BARBRI, a Portfolio Company of Leeds Equity Partners, Completes Acquisition of The Center for Legal Studies

BARBRI expands into paralegal and legal support training and broadens online program management offerings for university partners

News provided by

Leeds Equity Partners

Jun 13, 2019, 15:00 ET

NEW YORK, June 13, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- BARBRI, Inc., a Leeds Equity Partners, LLC portfolio company, today announced the acquisition of The Center for Legal Studies ("CLS"), the leading provider of online programs and training courses for paralegals and other legal support professionals. Founded in 1980, CLS has trained over 75,000 paralegal and legal support professionals through online and live legal studies courses delivered in partnership with 182 colleges and universities. CLS represents the seventh acquisition since Leeds Equity's investment for BARBRI, the premier provider of practical legal education in the U.S. and international markets. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

"We are excited to welcome The Center for Legal Studies to BARBRI," said Stephen Fredette, CEO of BARBRI. "The Center for Legal Studies suite of curriculum and training solutions will enable us to develop deeper relationships with our university partners and ensure that legal support professionals can be productive day one on the job."

Gary Knippa, President of the Center for Legal Studies, said "BARBRI is a trusted partner to colleges and universities, and has a reputation for delivering quality learning experiences that drive career changing outcomes. I could not be more thrilled that CLS is now part of BARBRI."

Jacques Galante, Partner at Leeds Equity Partners, said "The acquisition of The Center for Legal Studies represents a further step in BARBRI's strategy to broaden its legal education product offering and extend its online program management partnering capabilities with colleges and universities. BARBRI's deep and broad product suite uniquely enables it to address the needs of law students, law schools, practicing legal and legal support professionals and law firms."

"The Center for Legal Studies enhances BARBRI's position as the best in class provider of learning for legal professionals," added Eric Geveda, Managing Director at Leeds Equity Partners. "We look forward to the continued success of The Center for Legal Studies as part of BARBRI."

Polsinelli served as legal counsel to BARBRI. Capstone served as financial advisor and Kaplan & Associates served as legal counsel to CLS.

About BARBRI:

BARBRI is the premier provider of practical legal education in the U.S. and international markets. Through its diversified product offering, BARBRI addresses the education and training needs of law students, law schools, practicing legal and legal support professionals and law firms. BARBRI's comprehensive solution offering spans the entire legal education lifecycle. BARBRI offers the "Gold Standard" in Bar Review with universal brand recognition and leading market position, highly effective preparation programs for incoming law school students, leading curriculum and online courses for colleges, universities and law schools, a suite of professional development tools for practicing legal and legal support professionals and content and education programs for international students and institutions. Founded in 1967, BARBRI is headquartered in Dallas with offices throughout the United States and around the world.

For additional information on BARBRI, see

https://www.barbri.com/

About The Center for Legal Studies:

CLS, founded in 1980, is the leading educator of paralegals in the U.S., offering online and live legal studies courses in partnership with 182 colleges and universities. CLS's portfolio offers both certificate courses and continuing education courses, including among others, a Paralegal Certificate, Advance Paralegal Certificate, Employment Law Certificate, Legal Investigation Certificate, Legal Secretary Certificate, Victim Advocacy Certificate and Alternative Dispute Resolution Certificate.

For additional information on CLS, see

https://www.legalstudies.com/

About Leeds Equity Partners:

Leeds Equity Partners, LLC, is a New York-based private equity firm focused exclusively on investing in the education, training and information services industries (the "Knowledge Industries"). Since 1993, Leeds Equity has provided more than $2.6 billion of private equity capital to a broad spectrum of companies across the Knowledge Industries. Leeds Equity seeks to leverage its sector-focused expertise and market insights to create long term value for its portfolio companies.

For additional information on Leeds Equity Partners, see

http://www.leedsequity.com/

For More Information:
Jeffrey T. Leeds
Tel. 212-835-2000
Fax: 212-835-2020
www.leedsequity.com

SOURCE Leeds Equity Partners