'Paralegal Eagles' help pioneer an Oregon first
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Members of the Paralegal Club
No more shuttles or parking hassles or multi-block strolls through the wind and rain to get to the Multnomah County Law Library in downtown Portland. Now, students in the Paralegal program have only to walk a mere few feet — in a climate-controlled indoor setting — to research law books.
This fall, thanks to the help of the program's students in the Paralegal Club and the leadership of Department Chair Jerry Brask, PCC has its first law library. It is housed in the smallish Room 109 of Terrell Hall at the Cascade Campus, but is the first of its kind at any Oregon community college. It's also one of the few community college law libraries that exist in the entire nation.
"We're very proud of it," said student Diana Gabaldon. "It was a big effort."
Fellow student Thomas Clock joined in that sentiment by stating, "It adds credibility to the program."
The library includes valuable resources such as the Oregon Revised Statutes, Oregon Supreme Court published opinions, decisions from the United States Supreme Court, legal encyclopedias and more. There are more than 6,000 books in the Terrell Hall library. Other programs and departments are also welcomed to use it as well as members from the community.
"This is definitely going to be a positive resource," added Jill Wiseman, also a student. "It has a good foundation in federal law, as well as many Washington and Oregon state references."
The Paralegal program was established in 1973 and has more than 200 students. The program, which stays current on best practices via an advisory council, has partnered with many local law firms to offer internships to help students gain practical experience in the legal field.
"I was drawn to the program because it offers so many classes," said Clock. "In addition, the cost of tuition blew me away. But what clinched my decision was the caliber of the faculty."
The Paralegal Club, formed in 2005, supports the program and promotes continuing education, networking and plans extracurricular events. For example, the club organized two panel discussions, "Strategies for Success," where lawyers and paralegals came together to discuss career development. After the department secured books and the college administration provided a room for the library, students volunteered to assemble the shelves. The club also helped host an open house to celebrate the opening of the library.
"These efforts were extraordinary and included hard work, creativity and teamwork," Brask said. "Beyond the incredible extra effort of club members and students is the spirit that club members and students bring to the program. You can see it in their excitement for learning, desire for excellence, teamwork and support that they provide for each other."
The backgrounds and future plans of the program's students are as diverse as the many sub-fields in the field of law. Clock works part-time in the construction industry and wants to work for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Wiseman, a stay-at-home mom for 18 years, is using a multimedia component in her studies to develop her presentation skills to be used in a courtroom.
"I want to have a positive impact on people's lives," Wiseman said.
Gabaldon is finishing her studies up this term and works as an executive assistant and helps oversee an individual's estate. She would eventually like to work in elder law where she'd specialize in trusts, wills and estate planning.
"I have been doing administrative work for a long time and I wanted to put something behind it," she said. "I enjoy the research, law and the politics. It's a good step up for me."
The law library is open from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 9 a.m. to noon on Fridays. For more information, call 503-978-5212 or email: Jerry Brask. To contact the Paralegal Club, visit their Yahoo! group.