Why Should a Paralegal Become Certified?
Since the first paralegal certification debuted, paralegals have asked why they should become certified. Four different professional associations have established national, voluntary programs for the certification of paralegals. They are the National Association of Legal Assistants, Inc. (NALA), the National Federation of Paralegal Associations, Inc. (NFPA), NALS, the association for legal professionals (formerly the National Association of Legal Secretaries), and the American Alliance of Paralegals, Inc. (AAPI). There are also state-specific paralegal certifications, but this article will focus on national certifications.
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History
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The first paralegal certification, now known as the Certified Legal Assistant/Certified Paralegal (CLA/CP) program, was established by NALA in 1976. NFPA followed with the Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam (PACE) Registered Paralegal (RP) program in 1996. NALS established the Professional Paralegal (PP) program in 2004. Finally, AAPI introduced the American Alliance Certified Paralegal (AACP) program in 2005. The AACP is the only certification that does require an examination; it is based solely on education and experience criteria. The others have education and experience criteria in addition to an examination.
Certification Details
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Eligibility (education and/or experience), cost, testing dates and locations, retest policies, testing time, test composition, certification renewal, continuing legal education requirements and renewal cost all vary widely and are subject to change. Please use the resource links provided below for current information.
Stand Out in the Crowd
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Competition is fierce for jobs, promotions, raises and leadership positions in professional associations.
"Think about it, two paralegals standing side by side with the same certificate from the same school and the same amount of experience," says Vicki Voisin, ACP. "How can one be distinguished from the other? The answer is certification. The certified paralegal demonstrates that he or she is a multi-skilled professional with diverse knowledge and effective communication skills."
Demonstrated Commitment to Profession
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Choosing to become voluntarily certified shows a paralegal's commitment to the profession, and serves as added incentive to participate in continuing legal education.
"These programs affirm the knowledge, skills, and expertise to perform at a high professional level," says Debra J. Monke, ACP. "Paralegal certification also speaks volumes about individual dedication and commitment to stay abreast of developments in the legal field."
High Ethical Standards
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Paralegal certification takes the professional ethics learned in a paralegal education program to a higher level, and keeps it there through a paralegal's career. Each exam-based certification has an ethics section or has ethics interwoven with other sections. Required continuing legal education for each certification includes a specific minimum number of hours in ethics. Each sponsoring association has a code of ethics and professional responsibility, violation of which may lead to revocation of the certification credential earned.
Sense of Accomplishment, Pride, Confidence
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Last but not least, the personal pride and professional confidence instilled by achieving a professional certification cannot be overlooked.
"Ask anyone who has a credential and they will tell you that the achievement made them walk a little taller, made them feel stronger professionally, gave them incredible personal satisfaction and increased their level of professional confidence," says Voisin. "They set a goal and they achieved it. They took a risk and they survived it. They have the credibility that the credential provides. They literally stand out above the crowd. Their accomplishment gave them great pride."
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