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About Paralegals
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According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of paralegals and legal assistants is projected to grow 22 percent between 2006 and 2016, much faster than the average for all occupations. Review this area and the links below to learn more about the paralegal profession and NALA's role in leading the field.
Click here to read about the Paralegal Profession in the
Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-2011
This section sponsored by:
A legal assistant or paralegal is a person qualified by education, training or work experience who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency or other entity who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible. (Adopted by the ABA in 1997)
What do paralegals do? What are their typical duties and responsibilities across the various specialty practice areas. Check out this article: Typical Paralegal Duties published in the 2009 Career Chronicle edition of Facts & Findings!
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News & Upcoming Events |
Commercial Bankruptcy APC Course Released!
A new Advanced Paralegal Certification (APC) course in Commercial Bankruptcy under Chapters 7 and 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code is now available to paralegals seeking advanced certification in this specialty practice area. ...
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CLE Gift for NALA Active Members!
Active members of NALA - new and renewals - are receiving an $80 gift certificate from NALA to apply toward any NALA educational program or Facts & Findings subscription ...
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New for Certified Paralegals!
Now, Certified Paralegals may access their records of continuing education credits on-line, on a 24/7 basis. In addition, this access also works on smart phones and tablets. Now, information about your progress in accumulating the required 50 hours is at your finger tips!
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Advanced Paralegal Certification in Criminal Litigation Released!
Several years in development, the Advanced Paralegal Certification board announces the ACP Certification program in Criminal Litigation!
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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...
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Click here for more news articles
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News and Articles
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This is your source for articles and information regarding the paralegal profession nationwide. We have tried to include links to documents that describe the profession among the states, current case law, and some late news. State bar association, case law, and legislative activity moves slowly - some of the documents may appear to be a few years old but are included here as background information.
Many of the documents here are also found on NALA Net, the NALA members' source of more detailed information about the paralegal profession.
Articles, Cases of Interest
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NALA Files Amicus Brief in US Supreme Court
This is the third time NALA has filed an amicus brief in the US Supreme Court, and the second time the court heard the issue in oral argument. In this case and in the previous case, Missouri v. Jenkins, the court determined that paralegal time may be awarded, at market rates, in fee-shifting statutes. This is a terrific and positive decision for the paralegal profession.
New Case on paralegal fees from the District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District
See: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company v. Edge Family Chiropractic, No. 1D10-0565, June 25, 2010.
This case again discusses the question of the reimbursement of paralegal fees in attorney fee awards. The petitioner sought review of a circuit court order affirming three county court orders awarding a total of $161,195.25 in attorney’s fees and costs in a personal injury protection case. On the matter related to paralegal fees, the petitioner stated a lower court erred in applying a contingency risk multiplier to the paralegal fees included in the award. The court addressed only this claim in its opinion and stated this was an issue of first impression.
The court’s opinion cited cases in the United States Supreme Court in which NALA filed an amicus brief, Missouri v. Jenkins, and Richlin security Service Co. v. Chertoff. In both cases, the US Supreme Court held that the term “attorneys fees” include paralegal services and that the paralegal fees should be reimbursed at market rates. The opinion cites how attorney use of paralegals encourages cost-effective delivery of legal services and reduces the cost of litigation.
Professional Issues
Exempt Non-Exempt Status of Paralegals
Frequently, NALA receives questions about the exempt/non-exempt status of paralegal employees. NALA does not have a position on this issue, nor does the association promulgate an opinion. The link is a pdf of a ruling from the Department of Labor issued in January 2006 which looks at this question and is what is followed under current regulations.
Issues Related to Licensure of Paralegals
There are many questions, and sometimes misconceptions of the role of governmental licensure of paralegals. The following link is to a report prepared by NALA which outlines the issues and state statutes regarding the regulation of professions.
Typical Job Duties
The following article summarizes typical duties and responsiblities of paralegals, organized by specialty practice areasl
State Certification Programs
In 2006 and 2007, standards for paralegal certification state entities were announced in Florida, North Carolina and Ohio. The Paralegal Division of the State Bar of Texas also offers a voluntary state certification program. The following links will open the new rules for your information.
In addition, the Louisiana State Paralegal Association and the Paralegal Association of Florida offer voluntary certification programs for paralegals in the state. For details, click here.
State Guidelines, Supreme Court Rules Re Paralegals
The following links are to state guidelines regarding attorney utilization of paralegals. We have also included links to current statutes regarding the paralegal profession.
Statutes
- California - Statute defining "paralegal" and "legal assistant"
- Maine - Statute defining "paralegal" and "legal assistant" and provides for fine if terms are used improperly
- Montana - House Bill 301 to include reasonable paralegal fees as part of attorney fees awarded to prevailing parties in certain cases becomes law October 1, 2009. The bill was signed into law on May 5. The bill also defines "paralegal.
Guidelines, Rules
- Florida - Supreme Court, Amendments to Rules Regulating the Florida Bar, defines "paralegal" and "legal assistant"
- Illinois - State Bar Association Recommendations to Lawyers Regarding the Use of Non-Lawyer Assistants
- Michigan - Supreme Court Rule, legal assistant time in attorney fee awards
- Oklahoma - Bar Association Minimum Standards/Qualifications for Legal Assistants
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