Paralegal certification is actually voluntary. You might find it surprising that being a paralegal (or a legal assistant in lay man’s terms) in the United States does not require one to be certified. Yes, surprising indeed, right? But it is true. It is not a licensed profession in this country and mostly, paralegals have the personal option to get certified and apply for paralegal certification or to skip the entire process altogether. Although a number of paralegals originally received on-the-job training when the profession began in existence back in the ‘60s and ‘70s, most of the people entering the field nowadays do so with certification.
Why you would want to get paralegal certification
Beside the fact that it will look good on your resume, a paralegal certification actually sets you apart from your contemporaries as you will stand out amongst all the highly qualified applicants and will definitely have the edge compared to the uncertified ones. Why? Simply because your certification will be your personal advert saying you have the making of someone with paralegal par excellence. It will speak of your expertise in the field making you a shoe-in for the job.
How to get certified
You will get paralegal certification from passing the examinations of one of the many paralegal organizations around. Completion of their certification program is not enough for you to get certified. It is much like the process of how an attorney turned into a lawyer once he passed the bar examinations and will then be entitled to get a license and be allowed to practice as a lawyer.
There are plenty of paralegal certification programs you can choose from if you so wish to enroll in one to begin your paralegal ambitions or to continue with your paralegal education.
It is best practice to check whether the organization you chose is certified or is operating in compliance with the American Bar Association. What you can do is check with your local bar association if this organization is listed. While most of the state bar associations do not require paralegal certification on aspiring applicants, they can give you a list of reputable organizations that offer this service and from there you can pick out which one is most convenient to you based on your personal specifications and needs.
You might do the same practice when checking online certification courses or distance learning courses. Check first with your state general attorney’s office or with better business bureaus if complaints were filed against this organization you are eyeing. This is to ensure that you will be acquiring your paralegal certification from the most reputable source available to you.
Although securing a paralegal certification would require a certain amount of your time, money and effort, it will prove beneficial in the future in bagging that paralegal post you were dreaming of in one of the bigger law firms in town. And the amount of research you put into searching the most qualified organization to give you your certification can very well be your training ground as you would be doing numerous intensive researches in the near future.