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Why there is a need for Certified Paralegals
Unlike solicitors or barristers, anybody
can call themselves a paralegal regardless of their qualifications,
experience or expertise.
For this reason we recommend,
and employers encourage, members to gain formal recognition of their
hard-earned skills and status as professional paralegals by achieving
the TPA Certified Paralegal® professional qualification.
Achieve
a Professional Qualification
Become
a Certified Paralegal
The benefits to you:
- A professional title
- Recognition of your professionalism and
experience
- Improved job prospects
- Seniority
- Access to Institute resources and benefits
- More focused training and career development
The benefits to Employers:
- Increasing the professionalism of staff
- Improved staff motivation
- A method of reclassifying and upgrading
quality staff
- Recognition of the professionalism and
benefits of paralegals on staff
- External support for your paralegal staff
- A straightforward career progression that
lends itself to paralegal managers
- Assistance with refocusing your training
and career development programmes for paralegal staff
Who Can Become a Certified
Paralegal?
To be a Certified Paralegal
you must:
- Have met the work experience/educational
requirements
- Be a Fellow of the Institute
- Comply with the rules of the Institute,
in particular the Continuing Professional Development training
requirements
1. Work Experience
& Educational Requirements
Some paralegals have such
experience that they are experts in their area of practice, even
though they have no qualifications.
Others
have no work experience, but have law degrees or Legal Practice
Course/Bar Vocational Course qualifications.
However, most people fall
somewhere in the middle. Therefore to be eligible to apply to become
a Certified Paralegal you will need to meet at least one of the
following conditions:
| Your
situation |
What
you need to do to be a Certified Paralegal |
| No
legal qualifications:
|
Have
completed a total of four years qualifying employment within
the six years before applying |
| Have
sub-degree level legal qualifications: |
Have
completed a total of four years qualifying employment within
the six years before applying
|
|
Have completed and passed a UK law
degree or CPE - OR -
an examined law
course set at degree level, run by a recognised provider:
|
Have
completed one year's qualifying employment
|
| Have passed
the LPC or BVC or a Masters degree in law:
|
Eligible
for immediate membership application |
| Registered
foreign lawyer or registered overseas paralegal
|
Eligible
for immediate membership application |
| Qualified
UK solicitor or barrister:
|
Eligible
for immediate membership application |
| Educator on recognised
law course set at degree level or above: |
Eligible for immediate membership
application |
| Your situation does
not fall into any of the categories above: |
Call us! |
Some of the above require qualifications, some do not. Even
if you do not yet qualify as a Certified Paralegal you can still join
as a student or Associate member.
2. Be a Fellow of the
Institute
The Certified Paralegal designation is open only to Fellows
of the Institute, and so cannot be
used by those who are not Fellows.
With the exception of
Honorary and Retired Fellows, all Fellows are automatically granted
the TPA Certified Paralegal®
designation.
3. Comply with the
Rules of the Institute
Certified Paralegals must
be Fellows whose membership is current and in good standing. In
particular, Certified Paralegals
must meet their Continuing Professional Development requirements.
Do You think You Qualify
as Certified Paralegal?
If you meet the above
criteria then congratulations, we invite you to join as a Fellow
of the Institute.
If you do not yet meet
the criteria then join us as an Associate or Student member and
work towards professional recognition. Click
here to go to the membership section.
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