The Significance of Continuing Education for Paralegals
The legal profession – including the paralegal profession – is ever-changing and evolving and if you are not committed to continuing your education, you are going to be left behind or become irrelevant. As a paralegal, one of the worst things that you can do is to become a slug. Don’t ever think that just because you have a job now, that there will always be a position for you.
Paralegals should embrace the concept of lifelong learning and discovering new legal trends, technology and theories to take their skills and expertise to the next level. One way in which they can do that is through professional development (i.e., Continuing Legal Education or CLE). CLE is a unique opportunity for paralegals, as well as other legal professionals, to learn more about the law and how it may impact their legal careers. The information they glean from these seminars may even help them become a more valuable resource to their attorneys and/or legal departments in the future.
Information gleaned from CLEs can help paralegals become a better advocate for their clients. Staying on top of the latest trends can help paralegals anticipate and meet the needs of their employers or clients so that they can provide the most exceptional service possible. By keeping abreast of trends that impact the legal industry, paralegals are able to identify opportunities to differentiate themselves from colleagues, and as a result, can position themselves so that they become an indispensable asset to their attorneys and/or legal departments .
Keeping educated and informed in the latest theories of law can also help increase a paralegal’s value to their attorneys and/or legal departments. Attorneys are often tasked with educating clients on new theories of the law and how those theories may impact their matters. Having the information needed to do so, can help enhance a paralegal’s reputation if they are able to provide their supervisor(s) with the necessary information to successfully do so.
Being rewarded for a job well done can also keep paralegals motivated and eager to learn more. In fact, paralegals can also increase their value and worth by being open to learning new technologies, software, and other tools (such as cloud-based support systems), that can benefit clients, increase efficiencies, and provide cost-effective and comprehensive legal services. While there are always those who resist new technology, paralegals who become more tech-savvy and embrace new technologies have the potential to move up the career ladder quicker than those who don’t.
Additionally, paralegals who make continuing education an integral part of their careers will also have the opportunity to maximize their opportunities to network with peers, clients, attorneys, professors, and other legal professionals. Those who do so will be establishing valuable relationships that can only lead to professional success for years to come.
Formats of Continuing Legal Education Programs
One of the many benefits of working as a paralegal is the access to Continuing Legal Education. The North Carolina State Bar Paralegal Certification Board provides minimum continuing education standards for paralegals that are comparable to the standards for lawyers. This means that paralegals are highly encouraged to meet these minimums and attend mandatory continuing education sessions via the local, state, and national paralegal organizations.
Many organizations provide paralegal professional development options. Some major organizations that provide paralegal CLE programs include:
Organizations within the locality, state, and nationally offer workshops, seminars, symposiums, conventions, webinars, and other options to earn continuing education credits.
All paralegals in North Carolina need to meet the requirements set forth by the NC State Bar Paralegal Certification Board for the purpose of maintaining an active registration.
The Board of Paralegal Certification requires paralegals to fulfill mandatory continuing education requirements within the registration period in which they become certified, every two years. All registered paralegals are required to obtain a minimum of six hours of ethics and professionalism CLE every two years. A roster of approved programs can be found on the Board’s website. Some areas where CLE may be earned include:
Paralegals may obtain credit in the following subjects: ethics and professionalism, on-going developments in the law and legal profession, legal skills and substantive law, office management, legislative developments, accounting and finance, marketing, human resources, and technology.
All continuing education provided to paralegals must be relevant, meaningful, timely, and educational based on the content of the program. This information can be included as part of the verification requirements for CLE.
The Paralegal Certification Board indicated that additional rules were being drafted to include acceptable forms of professional development for registered paralegals. It is important to keep the Board updated on topics that are presented in registered paralegals for the purpose of expanding the options for these paralegals to maintain certification.
Choosing Your Continuing Education Program
When it comes to paralegal continuing legal education, there are a variety of programs available to paralegals with differing interests and career goals. Selecting the right educational programs is an important part of getting the most out of being a paralegal in my opinion and can make the difference between knowing the basics, and being an expert in your field.
As I noted in the introduction, there are many high quality seminars, webinars, and workshops sponsored by all of the paralegal organizations. In addition, there are an increasing number of sponsors offering educational programming for paralegals with areas of focus. There are now programs offered on cases involving the Family Medical Leave Act, Bankruptcy, Mass Torts, Securities Law, Workers Compensation, Asbestos, and much more, in addition to real estate, intellectual property, elder law, immigration, and other programs that have been offered for many years. These programs are an excellent way to support your area of expertise.
Some paralegals may be looking to move ahead in their careers, and advance into a new area of practice. These paralegals can benefit from programs that offer training in a new area, on a different skill set, with the goal of taking the CLA exam, or a paralegal certification that will assist them in obtaining a dream job with a new employer. The "general" trainings would be helpful for these paralegals, such as business writing, project management, advanced research and writing, advanced Excel, and advanced MS office. Other helpful programs include the various certifications available, such as CLA, CP, PACE, NCCP, NALS certification, your state certification, or any of the organizational certifications such as the NFPA’s CRP, NALS’ PSR or ALS, etc.
Paralegals looking to earn a degree online have a number of options in addition to traditional in-classroom learning. There are many ABA approved paralegal degree programs which offer courses during the week, two weekends a month, or online. Several universities have also started offering post degree programs, such as Paralegal to LLM programs which can be very helpful to attorneys that need a paralegal background. Another way to obtain an advanced degree is to pursue a slightly broader business education, such as a Master of Business Administration (MBA), Business Management or Master of Science in Organizational Leadership. These are very valuable degrees as The Chronicle of Higher Education notes that a major employer in the Washington D.C. area interviewed 1,000 MBAs last year and not one was qualified. This could be an opportunity for paralegals to step up.
Advantages You Gain from Continuing Legal Education
Additionally, obtaining a new certification, college degree or completing a certificate program in a relevant field may open up new opportunities for career advancement, salary increases, and the ability to pursue a career specialization. For example, a paralegal may develop an interest in environmental law, and decide to study to obtain a paralegal certificate in this area. With this certificate, the paralegal could be categorically qualified to work for an environmental attorney, or even represent the firm in environmental compliance matters in his or her area of specialized concentration. The paralegal could then potentially seek to transfer to a firm specializing in environmental law or pursue in-house opportunities for an environmental agency, and in some states would likely be categorized as a qualified expert in environmental matters, allowing him or her open new potential career opportunities and salary ranges . In addition to furthering your career or obtaining a new position, continuing legal education can also provide you with more opportunities in your existing position. Many firms strongly encourage professional educational opportunities and will provide financial assistance, particularly for paralegals to earn certifications or degrees, thus helping you to avoid the costs of funding an additional degree or coursework on your own. As such, continuing legal education has a wide variety of personal and professional benefits for paralegals and other legal professionals. It is in the best interest of any legal professional to continually pursue legal education and expand your skill set, with a focus on finding ways to obtain credits that are financially, personally and professionally beneficial.
Obstacles in Continuing Education and Their Solutions
Struggles in Continuing Education and their Solutions for Paralegals – Continuing Legal Education for Paralegals
One of the biggest struggles faced by working professionals is finding the time to invest in themselves. Juggling clients, casework, and the demands of a paralegal career leaves little time for additional education. The need to complete annual CLE requirements can also be a bit overwhelming.
Solution: For your continuing legal education requirements, take a course over a lunch break or begin and complete a course over several days. Don’t wait until you have a 6-hour block of time, because that time will never come. Work on a course in bits and pieces if that’s what it takes. And don’t wait until the end of the year to begin checking off the courses you still need.
Compliance – the other struggle, of course, is compliance. It’s not uncommon to find that virtual CLE providers don’t always send out CLE certificates, or they leave certification dates blank.
Solution: You’ll need to track your own progress. Keep spreadsheets with all of your courses, dates, credits, and certificates handy to help avoid any compliance issues later in the year.
Finally, can I afford my CLE requirements by using the ParalegalCLE.com subscription instead of paying $1,200 per credit hour for live classes and bar association CLEs?
Solution: Becoming a registered ParalegalCLE.com subscriber, is like paying just over $1,200 for the live classes and bar association CLEs. How can that be? According to my calculator, $108/month x 12 months is $1,296. I guess if you sign up, explore all the courses available on the site, discount subscriptions, and attend these events, ParalegalCLE.com is a pretty good deal and you save money.
How to Stay Current: Legal Education Opportunities
Staying Informed: Legal Information and Continuing Education Resources for Paralegals
Here’s a handy list of resources and organizations that provide information and support for continuing legal education:
For certification or registration exams: National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) and/or the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA).
Paralegal Professional Organizations (NPAs)
Professional Paralegal Associations provide member resources, education, newsletters, job banks, and certifications. The list below only mentions a few NPAs. If you would like to have NPAs in your area listed, send a note with the NPA’s name to [email protected].
National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA). National legal assistant and paralegal association providing certification. Publications about legal issues, law office management, and continuing education. Job bank.
National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA). The oldest paralegal organization in the country. Paralegal certification organization. NPAs membership.
International Paralegal Management Association (IPMA). The largest paralegal management association. Information on paralegal management.
International Paralegal and Legal Assistants Association (IPLA). An international paralegal and legal assistants association.
Legal Assistant & Paralegal Association of Greater New York (LAPA). Publications, continuing education , and job bank.
Metro New York Paralegal Association (MNP). Continuing education seminars and job bank.
New York City Paralegal Association (NYCPA). Continuing education seminars.
Paralegal Association of Florida (PAF). Certification and continuing education.
South Florida Paralegal Association (SFPA). Certification and continuing education.
Associations for Specialized Areas of Law
Organizations that are both public interest and association of legal professionals involved in the issues covered by their expertise. These organizations usually provide a wealth of information.
American Association of Law Libraries
American Bankruptcy Institute
Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC). International interdisciplinary association of lawyers and mental health professionals working with separating and divorcing families.
The American Health Lawyers Association (AHLA). The professional association of attorneys in the national healthcare industry.
American Society of Administrative Law Judges (ASALJ). The association of and for legally trained Law Judges.
Federal Bar Association Railroad Law Section. Professional publication regarding railroad law.
Immigration Briefings/National Immigration Lawyers Association. An extensive listing of topics and articles in immigration law.
Juvenile Law Center
Litigation and Trial Practice for Legal Assistants/Family Law Section/State Bar of California
Publications and Associations of Legal Administrators
American Association of Law Libraries (AALL).
National Association of Legal Secretaries (NALS) (now called NALS: The professionals of choice): A national inparalegal association focused on legal secretaries and administrative assistants. Publications.
National Paralegal Reports. A monthly newspaper for paralegals and other legal professionals.
Westlaw (Thomson Reuters). Various editions of paralegal publications provided by Thomson Reuters within the Westlaw site. Includes Paralegals’ Notebook.