Paralegal Blog

On Saturday, August 24, 2024, at 10:00 AM Central, Center for Advanced Legal Studies (CALS) will hold its 74th Commencement Ceremony for graduates of its paralegal programs. Due to the large number of graduates who reside outside of the Houston area, this event will be presented via a virtual live stream to acknowledge the accomplishments of all graduates equally. As always CALS is committed to making this a special event for graduates, families, and friends.

A total of 110 paralegal credentials will be conferred. Paralegal Certificates will be awarded to 85 graduates, and Associate of Applied Science Degrees will be awarded to 25 graduates. Congratulations graduates on your hard work, dedication, and accomplishments.

The commencement address will be presented by Amy Rainwater, TBLS-BCP.

Amy Rainwater is a board-certified paralegal at Patterson-UTI Management Services, LLC’s corporate office where she assists with litigation, labor, and employment matters. She began her paralegal career in 1989 after graduating from Center for Advanced Legal Studies. In 2012, she obtained her paralegal certification in Civil Trial Law from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

Ms. Rainwater is dedicated to giving back to the legal profession. She is an active member of the Houston Metropolitan Paralegal Association (HMPA), where she has been a member since 1991. She has served on the HMPA Board of Directors in various roles and was elected as the president of HMPA from 2019 to 2020 and from 2023 to 2024. Ms. Rainwater continues to serve on the HMPA Board of Directors.

In addition, Ms. Rainwater is involved in the State Bar of Texas, Paralegal Division, where she has served as the Online CLE Chair and the District 10 Elections Subchair. She is also a member of NALA – The Paralegal Association.

The event will be moderated by CALS' Director of Outreach and Career Services, Tami Riggs, with contributions from members of CALS faculty and staff.

Please share the following links with your friends, families, and colleagues. The ceremony will be streamed on YouTube at 10:00 AM, and attendees can share their comments and photos on the Facebook event page located at https://www.facebook.com/events/485657777515049/

A printable event program is available for download at Graduation Program.

Last week marked 38 years that Center for Advanced Legal Studies (CALS) has supported, guided, and prepared students to become paralegals. For nearly four decades CALS has pushed its students to grow, believing every single one could find success, and providing them with the training to achieve it. The dedication and determination of many incredible people – our students and alumni – have made this continuous progress possible. They invested in their hopes, dreams, and career aspirations and believed that a paralegal education could transform their lives. And it did! CALS has instructed and inspired thousands of paralegals and has countless accomplished graduates. CALS has also benefited from the support of faculty, staff, and community partners. 

On February 23rd, 1987, the first group of 26 students (16 day students and 10 evening students) started classes on Richmond Avenue in Houston, Texas, beginning their study of law and embarking on a journey to become paralegals. Over the years, CALS has grown and transformed into a technologically savvy educational institution providing students with access to advanced learning technologies, tools, and resources.

On Saturday, February 17, 2024, at 10:00 AM Central, Center for Advanced Legal Studies (CALS) will hold its 73rd Commencement Ceremony for graduates of its paralegal programs. Due to the large number of graduates who reside outside of the Houston area, this event will be presented via a virtual live stream to better acknowledge the accomplishments of all graduates. As always, CALS is committed to making this a special event for graduates and their friends and families.

A total of 109 paralegal credentials will be conferred. Paralegal Certificates will be awarded to 100 graduates, and Associate of Applied Science Degrees will be awarded to 9 graduates. Congratulations graduates on your hard work, dedication, and accomplishments.

The commencement address will be presented by Claudia Helweg. Claudia graduated from CALS with her Paralegal Certificate in 2013 and entered the legal field as an intellectual property paralegal. In her most recent role with Kroll, LLC, Claudia supported an IP management system implementation project for a billion-dollar Fortune 500 tech giant. She is extremely passionate about spreading awareness of the IP profession and mentoring students who may be interested in this area of law.

The event will be moderated by CALS' Director of Outreach and Career Services, Tami Riggs, with contributions from members of CALS faculty and staff.

On Saturday, August 26, 2023, at 10:00 AM Central, Center for Advanced Legal Studies (CALS) will hold its 72nd Commencement Ceremony for graduates of its paralegal programs. Due to the large number of graduates who reside outside of the Houston area, this event will be presented via a virtual live stream to better acknowledge the accomplishments of all graduates. As always, CALS is committed to making this a special event for graduates and their friends and families.

A total of 101 paralegal credentials will be conferred. Paralegal Certificates will be awarded to 77 graduates, and Associate of Applied Science Degrees will be awarded to 24 graduates. Congratulations graduates on your hard work, dedication, and accomplishments.

The commencement address will be presented by Mischa Montgomery, Esq. Ms. Montgomery graduated from CALS with her AAS Degree in 2006, worked as a paralegal in areas such as family law, business, and commercial litigation, and continued her education at Thurgood Marshall School of Law. Mischa became an attorney in 2019. We are delighted Ms. Montgomery has agreed to provide the commencement address to our most recent graduating class.

The event will be moderated by CALS' Director of Outreach and Career Services, Tami Riggs, with contributions from members of CALS faculty and staff.