Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Why the Certified Paralegal Exam? Why Me?

By Darlene Yeary, ACP

Many of you ask,  “What is the Certified Paralegal Exam, and why should I take it?”  The Certified Paralegal Exam, also known as the CP Exam, is a test administered by National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) that is offered three times a year (January, May, and September).  This exam covers Communications, Ethics, Legal Research, Judgment & Analytic Ability, and Substantive Law. 

You could consider the intensity of studying for this exam to be the paralegal equivalent of studying for the bar exam. As of March 16, 2015, there are 18,282 certified paralegals in the United States, including 434 in Virginia.