Get to know NHCC's Paralegal instructors.
Mary Fenske
Bio
Hello! Welcome to my bio. I've taught in the Paralegal Program at North Hennepin Community College since 2007 and was the Paralegal Program Director from January 2011 until July 2024. In addition, I was a Trial Skills Professor at Mitchell Hamline School of Law from 2000 until 2024. Prior to entering the teaching field, I worked in private practice in the Washington, D.C. area as a trial attorney in the areas of insurance defense, medical malpractice, and general business litigation. I also worked in-house for Travelers Insurance Company in St. Paul upon returning to Minnesota from the east coast.
I strongly believe in helping students build a professional network, teaching practical skills, and getting students jobs that will enable them to serve their clients and community with confidence and compassion. Over the years, I've built community partnerships with Target Corporation, Cargill, the courts, law firms, and non-profits to enhance the formal paralegal education that students receive in our program. I also work extensively with the Minnesota Department of Corrections, U.S. Department of Education, and All Square/The Legal Revolution to continuously enhance our incarcerated paralegal student program in Minnesota correctional facilities.
Courses taught at NHCC:
- PLEG 2211 - Legal Research and Writing I
- PLEG 2212 - Legal Research and Writing II
- PLEG 2430 - Torts & Personal Injury Law
- BUS 1300 - Legal Environment of Business (summer & fall)
- HSEM 1000 - Honors Seminar
My teaching style
I use a combination of lecture, in-class group work, in-class assignments, class discussion, and homework. I can be tough. I push my students hard because I understand the demands that a paralegal will face in the legal profession. The hard work you put in while taking my classes will pay off when you begin your first job as a paralegal.
I keep a watchful eye. If you’re a student in my class and I notice you’re having some difficulty, I offer help. I might send an email or I’ll ask you to set up an appointment, so we can talk. I also use the NHCC Alert System that enables advisors to check in with you if you’re having trouble. They’re very nice. We’re all here to help you succeed.
I also encourage my students to utilize the on-campus tutors. It’s a free service available to all students. There is no stigma attached to making an appointment. Tutors are available to make sure you get the most out of your educational experience.
Carrie Vaia
Bio
Carrie Vaia has taught at North Hennepin Community College since 2006. When students enter the Paralegal Program, they are required to take Introduction to Law and Paralegal Studies, which is taught by Carrie. Carrie is known as the “gatekeeper” because she is the first instructor you will have when you enter the Paralegal Program. If you take a course from Carrie, your success will be her highest priority.
Carrie serves as the advisor for the Paralegal Student Association (PLSA) and has been part of search committees, and has served on the college’s ITAC Committee. She is a member of the Minnesota State Bar Association, the Minnesota Community College Faculty Association, and is a practicing licensed attorney in the state of Minnesot
Courses taught at NHCC:
- Intro to Law and Paralegal Studies
- Property
- Wills, Trusts, and Estate Administration
- Contracts and Business Organizations
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Employment Search
- Legal Environment of Business
- Legal Aspects of Construction
Teaching Style
If you take a class from Carrie, you’ll be participating in a teaching style called active learning. Through lecture, demonstration, practice, and participation we’ll learn the material together. Students may work on their own, together in pairs, or small groups on assignments.
Carrie gives students many different opportunities to succeed and acquire a good grade. For example, if a student doesn’t do well on tests, they still have the chance to compensate for that in another area by successfully completing several assignments.
Shawn Woodbury
Bio
Shawn Woodbury has taught at North Hennepin Community College since 2002 as an adjunct faculty member in the Paralegal and Business departments. Professor Woodbury brought the Legal Environment of Business course to the online format and developed the Intellectual Property course at NHCC.
Courses taught at NHCC:
- Computer Applications in the Legal Profession
- Criminal Law
- Family Law
- Intellectual Property
- Legal Environment of Business
- Litigation I & II
Kate Lovo
Bio
Katharine (Kate) Lovo joined North Hennepin’s Paralegal Program in 2020 to develop and teach the new elective course of Immigration Law. She now serves as Program Director and teaches the Legal Research and Writing series, Immigration Law, and the program’s capstone course, Legal Studies Seminar/Internship.
As program director, she is responsible for managing the program's ABA approval, collaborating with Target Corporation and other legal community partners on career development events for students, chairing the Paralegal Advisory Committee, and ensuring students receive orientation to the program offerings and timely communication of department information. She serves as the program liaison with Minnesota Department of Corrections, the American Bar Association, and All Square-Minneapolis for NHCC's Department of Corrections Paralegal Certificate for incarcerated students. Kate is currently the faculty advisor for the Paralegal Student Association (PLSA) and is a member of the Minnesota Paralegal Association and the American Association for Paralegal Education.
As an attorney in Minneapolis, Kate practiced U.S. immigration law, handling a wide range of family and employment-based cases, humanitarian relief such as asylum, applications for U.S. citizenship, and workplace compliance. She also appeared before the Executive Office for Immigration Review ("immigration court") defending clients against deportation.
Kate has been an active member of the local immigration legal community, including serving as the American Immigration Lawyer Association (AILA)’s chapter liaison to U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services' Minneapolis field office; presenting immigration topics at Continuing Legal Education conferences; and representing clients pro bono in immigration matters through the Volunteer Lawyers Network. Prior to law school, Kate worked as a paralegal with a Minneapolis immigration firm.
Courses taught at NHCC:
- Immigration Law
- Legal Environment of Business