Paralegal Certification Guidelines | CLS by BARBRI

Road to the Legal Profession: A Short Guide to Paralegal Certification

For many, professional certification is defined as a voluntary process wherein an authorized organization recognizes an individual as a professional after validating that they have met the fixed and standardized criteria. It’s technically time-limited, which is why ongoing fulfillment of requirements is still necessary.

The National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) Certifying Board for Paralegals is a group of professionals responsible for administering the Certified Paralegal (CP) program. They are composed of paralegals (with Advanced Paralegal Certification designation), lawyers, and paralegal educators.

This Certified Paralegal program offers legal assistants with a nationwide credential. It establishes the professional standards for paralegals and serves as a means of determining who have reached these standards. Through this program, the profession continues to develop and become more competitive.

Basic Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the CP examination, you must be at least:

• a graduate of a legal assistant program that is ABA-approved; or an associate degree program; or a post-baccalaureate legal assistant studies certificate program; or a bachelor’s degree in legal assistant studies program
• a graduate of any bachelor’s degree with one year of experience as a paralegal
• a high school graduate with seven years of experience as a paralegal under the supervision of a legal professional, including documentation of continuous legal education

The CP program is a two-day all-inclusive examination tackling federal law and procedures. To keep the tests reflective and responsive to the workplace realities and demands, the NALA Board consistently analyzes the examination design, questions, and topics or subjects and makes changes if necessary.

Advantages of this Certification

More or less than 50 legal assistant organizations and several bar associations recognize the CP credential. It assures them that the individuals using this certification are credible and dependable enough for utilization on the field. This marks a high level of professional achievement, as the ABA recognizes.

While securing certification remains voluntary, it’s essential to be competitive in the industry. With more individuals pursuing a paralegal career, it may be relatively apparent to acquire this credential.

The legal profession is considered a prominent industry, thus it needs professional certification to filter out competitive personnel. As every employer, firm, and the field honor this requirement, it’s evident for hopeful paralegals to secure one. Here at CLS by BARBRI, we offer Paralegal Certificate Course in a variety of suitable formats. Contact us now and get started on your journey as a paralegal.