If you already graduated from a paralegal or legal assistant degree program, the next accomplishment you can put on your resume is certification from NALA--National Association of Legal Assistants.
The CLA/CP designation can be earned by legal assistants who pass an examination, and complete 50 continuing education credits during the 5-year validity period.
Instructions
1. First, visit the website of NALA to learn about the benefits of obtaining their Certified Paralegal CP credential. If you achieve certification, you may call your self either a CP or CLA (Certified Legal Assistant) since the terms "paralegal" and "legal assistant" are equivalent.
2. Next, make sure you are eligible to take NALA's certification exam. You are eligible if
(a) you have completed a degree in paralegal studies from an approved program, OR
(b) you hold a bachelors degree in some field and have either 1 year of paralegal experience or equivalent coursework, OR
(c) you have a GED/HS Diploma and at least 7 years experience working for a member of the Bar as a legal assistant.
3. If you are eligible, the next step is to apply for one of the exam dates. The CLA/CP exam is administered only 3 times a year, but the application deadline is 2 months before the exam date.
4. Study for the CLA/CP exam. The exam is very comprehensive and covers 5 topics: ethics, research, analytical ability, communications, and substantive law. The different question types are true/false, mulitple choice, matching, and essay.
Purchase study guides and give yourself timed practice quizzes. Make a study schedule that you can stick to so that you can prepare adequately. If you often have test anxiety, make a full length examination out of your study materials and take a mock test under time constraints. This will improve your confidence on test day.
5. Review questions you answer incorrectly so that you understand why the right answers are right, and the wrong answers wrong.
6. If you pass the exam by scoring at least 70% on each section, you will have earned the CLA/CP Certification!
7. Your Paralegal Certification is valid for 5 years. To get it renewed, you must complete 50 hours of continuing education credits during the previous 5 years. Seminars, conferences, and even teaching paralegal classes may count toward those 50 hours.
Tags: Certified Paralegal, continuing education, continuing education credits, credits during, education credits