What is a Certified Paralegal?

Professional certification in the working environment is a voluntary process through which a non-government entity grants recognition to a person for having met predetermined criteria education requirements or experience. Both employers and professionals within the paralegal career discipline respect and honor the certification process.

Certification for paralegals is a voluntary process. A certified paralegal, to maintain their certification, may need to fulfill ongoing educational requirements to keep their certifications up to date. While certification is not a requirement by law, it helps professionals gain an advantage over other paralegals in the job market who may not be certified.

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How Do I Become a Certified Paralegal?

The following steps can prepare a person to take the examination administered by a certifying organization.

The first step in becoming a certified paralegal is to learn more about the various credentialing bodies. In many cases, achieving certification designates paralegals as a Certified Paralegal (CP), Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) or other since the terms paralegal and legal assistant in may cases may be identical.
Make sure you meet all the eligibility requirements to take the certification exam. You may be eligible if you’ve completed a paralegal’s education through an approved program. One year of legal experience with a bachelor’s degree in some areas also qualifies a person to take the exam.
If you’re currently in high school, check with a guidance counselor for recommendations of accredited schools offering paralegal training.
Make a list of schools in your area offering training, and arrange a campus visit.
Gather as much information from as many legitimate sources as possible.

What Do Certified Paralegals Do?

The paralegal profession requires working professions in the filed to obtain an in-depth knowledge of things pertaining to the legal field. Individuals can be well-organized and detail-oriented to achieve success.

Much of the work that certified paralegals stage requires a great deal of paperwork and research. Paralegals quite often perform the tasks that may free up lawyers so lawyers can work on larger cases.

Certified paralegals perform, but are not limited to, the following duties:

Interact with clients
Help prepare cases
Perform legal research
Assist lawyers in the courtroom

Certified paralegals, however, cannot set legal fees, offer legal advice, or present cases in a court of law.

Career Advancement for Certified Paralegals

Experienced and qualified paralegals may be qualified to search for several opportunities within related career fields, such as law firms, government agencies or insurance companies.

Career possibilities can be advanced for individuals based on performance, local market conditions and personal skills and knowledge. Other paralegals want to give themselves a promotion and become a lawyer.