Paralegal Blog

Classes have resumed, but some students are finding it difficult to return to normal class activities due to Hurricane Harvey and its aftermath. To address this issue and provide some relief for these students, CALS has modified its policy on late work as follows:

Due to Hurricane Harvey, Center for Advanced Legal Studies has cancelled all classes scheduled for the week of August 28th. Live classes will resume September 5th.

We are excited to announce that the Graduation Ceremony scheduled for August 19, 2017 will be streamed live on YouTube . The live stream will begin at 10:30AM featuring a presentation recognizing all graduates and including comments by many. The graduation ceremony will begin promptly at 11:00AM.

Note: Please visit https://youtu.be/Fc-n9vjjBLg for an edited recording of the full graduation ceremony.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." -Margaret Mead

One measure of success is the ability to do meaningful work with a lasting impact. A paralegal career gives countless opportunities to make a difference in the lives of many people. The role of the paralegal in the legal field often directly intersects with individual lives, local communities, and even the future direction of the law.

When we think of paralegals who changed the world, most people are familiar with the work of Erin Brockovich in spearing the effort to help those affected by contaminated water, or the whistleblowing activities of Merrell Williams in bringing down the deceptive practices of the Tobacco industry. Yet, the day to day work of countless, unsung heroes is a common theme in the paralegal profession.

When I was laid off from the oil business for the second time in my 15-year career, I was in shock. I couldn’t believe I was out of work again. Ups and downs are normal for the energy sector, and Texans are used to it. But the 2014 oil bust in Houston was particularly harsh for me. What was supposed to last a year at most would never come back, at least not like it used to be in the boom days.

By 2015, I had nothing in savings and I needed to work. Because I was a contractor who worked on a project basis, the 2014 down cycle was harder on me because I was not eligible for a severance nor unemployment benefits. Losing my career was not only financially devastating, but emotionally devastating as well. Most of my adult life I had a title and a hefty paycheck, and my identity was tied up in my career. I lost my identity when I lost my job, and I had no choice but to start over. If I wanted to have a better life long term, I had to find a career that was stable and offered more security.