A unique partnership in paralegal education is taking place between the Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) and North Hennepin Community College. Earlier this year, the first incarcerated graduates of the program received their certificates.

North Hennepin Community College’s Paralegal Program is an American Bar Association (ABA)-approved paralegal program and the partnership with the Minnesota DOC is the first ABA-approved paralegal program to provide education to incarcerated students in the United States. 

“ABA approval is considered the gold standard for paralegal programs across the country. It will greatly aid the incarcerated students when they are released to obtain good paying paralegal jobs,” Dr. Kristen O’Connell, the education director at Minnesota Correctional Facility (MCF)-Shakopee.

The DOC worked closely with Mary Fenske who runs the paralegal program at North Hennepin Community College and Maya Johnson from The Legal Revolution Law firm to implement the program. Beyond class lectures, the incarcerated students in this program are able to participate in a paralegal internship with the Legal Revolution Law Firm – including working on expungement cases.

The paralegal certificate program started in the DOC in September of 2021, with five graduates completing the program this year. Three of those graduates were at MCF-Shakopee and two were at MCF-Stillwater.

One of those graduates is Heather Horst, who said “I don’t want to be part of the problem, I want to be part of the solution.” She wants to give back to society. As part of those efforts, Heather signs up for every education opportunity that’s available since she has been incarcerated. “I highly value education … I feel like I’ve made the most of my time here, and the paralegal program has been a part of that. I’ve done my best to honor the opportunities we have here,” Heather said.

Heather is a tutor at Shakopee and describes herself as a leader and said she “really believes in the value of education.” She wanted to be part of the paralegal program to learn about the legal system and so “other people would follow in my footsteps.”

During her time at MCF-Shakopee, she has earned an Associate of Arts Degree from Inver Hills Community College. “There’s constant opportunity for education here,” she said.

“I’m unbelievable grateful for what this program has done for us, not just for me intellectually but even for my self-esteem and being able to know I’m part of something that is bigger than myself and being able to give back to a community is really important, it’s an opportunity of a lifetime,” said Heather.

In assisting working on several expungement cases, Heather said “Being able to help give someone a second chance is profound.” She added that she really feels like a better person and has had the ability to make a difference while helping others.

Not only did Heather receive her certificate during a ceremony at MCF-Shakopee in May, but she was able to do it with her family present, with her describing it as “unbelievably impactful for me…. I was able to show them that I’m doing what I can in here and that I’m grateful.” She said some of the lawyers who attended the graduation ceremony told her family “Your daughter is making a difference.”

A new cohort of nine students at MCF-Shakopee started the program in August.

“We are proud of every single one of our students who participates in any of our education programs,” said Kristen. “Each graduate helps to pave the way for the next. We are very fortunate at Shakopee that we have a team of individuals working hard to acquire, and maintain, an educational portfolio of groundbreaking programs.”