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This area includes details of the examination program and provides information for those seeking and those maintaining professional certification. In addition, employers may refer to these pages for more details about the certification program and its requirements.

Click learn more about advanced

certification for paralegals!

Established in 1976, the CLA /CP (Certified Legal Assistant/Certified Paralegal) program has enabled the profession to develop a strong and responsive self-regulatory program offering a nationwide credential for all paralegals. Today over 15,000 paralegals have achieved this credential.

IMPORTANT NOTICE!!!

Beginning in the Fall of 2010, the Certified Paralegal Exam will move to computer based testing. CLICK HERE for information desribing the new process, just released by the NALA Certifying Board.

Professional certification is a time honored career development tool. It is helpful to employers and those seeking to enhance their career options. Because of the reliance on certification programs for career decisions, it is important a program is professionally managed and administered. NALA's over 30 years of experience in this area, and over 15,000 paralegals attest to the professionalism of the program.

Current Directory of Certified Paralegals
This link opens a form that may be used to verify one's certification status. Please check the update date if a name is not listed.

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News & Upcoming Events

Florida Case Supports Paralegal Fee Awards as Attorney Fees

This opinion, released on June 28, considers an issue of first impression related to the award of paralegal fees in attorney fee awards.

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Details about CP Exam Computer Based Testing Announced!

Beginning in September 2010, the Certified Paralegal exam will be offered via computer based testing to testing centers throughout the United States. NALA will be using the 200+ ACT testing center network of colleges and universities, and additional sites may be established in schools without ACT testing centers . . .

More

Special Membership Program for Employers

NALA has announced a program of offering discounts off annual membership dues to employers with multiple NALA members. Details may be found on the web site under "About NALA & Join" ...

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LEAP Class of 2010 Article Released!

As part of NALA’s LEAP program, the 2010 class was assigned to write an article on “Leadership” for publication on the NALA Web Site. Read on to learn more and access the article

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Need a product or service for your office?

The NALA Vendor Directory is a terrific place to start. This is a list of legal vendors offering a great range of help including deposition services, document services, and investigations. Click the link below...

Click here for more news articles

Discovery

This page summarizes the Discovery Advanced Paralegal Certification. Use the links below to review the items, register or login to the course. If you have not already registered as a user on the NALA APC web site, click "Register for the Course." If you have already registered for this or another APC course, you have already created a user account, click "Login."

Paralegals who are not seeking the Advanced Paralegal Certification credential are welcome to register and take any APC courses as advanced continuing education programs. CLE credit is available upon completion of the courses from NALA for Certified Paralegals, and from various state CLE programs.

The Discovery APC Module 13 was updated September 2010 to include e-Discovery.

Prerequisite Knowledge

Learning Contract

Register for the course
Fee: $250 Members; $300 Non Members

Login

Course Description

Discovery is the investigative stage of a case that is conducted prior to the trial. It provides parties with opportunities to verify their understanding of the facts of the case, to find out what witnesses know about the dispute, and to explore the other side’s legal theories. Well-conducted discovery allows parties to clarify the issues for trial, anticipate the opponent’s strategies, and accurately evaluate the likelihood of success at trial.

Paralegals have significant responsibility for discovery. Paralegals working in this area should be able to:

draft discovery requests and responses
gather and organize documents and materials
analyze documents and evidence
find, meet with, and interview witnesses
locate experts

Paralegals must also have an understanding and working knowledge of the rules of civil procedure, criminal procedure, and evidence as they relate to discovery.

Course Modules

The Advanced Paralegal Certification course on Discovery consists of successful completion of 13 modules of text, assessments, and assignments. The modules and their objectives are as follows:

1.	Overview of Discovery A look at formal and informal discovery; types of each; ethical consideration in discovery; the paralegal's role
2.	The Litigation Process A review of the litigation process and where discovery fits into the process; criminal litigation and evidence; civil litigation process; categories of civil wrongs and their defenses
3.	Informal Discovery Locating information from public records; working with witnesses; formation of questions; developing an investigation plan
4.	Planning, Opposing and Compelling Discovery Developing a strategy for discovery and presentation of evidence; managing requests for discovery; calendaring
5.	Particular Issues in Discovery Discovery plans and how they relate to the kind of case and facts. Includes a look at personal injury actions, property damage, defenses to damage claims; discovery in intentional torts, contract actions, actions against business entities, divorce actions, construction defect, and intellectual property actions
6.	Interrogatories Interrogatories and subject matter; drafting interrogatories; drafting objections and responses; formatting and serving; calendaring
7.	Producting and Inspection of Tangible Evidence Drafting requests; describing items; responding to requests; objections; and control of documents
8.	Depositions, Part 1 Advantages and disadvantages of written and oral depositions; arranging depositions; notices; subpoenas; fees; preparing for the deposition; and out of state depositions
9.	Depositions, Part 2 Roles of those involved in depositions; post deposition tasks including summarizing depositions and types of summaries
10.	Requests for Admissions Description and categories of requests for admissions; responding to requests; types of responses; timing; coordinating requests for admissions with other discovery tools; protection from responding
11.	Mental and Physical Examinations Description; sources of medical records; medical terminology; medical personnel; paralegal's role in the medical examination
12.	Expert Discovery Review of issues related to expert discovery; expert's opinion; qualification; approaches to expert discovery; working with an expert; locating and investigating an expert
13.	e-Discovery Update Focuses on current trends in electronic discovery