Paralegal certificate programs are offered at most colleges and Universities, but does one need a certificate program to become a Paralegal? This is a question many aspiring paralegals want to know. Paralegals are an essential part of any law firm, government organization or corporation large enough to have a legal department. As we’ve stated in several previous articles, paralegals have many responsibilities that allow the organization they work for to operate in an effective manner and the attorneys to focus on client acquisition.
While the National Federation of Paralegal Association recommends obtaining a Bachelor’s degree for paralegals, only about 50 percent had one in 2001 according to a national survey. Obtaining a four year degree is however rapidly becoming the standard measure of competitiveness in the job market.
It is important to make sure whatever paralegal certificate program you enroll in is approved by the American Bar Association (ABA). This is increasingly important since most attorneys will require it, and it will be one of the first questions they’ll ask you during an interview. Typically, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree, understanding of legal ethics, vocabulary and experience to enroll. Depending on the program, they may even require a minimum GPA, but this is not the norm.
Take note, that if you have not met all the paralegal requirements, you’ll still be able to get a job as one in any state except California–but you’ll just have to make up for less credentials through experience working in a legal capacity of some sort, or you’ll have to otherwise impress the interviewing attorneys.
Paralegal certificates may be granted by either the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA), and by the National Federation of Paralegal Associates (NFPA), both through examination. NALA and NFPA both have different requirements for their programs, but the NFPA requires a bachelor’s degree with at least 2 years paralegal experience.
Paralegal certification programs
