• Opportunities to attend exclusive JAGALP events
• Opportunities to attend NFPA national events and participate in local association  events
• Updates on Local and National levels affecting our legal profession
  
• Networking with colleagues and others in the legal community
  
• Opportunities to get involved in legal pro bono work         
  
• Continuing Legal Education Seminar/Webinar Opportunities  
• Lorman Education Services - Discount on both CLE and Bookstore Items  (NFPA discount)    
• Access to online listings of employment opportunities (NFPA benefit)
• Information on Professional and Paralegal Educational Trends and Regulation
• Quarterly subscription to the National Paralegal Reporter Magazine (NFPA benefit)     
• Mentorship

NETWORKING

PROS

CONS

Networking – NFPA has 47 State/Regional/City-based associations and growing.  As Military Paralegals transition to civilian life, being a part of an NFPA organization and having access to member rates for other NFPA associations, based on their duty stations, will be a great asset to the paralegal’s growth and transition. 

Networking opportunities are easily accessible to military paralegals which allow them to:  meet and communicate with civilian paralegals, discuss job markets and necessary skills, receive general and ethics training through CLEs and webinars, and various mentoring opportunities.

Regional Meetings – Held twice a year.  Once in the Spring and again in the Fall,  in conjunction with the Annual Convention, Regional Meetings allow delegates to: get together and discuss the business of NFPA; share concerns within their other associations in their region; brainstorm about membership growth, leadership, etc. and to discuss the ever-evolving paralegal profession.

Expense of travel to regional meetings.

Joint Conference – This low-cost, member-only three-day event breaks down into three specific days of training in Leadership, Certification and Regulation.  Opportunities include: local and national speakers who focus on the specific theme of each day of the conference, CLE opportunities, pro bono and community service opportunities, and a less formal setting which allows for a more impactful networking experience with other NFPA paralegals.

Expense of travel to Joint Conference.

Annual Convention – The NFAPA Annual Convention is held each Fall, and includes one full day of CLE opportunities (3 or 4 different tracks to choose from); NFPA workshops to assist in developing skills/growing associations, etc.; Student Workshops to assist the less experienced or transitional paralegal negotiating the paralegal job market; the Regional Meeting (all day Friday); and the Policy Meeting, which as a member-driven association, the policy floor is the place for the delegates to set the mission and tone of the NFPA and steer the NFPA Board’s direction.

Expense of travel to Annual Convention.

Discussion Boards/Facebook Forums - Reach thousands of NFPA paralegal members through NFPA’s Discussion Boards on the NFPA website or through the Primary or Forum Facebook Groups which include groups specific to: Certification Ambassadors (open to all NFPA members and a great resource to those prepping for the exam); Regulation Forum – discusses the continuing exploration of regulation of the paralegal profession, the expanded role of the paralegal as the legal community explores “equal access to justice” and more; Membership Growth Forum – discusses membership growth ideas, utilization of membership databases and web-hosting platforms, leadership training, etc.

ABA Presence – NFPA is the only national paralegal association with representatives sitting on two ABA Boards – the ABA Approval Coordinator (assists with site visits and reviewing applications and renewals for paralegal education programs seeking ABA approval) and the ABA Pro Bono Liaison (serves a three-year term working with the ABA Pro Bono Committee to bring pro bono opportunities to paralegals and the legal community).

Career Center & Local Job Banks – The NFPA website has a “Career Center” listing various paralegal jobs throughout the country.  Additionally, most local member associations maintain a job bank of paralegal employment opportunities within their area. 

NFPA Armed Forces Coordinator – The NFPA has a dedicated Coordinator assigned to facilitate programs and communication between the armed forces, veterans, pro bono and community service programs; as well as both the NFPA and its local associations. Having one designated contact to help navigate procedures and the  other points of contact throughout the organization is essential to ensuring that every issue has a positive conduit to address the unique needs of both the armed forces organizations and individual military members.

The Coordinator position is a one-year appointment appointed at the discretion of the NFPA Vice President and Director of Membership, which may mean the Coordinator contact changes every year or two.

PARALEGAL CERTIFICATION

PROS

CONS

PCCE – Paralegal Core Competency Exam – Core knowledge paralegal exam, which does have an experience component, developed to assess the knowledge, skills and ability of early-career and entry-level paralegals.

• ·         NFPA is the only paralegal association offering an entry-level credentialing exam for paralegals which includes a military paralegal eligibility pathway.
• ·         The Washington Limited License Legal Technician program uses the PCCE as one of its three exams required for licensure as a LLLT. 
• ·         Exam is subjective with no written essay component to ensure that no grading bias impacts the results.
• ·         Exam is based upon federal law, not a local or state jurisdiction.
• ·         Exams are offered at Prometric Test Centers throughout the country and overseas.  Examinees may schedule the exam at a date and time convenient to their schedule.

• ·         Cost: $215 for members; $250/non-members
• ·         Study manual and online review courses are sold separately.
• ·         Exam is voluntary; currently no jurisdiction requires successful completion of a paralegal exam to work as a paralegal.
• ·         Confusion surrounding the different national paralegal certification exams offered by a number of different organizations; which is the best?

PACE – Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam - Developed to be a standard to gauge the competency level of experienced paralegals.

• ·         Exams are offered at Prometric Test Centers throughout the country and overseas.  Examinees may schedule the exam at a date and time convenient to their schedule.
• ·         Exam is subjective with no written essay component to ensure that no grading bias impacts the results.
• ·         Exam is based upon federal law, not a local or state jurisdiction.
• ·         Eligibility pathways combine a variety of experience, education and CLE requirements to accommodate a number of varying career paths.

• ·         Cost:  $225 for members; $250/non-members
• ·         Study manual and online review courses are sold separately.
• ·         Exam is voluntary; currently no jurisdiction requires successful completion of a paralegal exam to work as a paralegal.
• ·         No advanced specialty exams offered in specific areas of law.
• ·         Confusion surrounding the different national paralegal certification exams offered by a number of different organizations; which is the best?

Local Certification Study Groups – Study groups are available to members along with access to local association Certification Ambassadors; who can provide additional tips, training and support to prepare for the NFPA Certification exams. 

CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION

PROS

CONS

CLEs – NFPA Associations have pre-approval and can determine the CLE validity of their own presentations vs. paying a fee each time for CLE approval (as long as the CLE is primarily offered to association members and not marketed to a larger audience, such as an annual seminar where hundreds of invites are being mailed to non-members).  Most local Bar Associations will accept NFPA CLE approval for any local/state certifications or voluntary registrations of paralegals.

CLE Offerings – NFPA regularly conducts live webinars in a variety of legal subjects and at various levels of experience.  These webinars are low cost and are recorded for viewing at a date/time convenient to the attendee (great for different time zones, work schedules, etc.)

National Paralegal Reporter – NFPA’s quarterly paralegal magazine which includes substantive legal articles, as well as practical practice tips, leadership and mentoring articles.

LEADERSHIP & PARALEGAL REGULATION

Member-Only Association Management Series – These webinars (also recorded) include leadership training, ideas for growing your association, conducting productive meetings, etc. 

Position Statements ­– NFPA, at the direction of its member associations, has researched various positions affecting the paralegal profession and issued white papers asserting a position on same.