Is Paralegal Registration Required?

In nearly all states, paralegal registration is not required with any government affiliated agency, because the paralegal profession as a whole is subject to very little oversight. In these regards paralegal registration is a means of empowerment to the profession and a means of establishing paralegals’ commitment to their occupation.

Organizations that many professional paralegals and legal assistants can join include the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA), National Federation for Paralegal Associations (NFPA) , as well as educational certification organizations such as the American Association for Paralegal Education (AAfPE) and the American Bar Association (ABA).

The ABA ad AAfPE are both heavily involved in certifying paralegal training facilities, and all four organizations run regular conferences that

Paralegal registration also often proves to be a valuable networking tool, especially in the Internet age, with many websites providing sites where paralegals can come together, keep in touch with one another,

These websites also provide a valuable source of news that involves the legal profession, and they often offer services that can help a paralegal, especially in terms of finding employment, as well recommending additional training and the means by which to acquire it.

As of the current time, legal registration of paralegals is only required in two states, California and Washington, and exists on a voluntary basis in a third, Florida. They are otherwise forbidden from engaging in any legal activity on behalf of a client. They must also be bonded by their respective states.

In Florida, registration remains voluntary, and is done primarily in the interest of establishing the paralegal’s transparency in the eyes of the law.

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