Center for Advanced Legal Studies (CALS) is excited to announce that its paralegal programs are once again approved by the American Bar Association (ABA).
On February 12th, CALS received a letter from the ABA Standing Committee on Paralegals stating that the House of Delegates of the American Bar Association, acting on the recommendation of the Standing Committee on Paralegals, granted approval to the Paralegal Program at the Center for Advanced Legal Studies. The term of approval is for a period of seven years, beginning February 2026 and ending February 2033.
The ABA uses the term ‘Paralegal Program’ in reference to all CALS programs designed to lead to a career as a paralegal. This includes the Paralegal Certificate, the Associate of Applied Science Degree, and the new Bachelor of Arts in Law and Business degree. All of which are now ABA-Approved.
The ABA-Approval process is lengthy and complex, with candidate institutions required to submit detailed program reports, ensure compliance with all ABA guidelines, and host a site-visit team that conducts an intensive review of the institution. CALS hosted a successful ABA site visit on September 8-9, 2025, and has been looking forward to receiving official word from the ABA Standing Committee on Paralegals. We couldn’t be happier to once again be ABA-Approved.
Center for Advanced Legal Studies would like to congratulate its staff, faculty, Program Advisory Committee, and most importantly, its students and alumni on this achievement. Effective immediately, all future graduates of Center for Advanced Legal Studies will have ‘Approved by the American Bar Association’ included on their certificate or degree. CALS alumni will also benefit from the enhanced prestige and recognition ABA-Approval provides.
Center for Advanced Legal Studies’ paralegal programs first became ABA-Approved in 1998 and maintained approval status for nearly 15 years. In 2012, CALS requested voluntary removal from ABA approval to offer its paralegal programs 100% online. ABA guidelines at the time did not recognize synchronous online classroom technologies as being equivalent to time spent in a traditional classroom. In 2020, the ABA revised its guidelines to allow these technologies to be used in the place of a traditional classroom. For the complete history of Center for Advanced Legal Studies and its defining moments, please see the history below.
History
Houston branch received license to operate from Texas Education Agency
Accredited by the Commission of Occupational Education Institutions - Division of Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Authorized by Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Approved to train veterans
Accredited by the Commission of the Council on Occupational Education. COE becomes a freestanding accreditor.
Approved by the American Bar Association (ABA)
Approved to offer courses online. Hybrid program delivery commences
Requested voluntary withdrawal from the ABA after 15 years to provide its programs 100% online*
Only 19 of 265 eligible institutions were so honored.
Director
Eric received his Paralegal Certificate from Center for Advanced Legal Studies (CALS) in 1988 and worked as a paralegal in Houston, Texas, for six years. Eric returned to CALS in 1996 and has served in numerous roles. Eric helped migrate traditional paralegal classes and programs online and, more recently, developed the Bachelor of Arts: Law and Business program.
