August 2026 Volunteer Spotlight: Sarah L. White, ACP, NCCP

Sarah Lynette White, ACP, NCCP, is a Senior Litigation Paralegal with Ragsdale Liggett PLLC in Raleigh, North Carolina. For her, professional certification is more than a credential. It represents competence, ethics, lifelong learning, and a commitment to strengthening the paralegal profession. She demonstrates these values through her service on NALA’s Certifying Board.

Although this is her first volunteer position with NALA, she brings decades of professional experience and extensive service to the paralegal community. Much of Sarah’s volunteer work has centered on certification and leadership.

“I believe that, as paralegals, we should never stop learning, growing, or working to advance our profession,” Sarah said. “We should take pride in our work and continually strive for excellence—not only in our own careers but also in how we elevate the paralegal profession.”

Since 2019, she has held various positions with the North Carolina Bar Association and North Carolina Bar Foundation. From 2014 to 2024, she served on the North Carolina State Bar Paralegal Certification Committee. She spent three years as an Item Writer for the certification exam followed by seven years as Chair, overseeing the exam’s development and administration.

Sarah earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from East Carolina University and a certificate in legal studies from Meredith College. She received her NALA Certified Paralegal (CP^®) credential in 1999 and her litigation specialty credential (ACP^®) in 2001. She became a North Carolina Certified Paralegal (NCCP) in 2005. The North Carolina Bar Association Paralegal Division presented Sarah with the 2018 Distinguished Paralegal Award.

“I thoroughly enjoyed my service on the North Carolina State Bar Paralegal Certification Committee,” Sarah said. “The work closely paralleled that of the NALA Certifying Board, albeit on a smaller scale, and further strengthened my appreciation for the importance of certification standards.”

As her state committee term neared its end, Sarah initially planned to pursue a role as an Item Writer or Item Reviewer for NALA’s Exam Development Commission (EDC). When NALA announced openings on the Certifying Board (CB), she reached out to her contacts there and expressed interest in serving on either the EDC or the CB.

“I was honored and genuinely excited to learn that I had been selected to serve on the NALA Certifying Board,” she said. “The opportunity to contribute to the integrity and future of NALA’s certification exam is both a privilege and a responsibility that I value deeply.”

The work of the Certifying Board often happens behind the scenes, but Sarah asserts that it has impacted tens of thousands of paralegals seeking certification and countless employers relying on credentials to demonstrate professional competence.

She described the purpose of the Certifying Board as “upholding the standards and credibility of NALA’s certification exam by helping ensure that the exam is fair, valid, legally defensible, and reflective of the knowledge and skills required of today’s paralegals.”

In her role, Sarah hopes to help maintain the exam’s integrity, fairness, and relevance to ensure that certification continues to evolve alongside changes in the legal profession while remaining a meaningful benchmark of competence and professionalism.

Sarah’s commitment to certification is rooted in her own experience. After earning her paralegal certificate, she deliberately spent several years gaining practical experience before taking what was then the NALA Certified Legal Assistant Exam.

The process looked considerably different than it does today. Her exam was administered in person over two days. She remembers studying anywhere she could, including reviewing flashcards in restaurant lines and preparing in her hotel room the night before.

In retrospect, she admits that she chose a challenging time in her life to take the exam, as she was navigating a divorce. Both experiences allowed her to prove to herself that she was capable of overcoming obstacles and achieving her goals.

A couple of years later, she completed the full-day in-person litigation specialty certification exam, now recognized with the Advanced Certified Paralegal (ACP^®) credential.

“The sense of accomplishment I felt upon earning those credentials remains one of the proudest milestones of my career,” she said.

Sarah’s favorite part about volunteering for NALA is the opportunity to be challenged while contributing to something greater than herself. She also values the camaraderie and strong personal bond among the members of the Certifying Board.

“Working alongside dedicated individuals from across the country—each bringing different perspectives, experiences, and subject matter expertise—has been both rewarding and inspiring,” she said.

As a NALA member, Sarah enjoys being part of a community committed to excellence in the paralegal profession. Membership has opened doors to leadership and lifelong learning and challenged her to pursue professional growth and build meaningful relationships with paralegals across the country.

She encourages her fellow members to always be engaged and never stop learning in a constantly evolving legal profession.

“The best paralegals are those who remain curious, embrace new challenges, and invest in their professional growth,” she said. “Get involved—whether through NALA or your local affiliate. The relationships you build, the knowledge you gain, and the opportunities you create will enrich your career and allow you to make a lasting impact on the profession.”

Outside of her professional endeavors, Sarah enjoys spending time with her family and her dog, Sophie. She works remotely from North Carolina’s Crystal Coast, where the salt air and ocean sounds help offset the stresses of life. She loves to cook and bake, sharing good food with family and friends.

Given the opportunity to instantly master any hobby, she would choose either French pastry making or photography. If she could live anywhere for a year, it would be the Greek islands. The peaceful and restorative setting—surrounded by crystal-clear water and whitewashed villages—would allow her to slow down, reflect, and refocus. She is currently focused on investing in herself after spending years pouring her time and energy into her career.

“This season of life is about creating a healthier balance by prioritizing time for my family, making healthier choices, and remembering that taking care of myself allows me to show up as my best self in every area of my life,” she said.

As an advocate for certification and lifelong learning, Sarah’s dedication to the paralegal profession can be summed up in her own words.

“This profession has meant so much to me, and I hope to give back even a fraction of that to help strengthen the future of certification for generations of paralegals to come.”