Taylor Porter Managing Partner Skip Philips served as guest speaker at the 2016 LSU Paralegal Studies Program graduation ceremony, held on Thursday, May 19, at the Lod Cook Conference Center to recognize those who completed the 2016 LSU Paralegal Studies Program.

The LSU Paralegal Studies Program began in 1982 and is a college-level, noncredit program for non-traditional students leading to a Certificate of Paralegal Studies. The program obtained approval by the American Bar Association in August 1993 and is the only ABA-approved, non-credit certificate of paralegal studies in Louisiana.

“The guidance and/or training the students received throughout the LSU Paralegal Studies Program will prove invaluable in their work as legal professionals post-graduation,” said Andrea Ash, program manager for LSU Continuing Education. “I am confident that our students are prepared for success in the workplace.”

All courses for the LSU Paralegal Studies Program are held in Baton Rouge, most of them on the LSU campus. Participants complete eight academic courses, a 150-hour internship, a court day and a one-day legal ethics seminar in order to receive the certificate of completion. The program can be completed in one year as a full-time student or take up to two and a half years as a part-time student. Most classes are held in the evening, and assistance with job placement is provided. The majority of students in the LSU Paralegal Studies Program have already earned a bachelor’s degree, and it is recommended that students complete their bachelor’s degree before earning a paralegal certificate. However, students are considered for admission without a bachelor’s degree if they meet certain requirements.