How Do I Become a Registered Paralegal in Florida?

A paralegal works closely with lawyers, but cannot practice law or give advice on legal matters.

To work as a paralegal, you're not required to be registered, but it shows a level of commitment to the profession that employers look for and reward. In Florida, registering as a paralegal requires some attention to detail. To maintain your registered status, you must continue to attend classes at accredited institutions.

Instructions

1. Meet the educational and work experience requirements set forth by the Florida Bar Association. You can do this in one of several ways. You can obtain a bachelor's degree in paralegal studies as part of an approved program. With this option, you must also work for at least one year as a paralegal to be registered. If you obtain an associate's degree in paralegal studies, you must work for at least two years as a paralegal to be registered.

   You can also obtain either an associate's or a bachelor's degree of any type from an accredited college or university. To be registered, you must either work for four years as a paralegal if you have an associate's degree, or three years if you have a bachelor's degree.

   Your final educational option is to obtain a juris doctor degree from an American Bar Association-accredited school. With that and at least one year of work experience as a paralegal, you can be registered.

2. Pass a certification exam given by professional associations. The Florida Bar Association recognizes passing scores on either the PACE (Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam) or the CLA/CP (Certified Legal Assistant/Certified Paralegal examination) exam. The PACE exam is given by the National Federation of Paralegal Associations and the CLA/CP exam is given by the National Association of Legal Assistants. For each exam, you must have a passing score and you must be a member in good standing of the organization that offered the exam.

3. Obtain and complete the application packet for registration as a paralegal. Download the application packet from the Florida Bar Association website. Mail the completed application with a $150 application fee to the bar association office.

4. Maintain your registered status once it has been granted. In Florida, you must complete at least 30 hours of continuing education credits every three years. Five hours of this coursework must be in professionalism or legal ethics.

References

• The Florida Bar: Florida Registered Paralegal Program

Resources

• Florida Alliance of Paralegal Associations