Impact of CLA

The Impact of the CLA Program

In November 1976, the Certified Legal Assistant examination was administered at 12 testing centers to 84 people. In 1999, approximately 1500 legal assistants are participating in the examination program annually. Over 9,211 paralegals are working to maintain the CLA credential by participating in continuing legal education programs or pursuing a CLA specialty designation. Over 100 schools are participating as CLA testing centers. Many of these schools and almost all paralegal organizations are offering CLA review programs as part of their continuing education efforts. Examinees - re-certification efforts - testing centers - study programs -- all very impressive facts hinting at the tremendous reach of the Certified Legal Assistant program. 

The numbers and growth rates tell part of the story. Within 10 years of the first examination, the number of CLA's was 1,600. During the next 10 years, the number of CLA's grew to over 8,000. With this growth and through the efforts of legal assistants, attorneys and paralegal educators, the CLA has become the national standard of professional achievement. It is mentioned in textbooks for the paralegal profession, in guidelines for utilization of legal assistants adopted state bar associations and supreme courts, and in cases involving recovery of paralegal fees.

Formal Recognition

Formal recognition of the program began very early in its development. In 1983, the State Bar of Texas adopted a resolution stating the "voluntary certification program of the National Association of Legal Assistants, Inc., is a valid certification and NALA's designation of certified legal assistant (CLA) is one means of measuring the qualifications and competence of persons holding themselves out as legal assistants."

In 1986, the Chair of the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Legal Assistants termed the CLA program as a "certification of higher professional achievement."

In the 1993 publication Leveraging with Legal Assistants, published by the ABA Section of Law Practice Management, the certification program is discussed. On the subject of recruiting legal assistants:

The legal assistant who can use the CLA designation has a number of advantages, not the least of which is that a hiring lawyer can assume for the CLA appellation that he or she is dealing with an experienced legal assistant who has performed to a high standard. It would be safe to assume that a CLA can immediately bring experience and capability to the practice.

The hiring lawyer must be careful to distinguish between a legal assistant with a CLA designation and with a certificate from an educational institution. The latter certificate only implies that the legal assistant will perform well on the job because he or she has successfully completed the legal assistant course given at that institution.

There is confusion within the profession because of these two certificates. Legal assistants themselves often misconstrue the meaning of the certificate from the institution. The difference is that the CLA has proven experience and proven capabilities within the profession.

Numerous bar associations offer guidelines for legal assistants and offer associate membership for legal assistants. Half of the bar associations and bar association sections offering this membership include the CLA credential among the alternate eligibility requirements for membership. The South Dakota Supreme Court has recognized the CLA as a means of identifying competent legal assistants and other courts have awarded higher fees to legal assistants with the CLA designation. In 1995, the Mississippi Bar Ethics Committee Opinion 223 (1/19/95) described the CLA as a reputable program and allows the use of the CLA and CLAS credentials on law firm letterhead listings. The New York State Bar Association Committee on Professional Ethics, in Opinion 695, August 25, 1997, also addressed the issue of use of the designation "certified legal assistant" on firm letterhead and promotional materials and determined law firms may do so.

Compensation and Billing Rates

The legal community has also been supportive of the credential economically. Generally, legal assistants with the CLA credential receive higher salaries nationwide and their work is billed at higher rates. Since 1986, NALA has conducted a bi-annual survey of the paralegal profession which studies educational and experience backgrounds, utilization, billing rates and compensation. The following table summarizes findings of the surveys from the 1989 through 1997 surveys. This data was not available prior to 1989.

As with all data describing compensation or billing levels, many factors are at work in these numbers. Other factors which influence salaries include geographic location, experience and education. The significance of these numbers is the consistent difference over the years. In addition, the findings show that the differences in salaries between CLA’s and those who do not have the CLA credential are statistically significant. In 1997, the CLA showed to be a greater factor in determining salary than size of firm and level of general education. The 1995 data also show the CLA to be a positive, statistically significant influence; as do the 1993 findings which also show the CLA have a stronger influence than level of general education.

The analysis of this data, which includes a look at factors influencing salaries, is done in an effort to determine whether the CLA has a positive influence generally. The analysis supports this finding.

We see similar trends in reviewing the data describing billing rates.

The statistical tests described in the analysis of the differences in salaries were also conducted in analysis of billing rates. The 1997 the CLA designation had a positive significant influence on billing rates at a level higher than that of general education. The findings of the 1995 survey also show a positive significant difference between billing rates of those with the CLA credential and those who do not have the credential.

Professional Recognition

Most importantly, however, is the positive impact of the CLA on individuals participating in the program. The CLA is, afterall, a tool for a legal assistant to use in the management of his or her career. In many ways, it is only as important as the perception of the individual achieving it. National surveys show over 25% of Certified Legal Assistants reported increases in:

** salary
** job responsibility
** independence
** credibility with clients
** job satisfaction

The same surveys showed over 50% of Certified Legal Assistants reported an increase in:

** professional status
** recognition from peers
** respect from lawyers
** respect from non-lawyers
** awareness of professionalism and ethics
** positive self-image
** personal and professional accomplishment

Summary

There is no doubt of the importance of the CLA and CLAS credentials to professional growth. From the public recognition of peers and employers, to the personal pride of achievement and dedication to continuing education, the CLA offers paralegals great opportunities and that can-do attitude so necessary in this competitive and challenging world.

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