In a conversation that covered his almost 30-year tenure with Phoenix College's Paralegal program, Scott Hauert, director of the program since 2000, said he started as an adjunct faculty in the program in 1996. "I was finishing my clerkship at the state Supreme Court after finishing law school and working as a prosecutor at the Maricopa County Attorney's Office. The only other person on the floor who liked Mexican food was Judicial Assistant Mary Lou Pancy, so we'd go to lunch together. She taught in the legal secretary program and was a great mentor." Indeed, Pancy gave Hauert his first teaching gig, a class on traffic law for court employees. But then she suggested he send his resume to Phoenix College. Hauert accepted an adjunct position teaching legal research, which he taught in a chemistry lab, but he soon taught legal writing, as well as computer classes for what was then the Applied Business Department. He became a full-time faculty member in the fall of 1998.
The department chair at the time of Hauert's hire was Linda Edwards, who started the Paralegal program in 1974. This academic year marks the 50th anniversary of the program. In a recent Maricopa Lawyer article, adjunct faculty and paralegal Sybil Taylor Aytch writes, "Edwards saw the potential for paralegals in the profession and the role Phoenix College could play in developing educational standards." Edlyn Soderman and the late Cecilia Esquer joined the faculty in the mid-80s and helped guide the program through its initial American Bar Association (ABA) approval in 1989. According to Aytch, who was hired as a substitute instructor in 1999 and adjunct faculty in 2001, Phoenix College's program "is the largest and longest continuously-operating paralegal program in Arizona and remains an exemplary standard in paralegal education."
Except for Hauert's full-time faculty position, the entire program is taught by adjunct faculty who are experienced lawyers and paralegals working in the field, many of whom have been teaching in the program for over 20 years. Aytch writes that Hauert is the "heart and soul" of the program. "Scott is steadfast in his support of all faculty members," she said and has been able to adapt to the changing needs of students and the industry. The program is supported by the local legal community including the law firms, government agencies, private businesses and the courts. “They provide feedback on how graduates of the program are meeting the employment needs of the legal community,“ Hauert said.
According to Hauert, the program has remained sustainable for 50 years because the profession has become normalized, and there's a demand in the market for the work. Paralegals assist attorneys by performing various tasks, including meeting with clients, drafting documents, and conducting investigations, but they cannot give legal advice or appear in court.
Enrollment in the program has fluctuated with the times. Hauert recalls looking at course listings from the 1970s when the program was the only one of its kind. "We sometimes had 40 to 50 sections and 800 to 900 headcount. It was gigantic," he said. And then it tapered off. The program typically serves 250 - 300 students but saw a spike after the Great Recession of 2007 to 2009, which led to a significant enrollment increase as people sought education to improve their job prospects. The program returned to normal enrollment levels and then shifted to online classes during the pandemic. Hauert spent his 2020 spring break building the online format in anticipation of the pandemic shutdown. With the online format students can access the program from across Arizona.
Phoenix College celebrates this milestone with all the staff, faculty, advisory volunteers, and members of the legal community who have contributed to the Paralegal Studies program's success. Here's to another 50 years!
If you'd like to build your career in the legal profession, consider a Paralegal Studies Certificate or Associate Degree with a university transfer option.