science and anthropology. Instead of entering law school following graduation, they both chose the paralegal post-baccalaureate program at Madison College.

During his senior year, Gowin jumped in late on the fast-moving law school application process. He realized that the post-baccalaureate program was the best option at the time to gain exposure to his field of interest at a more relaxed pace.

“For me, slowing it down a little bit I think has allowed me to grow up a little and I think I appreciate that,” Gowin said.

He was impressed with the skills he quickly gained, especially in writing and research. “Even in the first couple weeks of the program, I felt like I had so much more to put on a resume than before,” he said.

His classmate Jaszewski always planned to apply to law school, but she experienced hesitation upon hearing new law school graduates say that their work in the field wasn’t what they thought it was going to be.

“I kind of started second-guessing whether or not I wanted to do that, especially with how expensive it was. It’s around $100,000 to go to law school,” she said.

They both appreciate the project-based nature of the classes and that they are blocked into three hour increments, allowing those in the program a convenient way to attend school while keeping up with work and family responsibilities.

Jaszewski described class engagement as direct and interactive.

“You aren’t really talked at. You’re kind of involved the whole way. You’re engaged as you are going through things,” she said.

Along with the associate degree paralegal program, the post-baccalaureate certificate is approved by the American Bar Association and is the only program of its kind in the state to hold that distinction. Anne Schacherl, paralegal program director, said that distinction, achieved this past April, took a lot of liaising with the Department of Education.

“ABA approved us as an institutional certificate and that isn’t common,” Schacherl said, “we are doing something really different at our school by offering the diploma.”

The post-baccalaureate certificate allows those holding an undergraduate degree to take essential program courses such as ethics, legal research and writing, estate planning and civil litigation. There is also an international course cluster. The program is unique among many other certificate programs at the college in that students are eligible to receive financial aid.

The department admits approximately 35 students to its post-baccalaureate program each fall. Program officials try to keep admissions numbers on par with the demand for paralegals so that the market does not become oversaturated.

Schacherl said, “We’re in a different time right now. People want to know that there will be a return on their investment and they want to know if they do this work, they have a reasonable expectation of getting employment.”

Graduates find work in both the public and private sectors. The program also serves as a springboard to law school, giving students skills to academically distinguish themselves.

“Students who come through our program and then tackle law school, law school will not be an issue,” Schacherl said.

She mentioned that law firm recruiters in the area hold the program’s graduates in high regard.

“We have a reputation for people who can do work and not only that, they know ethics,” Schacherl said.

This is welcome news to her students Gowin and Jaszewski, who want to gain work experience but also want a stepping stone to law school, should they choose it in the future.

“I’ve still kind of got law school on the back burner but I want to see if I even like the field first before I go ahead and make that investment,” Jaszewski said.