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Are All Of The Paralegal Certificates Valid And Will They Benefit Career Progression?
People looking to enter the legal field often question if all paralegal certificates are acceptable and the answer usually shocks these people. One may study for a certificate online and then realize that you have wasted your time and efforts. If you are seriously interested in having a long and lasting job as a legal assistant, as paralegals are usually known, you should pass one of the recognized paralegal certifications. These are generally those offered from the following organizations:
National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA):
This establishment has about 25000 members and provides the CLA/CP exam. You have to meet particular academic and work experience criteria. You can find out more about these requirements on the NALA website. The exam itself is quite rigorous and most individuals will take their time researching to make sure they are properly prepared. When you find yourself ready to sit this certification test, the exam itself will take two days. The topic covered include an introduction to legal documentation, ethics, an introduction to law etc. You have the choice of selecting four specific areas of law from a selection of nine. For example some people want to become a bankruptcy paralegal so they would choose to study bankruptcy law. Once you have passed your NALA paralegal certification you can call yourself both a certified legal assistant or certified paralegal. A few believe that accredited paralegal sounds better but it is up to you.
If you want to continue your studies after you pass the initial certification, you can sit advanced modules offered by NALA.
National Federation of Paralegal Association (NFPA)
This is certainly the other major player in the field of paralegal certification and is particularly relevant for those who have worked in a legal assistant role for many years but for regardless of what reason didn't sit their certification tests. Once you pass a four hour assessment you can call yourself a Registered Paralegal (RP). In addition to being a shorter exam, the PACE exam is also accessible virtually all year round as it is a computer based test.
The above might possibly be the two best known but you may wish to investigate what certifications are available locally. Some students do not want to get into the politics associated with the above associations. These are also costly to join and can be really time consuming as you are required to attend lectures and may have to work pro bono for a specific numbers of hours per year.
The benefits of joining a local legal association is generally huge as they provide you the chance to meet with other people in the legal profession. These links could assist you acquire a new position as will achieving your paralegal certificate.
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