The Paralegal Certification Exam
There is no one single way acceptable to all educational institutions, but it is a very similar exam, and the content is almost identical. The only real difference is in the weight of every topic and the time given to complete it. If you decide you want to receive a paralegal certificate and be qualified, you will have to study for the paralegal certification exam and pass it successfully to obtain the desired certificate.
A successful exam proves to the employer that the paralegal has the required expert knowledge. The test helps the potential employer a lot because it is effective and reliable enough to be used as a requirement by all firms. They save much time because they conduct fewer job interviews, and also spend less money on recruiting efforts as a whole.
The Two Most Common Examinations
Although there are several institutions who test paralegals, the two common tests are set by the two largest and oldest institutions in the paralegal industry:
- The National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) have the Certified Legal Assistant exam, also called Certified Paralegal exam. The trademark for this test is CLA/CP.
- The National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) have the Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam. Trademark: PACE.
Other Exams By the NALS:
Apart from these two common exams, there are other, less common exams. These are issued by the National Association for Legal Professionals (NALS). These three exams are different and designed for various professional levels: