General Membership Meeting or Annual Meeting Sponsorship.

Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam

As a result of the ever-expanding rules and responsibilities of the paralegal, the Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam ("PACE") was designed as an extensive exam to test paralegals' knowledge and competency. In order to take PACE, a paralegal must meet certain educational criteria and have a minimum of two years work experience. In addition, a paralegal must complete certain CLE requirements in order to maintain the "PACE Registered Paralegal" or "RP" designation. It represents an exciting opportunity for all paralegals to advance the profession and establish recognizable credentials for paralegals nationwide.

The PACE Registered Paralegal credential may give law firms distinct advantages. Firms may be able to justify fee recovery for court cases more easily, as well as increase billing rates. The professional designation also distinguishes the paralegal's role from that of the support staff.

The full examination fee is $225.00. The cost of the Study Manual, which is necessary to prepare for the exam, is $55.00. For more information visit www.paralegals.org.

Certified Legal Assistant / Certified Paralegal

Established in in 1976, the CLA (Certified Legal Assistant) program has enabled the profession to develop a strong and responsive self-regulatory program offering a nationwide credential for legal assistants.

The CLA examination is a two-day comprehensive examination based on federal law and procedure. In order to pass, a legal assistant must successfully complete all five sections of the CLA examination. Use of the CLA credential signifies that a legal assistant is capable of providing superior services to firms and corporations. National surveys consistently show Certified Legal Assistants are better paid and better utilized in a field where attorneys are looking for a credible, dependable way to measure ability. The credential has been recognized by the American Bar Association as a designation which marks a high level of professional achievement.

 The fee for the CLA examination is $225 for NALA members and $250 for non-members of NALA. CLA Specialty examination fees are $100 for NALA members and $125 for non-members. For more information visit www.nala.org.

American Alliance Certified Paralegal

The American Alliance of Paralegals, Inc., ("American Alliance") established a voluntary program for the certification of paralegals. Every paralegal seeking American Alliance certification must possess no less than five (5) years of substantive paralegal experience and meet one (1) of the following three (3) educational criteria: (a) A Bachelor or advanced Degree in any discipline from an accredited institution; or (b) an Associate Degree in paralegal studies from an ABA approved paralegal program or a program in substantial compliance with ABA guidelines; or (c) a Certificate from an ABA approved paralegal program or a program in substantial compliance with ABA guidelines.

The fee for this certification is $75. For more information visit www.aapipara.org.

Ohio State Bar Association Certified Paralegal

The Ohio State Bar Association offers a voluntary credentialing program for paralegals. Individuals meeting the OSBA definition of "paralegal," meeting the eligibility requirements and passing a written examination will be designated as an "OSBA Certified Paralegal." This credential, along with a logo provided for the purpose may be used by the paralegal to the extent permitted by the Supreme Court of Ohio's Rules for the Government of the Bar and Rules of Professional Conduct.

OSBA Paralegal Certification provides a valuable credential for paralegals in Ohio through the use of objective standards which measure the training, knowledge, experience and skill of paralegals. It requires a commitment to excellence and will assist lawyers and law firms in identifying the highly qualified paralegal professionals.

For more information visit www.ohiobar.org. Click on the Certification link, then Paralegals.