Are All Of The Paralegal Certificates Justifiable And Will They Really Benefit Career Progression?
Individuals looking to enter the legal industry often ask if all paralegal certificates are legitimate and the reply often surprises them. One may study to acquire a certificate online simply to find that you have wasted your effort. In case you are interested in obtaining a long and lasting career as a legal assistant, as paralegals are usually known, it is best to pass one of the recognized paralegal certifications. These are those offered from the following organizations:
National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA):
This establishment has about 25000 affiliates and includes the CLA/CP exam. You should meet specific academic and work experience criteria. You may find out more about these requirements on the NALA website. The exam itself is quite rigorous and most individuals will take their time studying to make sure they are properly prepared. For anyone who is ready to sit this certification test, the assessment itself will take two days. The topic covered include an introduction to legal documentation, ethics, an introduction to law and others. You have the choice of picking four specific areas of law from a selection of nine. For example some people want to develop into 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. Some believe that qualified paralegal sounds better but it is up to you.
If you wish to continue your studies after you pass the initial certification, you can sit advanced lessons offered by NALA.
National Federation of Paralegal Association (NFPA)
This is the other major player in the field of paralegal certification and is particularly relevant for people who have worked in a legal assistant role for many years but for regardless of what reason didn't sit their certification exams. Once you pass a four hour examination you can call yourself a Registered Paralegal (RP). Besides being a shorter exam, the PACE exam is also accessible virtually all year round as it is a computer based examination.
The above are the two best known but you may wish to investigate what certifications are obtainable locally. Some students do not want to get into the politics associated with the above associations. Also they are costly to join and can be quite time consuming as you are forced to attend lectures and might have to work pro bono for a specified numbers of hours per year.
The benefits associated with joining a local legal association can be huge as they provide you the possibility to meet with other people in the legal profession. These personal contacts could help you obtain a new place as will achieving your paralegal certificate.
Paralegal Training Programs
A paralegal is a member of the legal profession who by nature of their qualifications and experience help an attorney to look after their clients. They are also called legal assistants but should not be confused with legal secretaries who perform different tasks.
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In a competitive job market you need to stand out from the crowd when applying for your dream paralegal job. An attractive resume written clearly and properly will help but the winning formula is to provide your future employer with a number of reasons why they should employ you.
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