Paralegal Studies Degree Programs
Gain professional knowledge and experiences in Paralegal Studies to kick start your career today.
Gain professional knowledge and experiences in Paralegal Studies to kick start your career today.
Become a vital member of the legal profession with Madonna University's ABA-approved Paralegal Studies program, recognized for excellence since 1984. Our curriculum, taught by experienced attorneys, provides the practical skills and legal knowledge needed for success in the legal landscape. We offer flexible learning options – online and on-campus – and required internships to ensure you're prepared for real-world legal challenges. Join a network of successful alumni and find a truly rewarding legal career.
Students and graduates of the program will join over 2,000 paralegal alumni who have contributed to making the Madonna University Paralegal program one of the best in metropolitan Detroit. Potential employers often refer students to the program so they can be a “Madonna Paralegal." The job opportunities for paralegals are outstanding with salaries starting at approximately $50,000-$60,000 and within five years ranging from $60,000 to $85,000. After 10 years, paralegals can make $85,000 to $100,000 annually in high-demand legal specialties such as e-discovery, contract administration and corporate law. They are employed in full-time jobs with benefits in the top law firms, corporations and courts.
The goals and objectives of the Paralegal Studies Program are to produce extremely competent and well-rounded individuals who will be able to assist an attorney in various areas of the law. The program teaches practical paralegal skills in conjunction with a liberal arts education. This allows graduates to serve a modern, multicultural society with a valuable skill. This also includes educating B.S.N credentialed nurses to become nurse paralegals.
The challenging program is an excellent undergraduate pre-law major with legal research and writing courses that prepare students very well for the first year of law school.
Start your legal career today with Madonna University's ABA-approved Paralegal Studies.
Stephanie Braun is a graduate of Madonna University’s Paralegal Studies Program and
is currently a 2L at the University of Toledo College of Law and says that “I chose
the paralegal program at Madonna because it offered direct career opportunities after
graduation while also allowing me to gain relevant experience and knowledge that would
help me if I later decided to pursue law school.
While completing my paralegal degree, I worked as an estate planning paralegal at
a solo attorney’s office. My role involved assisting the attorney with both legal
work and the day-to-day operations of the practice to help ensure matters were handled
efficiently and accurately. A large part of my responsibilities involved drafting
legal documents for clients, including wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and property
deeds, all tailored to the attorney’s instructions and each client’s individual needs.
I also prepared and filed legal documents such as property deeds with county clerks’
offices. After drafting documents, the attorney regularly reviewed my work with me,
discussed revisions, and talked through the reasoning behind specific drafting decisions
and legal language.
I was involved in many aspects of running the office, including answering phone calls,
responding to emails, processing incoming and outgoing mail, and communicating with
clients throughout their legal matters. I worked directly with clients by scheduling
and coordinating signing appointments, helping ensure legal documents were properly
reviewed, signed, and fully executed.”
"My work as a paralegal ultimately inspired me to attend law school. Madonna University’s Paralegal Program provided me with the practical foundation needed to succeed both in the workplace and in law school by developing my skills in legal research, writing, document preparation, and understanding the professional responsibilities involved in legal practice"
Upon graduation, I was working as a full-time paralegal. I have since moved into law firm administration at the Detroit office of Dykema, a large law firm which is one of the top 200 law firms in the country, where I manage the paralegal team.
The experience and education at Madonna is special because faculty care about each student. The class sizes are small and the faculty spend one-to-one time investing in each student. I also appreciate the spiritual feelings that come with attending Madonna. Having an ABA approved degree from Madonna has ensured that I have the option to work in either corporations, or in law firms, while remaining competitive in the market. Being a Madonna student comes with real life experience and top notch education. I found it most rewarding that I was prepared and able to jump right in and add substantive value in each of my possessional positions.
"I chose Madonna University because Madonna's reputation precedes it! Early on in my legal career, I worked closely with paralegals, also Madonna alums, who inspired me to pursue my degree(s) from Madonna."
My position reports directly to the judge. My primary responsibilities include a variety of secretarial and administrative activities to assist in the operation of a judge's chambers in a confidential and professional manner including: scheduling, processing and coordinating votes for motion docket, ensuring case files are complete, proofing opinions, preparing files for cases and motion dockets, and coordinating case call dates, court meetings and personal appointments for the judge. I also serve as initial contact in judge's chambers, answering inquires or directing callers to appropriate staff and other assigned tasks involved with daily operations.
Additionally, I assist the judge in preparing opinions by researching various legal issues and checking the lower court records to verify the facts.
"Madonna's Paralegal Program faculty and advisors take an active interest in making sure their students succeed. I was nervous about making a career change, but the support of the advisors made the challenge a success. Madonna was the perfect choice for me. It was close to home and had web based and evening courses that allowed me to earn my degree while working full time while raising a family. The intimate class size and individual attention is second to none. The challenging legal research and writing courses prepared me for my duties with the Michigan Court of Appeals. The variety of courses offered was also beneficial since we handle criminal, civil, and termination of parental right cases at the court. I began employment with knowledge of Westlaw and Lexis as well as the ability to use the law library we have on site. I was able to assist the judge and law clerk with research assignments with little direction upon gaining employment. Judge Riordan told me that he was interested in a Madonna graduate because he has had great experiences with them in the past. I do not believe I would have my career today without the knowledge and experience I gained at Madonna. The Paralegal Program has a great reputation within the legal community and I am proud to be a Madonna alumni."
The Post-Baccalaureate Nurse Paralegal Certificate provides nurses holding a BSN degree and significant clinical nursing experience, a chance to utilize their nursing knowledge and legal concepts to assist attorneys in litigation of cases where there has been an injury or death, as well as in areas of risk management, insurance and elder care.
J.D., University of Detroit Mercy School of Law
B.A., Michigan Sate University
734-432-5548
Room 2216
Dr. Mary Meinzinger Urisko, J.D., is a Professor and the Director of the Paralegal Studies Program. Dr. Meinzinger Urisko holds a B.A. Degree in Business Administration from Michigan State University, a J. D. from the University Of Detroit Mercy School Of Law and is a member of the State Bar of Michigan.
Dr. Meinzinger Urisko is co-author of The Paralegal Today 7th.ed, an introduction to law textbook for paralegals, published by Cengage. Her research focuses on changes in the law needed to keep the textbook current.
Additionally, Dr. Meinzinger Urisko has published articles in The Michigan Legal Assistant, Legal Assistant/Paralegal Today and Facts & Findings, as well as speaking at the annual Legal Assistants’ Day sponsored by the Michigan Bar Association Paralegal/Legal Assistants Section, LAAM's job fair, and the national American Association for Paralegal Studies annual conference.
Dr. Meinzinger Urisko is a recipient of the Michigan Bar Association Paralegal/Legal Assistant Section’s Mentor Award.
Ph.D., Arizona State University
B.S., Wayne State University
734-432-5776
Room 2414
Early in my career, I investigated the neural mechanisms of drug addiction, primarily through the use of lab rats. Following my time in the world of animal research, I decided to take a position as a Research Psychologist with the U.S. Army. I spent several years traveling across the country to many of our outstanding military installations and working with Soldiers suffering from some of the "invisible" wounds of war (i.e., posttraumatic stress disorder and/or traumatic brain injury).
I was also part of the longitudinal study in which we administered neurocognitive test batteries and drew blood for genetic/proteomic testing from hundreds of Soldiers prior to their first deployment with the hope that this information might better help us identify some key behavioral and neurochemical predispositions to developing combat-related psychological disorders.
I am currently Chair of Madonna's Institutional Review Board, and I am the Faculty Advisor for Psychology Club and Psi Chi (Psychology's Honors Society).
