NALA membership is offered in four categories. All members receive the same benefits of membership. However, only active members may vote, serve on committees or serve as an officer or director of the association. 

The following lists qualifications for Active, Associate, Student and Sustaining membership.
 (Note:  The terms "legal assistant" and "paralegal" are used synonymously.)

Active Membership
Annual Dues: $125 (A discount is provided to employers with more than 5 NALA members)

Active membership is open to individuals who meet at least one of the following requirements:

1.  Any individual who has successfully completed the Certified Paralegal Examination of NALA, or

2.  Any individual who has graduated from an ABA approved program of study for paralegals, or

3.  Any individual who has graduated from a course of study for paralegals which is institutionally accredited but not ABA approved, and which requires not less than the equivalent of 60 semester hours of classroom study, or

4.  Any individual who has graduated from a course of study for paralegals other than those set forth in 2 and 3 above, plus not less than six months of in-house training as a paralegal, whose attorney-employer attests that such person is qualified as a paralegal, or

5.  Any individual who has received a baccalaureate degree in any field, plus not less than six months in-house training as a paralegal whose attorney-employer attests that such person is qualified as a paralegal, or

6.  Any individual who has a minimum of three years of law related experience under the supervision of an attorney, including at least six months of in-house training as a paralegal, whose attorney-employer attests that such person is qualified as a paralegal, or

7.  Any individual who has a minimum of two years of in-house training as a paralegal, whose attorney-employer attests that such person is qualified as a paralegal.

Associate Membership
Annual Dues: $100

Associate Membership is open to individuals who meet at least one of the following qualifications:

1.  Those members of bar associations endorsing the paralegal concept or involved in the promotion of the paralegal profession, or

2.  Those members of the educational field endorsing the paralegal concept or involved in the promotion of the paralegal profession, or

3.  Those persons directly involved in the supervision of paralegals.

Student Membership
Annual Dues: $50


Student Membership is open to individuals who meet at least one of the following qualifications:

Individuals who are full time students in good standing in any college, junior college or other school pursuing a course of study as a paralegal.

A full time student shall be defined as one enrolled for a minimum of 12 semester hours or equivalent or who is taking all paralegal courses as the schedule permits provided the individual is not employed as a paralegal.

Sustaining Membership
Annual Dues: $70


Sustaining membership is open to those individuals, law firms, corporations and paralegal program representatives who endorse the paralegal concept or are actively involved in the promotion of the paralegal profession and who contribute dues of $60 or any amount in excess thereof.