When paralegal Emily Terpening took her first client, she was nervous.

She was afraid she'd mess up. She had no legal experience. And she was just a student.

A paralegal student at Casper College, Terpening must take four clients through the college's Legal Services program before she can graduate. The program assigns clients to attorneys who agree to do pro bono work. Students perform paralegal duties under the supervision of the attorney, Legal Services' attorney Craig Silva and instructor Mary Kubichek.

The program takes simple cases such as wills and uncontested divorces. Clients do not need to have financial need but must have a connection, personally or through family, to the college. Paralegal students conduct the initial interviews. If the client's needs are beyond the program, he or she is referred to one or more attorneys who might able to take the client.

Legal Services matches the client with an attorney, who meets with the client and, if he or she accepts the case, assigns work to the paralegal student. The work is checked and tweaked by the attorney and graded by Kubichek.

"We don't do criminal work, and we don't do anything that has to be done tomorrow," said Kubichek, an attorney who maintains her license in Nebraska. "We're saving the world one name change and divorce at a time."

The program is the only paralegal-based program that offers a real product in the country and has been recognized by several national organizations. The program was recognized as an Exemplary Initiative by the National Council of Instructional Administrators. Kubichek and Silva received the Pro Bono Award from the Wyoming State Bar Association in September. The program was also nominated for the Bellwether Award, a national competition that recognizes outstanding and innovative programs at community colleges.

Honors aside, Kubichek said she's extremely proud of the program and the students. About 30 to 40 clients use the services each year. The entire program, including office supplies and malpractice insurance, operates on a $5,000 budget from the college.

Everyone wins, according to Kubichek: the lawyers fulfill their pro bono requirement, clients get legal help for less, and students learn more than can be taught with books and case simulations, such as how to work with different types of attorneys and clients.

"We're still students and we're learning," Terpening said. "But if you need stuff done we're the right place to come to."

Reach education reporter Jackie Borchardt at (307) 266-0593 or at jackie.borchardt@trib.com. Read her education blog at tribtown.trib.com/reportcard