Paralegal Graduate Certificate Program - Online Format

Course Instructors

Alan Beckman - Essential Skills, Tort Law, Federal Civil Procedures and Contract Law Instructor – has extensive experience in law and teaching. He has served as a state prosecutor in Miami, Florida, working directly for former U.S. Attorney General, Janet Reno; he has served as an assistant state attorney; and he has owned a private practice in South Miami, practicing civil and criminal litigation as well as criminal defense and juvenile law. Mr. Beckman has also served as an assistant city attorney and assistant attorney general for the state of Colorado. He was appointed by the governor of Colorado to be a state trial judge and was also appointed by the attorney general of Nevada to be the solicitor general of the state of Nevada. Mr. Beckman has taught classes at the University of Denver, College of Law, and he is an adjunct professor with paralegal studies programs at University of Las Vegas, U.C. Davis, Duke University and the University of Tennessee. He has taught essential skills, tort law, contract law, criminal law, real property law and constitutional law for more than 15 years in both classroom and online formats. He has published paralegal textbooks in each of these subjects. Mr. Beckman holds a BAE from the University of Florida and a JD from the University of Memphis.

Laura Davidson Fowell - Essential Skills Instructor - is an attorney at Joe R. Davidson, P.C., where she represents clients in estate, probate, trust, wills, and general civil practice and litigation. Previously, she served as assistant district attorney and misdemeanor and felony prosecutor for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. Ms. Fowell is adjunct professor and varsity mock trial coach at South Texas College of Law. She is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the Houston Bar Association. Ms. Fowell holds a JD from South Texas College of Law and a BS in corporate communication studies from The University of Texas at Austin.

Andrew Lewis - Essential Skills Instructor - is a partner in Lewis and Lewis, PLLC. He has approximately 15 years of experience as an attorney and judge, practicing in the areas of litigation, contract law, estate planning and probate, business planning, arbitration and mediation. Previously, he served as a county judge in Cobb County, Georgia, as well as deputy director for the Supreme Court of Georgia, Office of Dispute Resolution. He has experience teaching professionals in government, corporate and university settings. Mr. Lewis is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the State Bar of Georgia. He is board certified in Estate Planning and Probate by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He holds a JD from Tulane University, an MBA from Emory University and a BA from Rice University.