Paralegal Studies graduate Kevin Stevens says he has always been interested in the legal profession. After earning his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in History from Wabash College in 2011, he spent two years teaching for Duval County Public Schools. Kevin felt the need for a career change and began considering other opportunities.

“I started looking at what FSCJ had to offer and the paralegal program stood out,” Kevin said. “Once I saw that FSCJ offered an associate degree in paralegal studies, it pretty much sealed the deal.” He credits Professors Nancy Sutton, Faith Litvack, Nick Martino and Paul McClester with helping him succeed in the program.

After enrolling in the College’s paralegal studies program in 2014, he became good friends with fellow student Sarah Franken. The following spring, Sarah, who worked at Constangy Brooks, Smith and Prophete, LLC, informed Kevin of a data clerk opening at the law firm.

“I was stunned and thankful that she thought of me,” said Kevin. “I never would have thought that this would be how I got my proverbial foot in the door.”

Kevin applied for the position and was hired. He expressed gratitude for his friend Sarah helping him to advance in his career. Upon his completion of the paralegal studies program in 2015, Kevin was promoted from part-time data clerk to his current role of full-time paralegal.

Kevin considers the program a good stepping stone for those wanting to pursue a career in law. For students interested in FSCJ’s A.S. in Paralegal Studies, he offers a few words of advice.

“Think of the legal world as just that: a world," he said. “It's vast and will have something of interest for you. It is an opportunity to see how everything works from a legal perspective.”

In the future, Kevin plans to work in the paralegal field for a few years before transitioning to law school to become an attorney. We are proud of Kevin’s success in the paralegal studies program and wish him continued success in his professional endeavors.