Paralegal Blog

One consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the loss of jobs. This has not been a welcome change. You may be seeking a way to manage your experience during this crisis. You may find yourself at home with not a lot to do.

Consider continuing your education. CALS has been very fortunate to help graduates enter the legal field in entry level positions with only a paralegal certificate, but that is likely to change. If you want to be competitive and engage in transactional work as a paralegal you will be required, at a minimum, to have an associate degree.

CALS remains committed to offering tips, advice, and learning recommendations so that our graduates and job seekers are better prepared to fulfill professional, academic, and personal goals and achieve career success. As a range of containment measures are implemented to mitigate the spread of coronavirus, consider how you can make the best use of your time. The following activities can help you gain valuable work skills to stand out in today's competitive job market.

Help Prevent the Spread of Illness

CALS is dedicated to the health and safety of our faculty, staff, and students.
Below are some recommended ways to limit your exposure and the spread of disease:

UPDATE: Due to the ongoing spread of COVID-19 and the recommendations regarding social gatherings, CALS is suspending all unnecessary meetings and interactions, this includes the Alumni Mixer on April 9th.

CALS will continue to monitor all updates related to COVID-19 and will advise on future developments. Rescheduling of the mixer will be announced as soon as possible.

Center for Advanced Legal Studies held its 65th Commencement Ceremony for graduates of its paralegal programs on Saturday, February 22, 2020 at South Texas College of Law. It was one of the best ever!

A total of 105 paralegal credentials were conferred. Paralegal Certificates were awarded to 90 graduates, and Associate of Applied Science Degrees were awarded to 15 graduates. Many graduates were able to attend in person, while those unable to attend were able to view the ceremony via the live stream. Congratulations graduates on your hard work, dedication, and accomplishment.

The commencement address was presented by David DeCasper, a Senior Paralegal at the firm Adame Garza, LLP in Houston, Texas where he manages the firm's Pre-Litigation Personal Injury Department. David is also a graduate of CALS. His address was insightful, inspiring, and witty. Thank you again David.

Additional comments and congratulations were provided by Academic Dean Thomas B. Swanson, J.D. The event was moderated by CALS' Director of Outreach and Career Services, Tami Riggs.