What is a paralegal certification?

Here are some examples of paralegal certifications:

• American Alliance Certified Paralegal (AACP).

  The American Alliance of Paralegals Inc. (AAPI) offers a certification program. To obtain this certification paralegals must be members of the AAPI. There is no exam for this certification, and candidates only need to meet the education and experience criteria.

  To be eligible for the certification, candidates must have at least five years of paralegal experience and a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, or an associate degree or certificate from an ABA-recognized program.

• NALS Certified Professional Paralegal

  NALS, or The Association for Legal Professionals, offers this exam. Candidates that are eligible for this exam must meet at least one of the following requirements:

  • Five years of experience as a paralegal or legal assistant

  • Hold a bachelor's degree in paralegal studies

  • Have graduated from an ABA-recognized program

  • Have graduated from another accredited paralegal program with a minimum of 60 semester hours and/or 900 clock hours, and have at least 15 semester hours and/or 225 clock hours in substantive law

  • Have a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field and have a minimum of one year of experience as a paralegal or legal assistant.

  The exam is given multiple times per year and The Association for Professional Paralegals receives applications at any time.

• NALA Certified Paralegal

  The National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) offers this certification for paralegals. It is recognized worldwide and is considered the national professional standard for paralegals.

  NALA is the only National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) accredited paralegal certification program, making this certification one of the most prestigious in the field. Eligibility for this exam is based on a candidate's education and experience.

  Candidates must take an exam on federal law and procedures to receive the credential. The exam has two sections. One is based on knowledge, and the other is based on skills. Candidates have to complete the knowledge section before they are able to take the skills test.

  In addition to these examples, there are many other paralegal certifications and certain states have paralegal certifications exclusive to their particular state.