Center For Advanced Legal Studies

Get a paralegal career education

Ever since The Center opened in 1987, it has been dedicated to teaching paralegals. Because of our respected faculty and the high quality of our graduates, the Center is well regarded by Houston' s legal community as a leader in the field of paralegal education.

As a leader, will now also offer our paralegal programs as a traditional in-house curriculum. Our pro-active and forward thinking characteristics are proven by the fact that we' ve made our classes more flexible without lessening the preparedness of our paralegals.

Look through our website at your leisure. The program will fit your demands and meet your scheduling needs and the content will be useful in your career as a paralegal.

The Center is well know for offering practical and comprehensive courses to those interested in entering the paralegal profession. We incorporate the recommendations from our Advisory Committee, local attorneys, practicing paralegals and educators in order to establish the highest standards in our educational institutions.

The degree requirements recommended for entering the paralegal profession are ensured for our graduates with both the Paralegal Certificate program and the AAS Degree program. Students with a Paralegal Certificate and have a bachelor' s degree before they enter the Center, as opposed to the AAS Degree students that earn their degree when they graduate.

The Paralegal Certificate program for college graduates is specifically designed to offer education in the most demanded areas of the law.

The AAS Degree in Paralegal Studies will provide you with comprehensive training in every area addressed by the Paralegal Certificate program, including many areas of specialty law, including Immigration, Criminal, and Wills, Trusts, and Probate. In addition, the degree program requires students to complete general education and computer classes.

Prior to entering into the Center students have already obtained their bachelor's degree; these students are prepared for the paralegal certificate program, which is specific to their needs in career placement and focuses on the more desired and wanted positions by employers in those law areas. The most important paralegal courses are covered as well.

In order to obtain the Certificate, the student will have to attend the course for at least 7 months, full- time during the morning hours or 10 months, part-time in the evening.

You will need 30 semester credit hours to earn your paralegal certificate.

• Courses included in the Paralegal Certificate Program
• Introduction to Law & Ethics
• Interviewing and Investigation
• Legal Research and Writing
• Civil Procedure
• Personal Injury
• Computers and the Law
• Corporate and Business Law
• Family Law
• Real Estate
• Intellectual Property

The Associate of Applied Science Degree Paralegal Program prepares people desiring to become paralegals. You must have a high school diploma or its equivalent to begin this program.

Paralegal/Legal Secretary: This program is designed to provide the student with the training and hands-on skills to become a Paralegal/Legal Secretary.

By studying a full time, a student could complete their degree in 15 months or in 19 months if they attend only part time evenings.

The program consists of a total of 62 college semester credit hours.

The AAS Degree Program includes the following courses:

• Introduction to Law & Ethics
• Criminal Law
• Interviewing and Investigation
• English Composition I
• Legal Research and Writing
• American Government I
• Computers and the Law
• Corporate and Business Law
• Family Law
• Introduction to Speech
• Communication
• General Psychology
• Civil Procedure
• Wills
• Trusts and Probate
• English Composition II
• Personal Injury
• Externship
• Real Estate
• Anatomy and Physiology I
• Immigration Law
• Intellectual Property
• Business Math