Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility Requirements

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CP Examinee Eligibility

As making the decision to apply for the Certified Paralegal Exam is a commitment, please take some time to review the Certification Process to determine if the NALA CP® Certification fits your career goals. You may also consider reviewing the certification statistics and watching a brief video on Planning for NALA Certification by clicking the button below.

Planning to Apply for the CP® Exam

 

Candidates for certification must meet one of the following requirements outlined below in Categories 1, 2, or 3 at the time of filing an application form. (The deadline to submit additional documentation is 60 days from the notification date from NALA.)  To help determine if you are eligible to take the CP® Exam, please select the category below that best applies to you.
 

*Foreign degrees must be evaluated by a reputable company to determine the equivalency to U.S. education.

If you have any questions, please contact us at testing@nala.org or 918-587-6828.

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What Can I Study? Paralegal Students

Requirements: Paralegal Studies 1

Enrollment in or graduation from a paralegal program that meets one of the criteria listed in sections (a) through (e) below.

(a) a paralegal program approved by the American Bar Association; or

(b) an associate degree program in paralegal studies; or

(c) a post-baccalaureate certificate program in paralegal studies 2; or
(In addition to the official school transcript, candidates must submit an original course catalog or an original letter from the school registrar or program director attesting that the program is a post-baccalaureate certificate program requiring a bachelor’s degree as a prerequisite.)

(d) a bachelor’s degree program in paralegal studies; or

(e) a paralegal program which consists of a minimum of 60 semester hours (or equivalent quarter hours) 3 of which at least 15 semester hours (or equivalent quarter hours) 4 are substantive legal courses. 5

1Candidates applying under Category 1 may combine college hours from more than one institution, as applicable.
2 In addition to the official school transcript, candidates must submit an original course catalog or an original letter from the school registrar or program director attesting that the program is a post-baccalaureate certificate program requiring a bachelor’s degree as a prerequisite.
3 900 clock hours of a paralegal program will be considered equivalent to 60 semester hours. 90 quarter hours of a paralegal program will be considered equivalent to 60 semester hours.
4 225 clock hours of substantive legal courses will be considered equivalent to 15 semester hours. 22.5 quarter hours of legal courses will be considered equivalent to 15 semester hours.
5 The candidate must have graduated from a paralegal program consisting of a minimum of 15 semester hours (or 225 clock hours or 22.5 quarter hours.) Evidence of the minimum hours required under Category 1(e) must be provided with the application form.

Note:  Certain legal studies programs may qualify.  To confirm, please forward your transcript to testing@nala.org.

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Requirements:

Bachelor’s Degree and Minimum Paralegal Studies 6

A bachelor’s degree in any field plus one year of experience as a paralegal or successful completion of at least 15 semester hours (or equivalent quarter hours) of substantive paralegal courses.

(Those applying under the provision allowing for additional course work in lieu of the one-year work experience must submit an official school transcript showing completed course work.)

6Candidates applying under category 2 may combine college hours and paralegal course work from more than one institution, as applicable.

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Requirements:

On the Job Experience 7

A high school diploma, or equivalent, plus five (5) years of experience 8 as a paralegal plus a minimum of twenty (20) hours of substantive continuing legal education completed within the two-year period prior to application for the examination. 9 Evidence of substantive continuing legal education credit is documented by the supervising attorney/employer attestation that must be signed as part of the application form or by submitting certificates of completions for CLE taken. No further documentation is required.

7 Candidates applying under Category 3 may combine on-the-job experience from more than one employer, as applicable.
8 See definition on American Bar Association (ABA) website.
9 Evidence of continuing legal education credit is documented by the attorney/employer attestation that must be signed as part of the application form or by submitting certificate of completions of CLE taken. No further documentation is required.