Roosevelt University - Paralegal Studies Program

About Us
Paralegal Studies Program

Program Overview | Program Philosophy | Program History
What is a Paralegal | Why Choose the Paralegal Studies Program
Faculty | Advisory Board

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Paralegal Studies Program at Roosevelt University, located in Chicago, Illinois, is designed for those who wish to pursue careers in the legal profession. The program offers a challenging course of study that prepares its graduates for a variety of paralegal job opportunities. A post-baccalaureate certificate is offered for those students holding a bachelor's degree, and two bachelor degree options are available for Roosevelt University undergraduate students interested in pursuing a bachelor's degree and our paralegal certificate combined. All of these options are explained in detail on the Curriculum page. Our classes are taught by experienced attorneys and paralegals and offer practical, hands-on legal training. We are one of the Midwest's oldest and largest paralegal education programs. We have earned the approval of the American Bar Association since 1976. For more than 10,000 alumni working in law, government, and business, the Paralegal Studies Program at Roosevelt University has been the paralegal program of choice.

PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY

The Paralegal Studies Program is an institution of higher and practical learning. Theory is addressed and covered, especially in relation to ethics, the unauthorized practice of law and professional responsibility. However, the focus of the program is on the practical aspects of law.

PROGRAM HISTORY

In August 2004, Roosevelt University announced that its renowned Lawyer's Assistant Program was changing its' name to the Paralegal Studies Program. The name change reflected contemporary language used in the profession and coincided with the program's 30th year of serving Chicagoland's legal community.

The Paralegal Studies Program is one of the Midwest's oldest and largest paralegal training programs. Established in 1974, and first approved by the American Bar Association in 1976, the program has enjoyed over 30 years of educating high caliber paralegals as an ABA-approved program. The program enjoys an excellent reputation in the legal community and our graduates are in great demand.

WHAT IS A PARALEGAL?

Paralegals perform substantive legal work under the direct supervision of an attorney. Paralegals must have a knowledge and understanding of legal concepts, as they perform a wide variety of tasks including but not limited to: conducting interviews with clients and witnesses, gathering facts, researching the law, managing databases, reviewing, analyzing and assembling records and documents, drafting legal pleadings and discovery items such as complaints and interrogatories and maintaining conflicts of interest systems. Experienced paralegals often accompany counsel during trial and help with document management and organization, witness preparation and research. Paralegals may not provide legal services directly to the public, except as permitted by law.

For more information on the paralegal profession and the type of work paralegals perform in different practice areas, visit the websites of the National Federation of Paralegal Associations and the National Association of Legal Assistants.

Finally, if you want to see why the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected the paralegal profession to grow much faster than average for all occupations though 2014, read the Occupational Outlook Handbook here.

WHY CHOOSE THE PARALEGAL STUDIES PROGRAM

In choosing a paralegal program, there are many variables to consider. We believe it is particularly important to consider the program's reputation, accreditation, services provided by the program, including career counseling and job placement, the program's ties to the legal community, the curriculum, and the program's administration and faculty.

The Paralegal Studies Program enjoys an excellent reputation and has meaningful ties to the legal community. Our advisory board is made up of experienced attorneys, paralegal managers, educators and other legal professionals who provide valuable insight in to what is expected from our students in the workforce. Our graduates are highly sought after by law firms, corporations, and government agencies in the Chicago area, as well as nationwide. The Paralegal Studies Program is approved by the American Bar Association and offers a curriculum that is challenging, practical, and interesting.

The program has two full-time administrators, both of whom are alumni of the program and experienced legal professionals, to assist students and graduates in achieving their professional goals. Program instructors are experienced attorneys and paralegals who work in the field(s) that they teach, thus providing students with current information. The Paralegal Studies Program is dedicated to working paralegals throughout their careers, and to that extent, offers continuing legal education seminars as a way to learn about a new practice area or to expand one's base of knowledge in a particular specialty. The program publishes a newsletter, In Brief, three to four times a year which is sent to prospective and current students, alumni, employers and other members of the legal community. The newsletter contains pertinent information about the program and the paralegal profession.

Finally, the program maintains a chapter of Lambda Epsilon Chi (LEX), a national paralegal honor society founded by the American Association for Paralegal Education (AAfPE). The purpose of LEX is to recognize persons who have demonstrated superior academic performance in an established program of paralegal/legal assistant studies offered at an institution that is an Institutional member in good standing of AAfPE.

The Paralegal Studies Program recognizes students who demonstrate superior academic performance from each graduating class. No more than 10% of each graduating class will be eligible. Members will be inducted in January and August of each year and will receive a commemorative certificate and membership pin. Members are encouraged to include their membership in LEX on their resume and will be entered into the permanent records of the Lambda Epsilon Chi national paralegal honor society.

FACULTY

Our faculty members are experienced attorneys and paralegals whose courses are reflective of the areas in which they practice. The majority have experience as a paralegal and/or working with paralegals. They teach up to date information preparing students to enter the legal profession with confidence. The program stresses practical training and guides its faculty accordingly. The goal in training paralegals is to teach students how to complete substantive tasks, and not theory alone. An emphasis is the study of procedural law.

Lorri Ambrose
BS University of Illinois at Urbana, JD Loyola University of Chicago

Mary Boland
BA Lewis University, JD The John Marshall Law School

Michael Burns
BS Northern Illinois University, JD DePaul University College of Law

Edward Carter
BS Illinois Institute of Technology, JD IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law

Linda Crohn
BA University of Illinois at Chicago, JD The John Marshall Law School

James Fine
Full-Time Lecturer
BA University of Wisconsin, MA Northwestern University, JD DePaul University College of Law

Todd Heller
BA The Johns Hopkins University, JD DePaul University College of Law

Kevin Henderson
BS Northern Illinois University, Paralegal Certificate Roosevelt University

Lisa Iverson
BA University of Wisconsin, JD University of Wisconsin, LL.M. The John Marshall Law School

Brad Jansen
BA University of Illinois at Chicago, JD IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law

Brendan Keleher
BA, JD, M.ED. Loyola University of Chicago

Cheryl Kettler
BA George Washington University, JD Catholic University of America

Judy Kullenberg
BA University of Washington, Paralegal Certificate Roosevelt University, JD The John Marshall Law School

Juan Linares
BA University of Illinois, JD DePaul University, LLM The John Marshall Law School

Daniel Mahoney
BS DePaul University, JD The John Marshall Law School

Ira Moltz
BA Northwestern University, JD American University

Jennifer Morrissey
BS St. Norbert College, JD Loyola University of Chicago

Lewis Nixon
BA St. Johns University, JD DePaul University

Michael Pinsof
BA University of Iowa, JD DePaul University

Ellen Rindal
BA University of Iowa, JD IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law

Lisa Rosen
BS Florida State University

Bruce Slivnick
BA Northwestern University, JD University of Illinois

Mark Solock
BA University of Illinois, JD DePaul University

Carin Wolkenberg,
BA Loyola University Chicago, Paralegal Certificate Queens College, NY

Lana Yonkoff
BA University of Illinois at Chicago, MA Roosevelt University, JD IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law

To learn more about selected members of our faculty, see the Faculty Profile page.

ADVISORY BOARD

Janis Berlin, Paralegal
Illinois Department of Corrections, Legal Services

Michael Burns, Assistant Dean for Enrollment Management
& Director of Admissions
DePaul University College of Law

Edward Carter, Supervisor of Financial Crimes Prosecutions
Illinois Attorney General's Office

John Cicero Ph.D., Dean
Evelyn T. Stone College of Professional Studies, Roosevelt University

Chanita M. Dean, Assistant Director

Paralegal Studies Program

Janet Denler, Paralegal Coordinator
Tressler, Soderstrom, Maloney & Priess

Christine Hansen, Paralegal
SBC Communications, Inc.

Kevin Henderson
Director of Solo Segment Recruitment & Retention
American Bar Association

Anthony G. Hopp, Partner
Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon

Mary Jahntz, Assistant Vice President
LaSalle Bank National Association

Dexter Johnson, Attorney
Mallon & Johnson

Carrie Lausen, Director
Paralegal Studies Program

Honorable Lewis Nixon, Judge
Circuit Court of Cook County

Sande Shamash, Executive Director
Tourette Syndrome Association of Illinois, Inc.

Paige Stepan, Paralegal
Winston & Strawn

Paralegal Studies Program