A national standard of criteria exists through the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) to measure a paralegal’s ability. The Certified Legal Assistant examination is a two-day comprehensive examination based on federal law and procedure. Attaining the CLA (or CP) credential has been recognized by the American Bar Association as the mark of a high level of professional achievement. In order to achieve this standard, NALA provides qualifications, guidelines, applications, bibliographies, mock exams, and many other items at their website www.nala.org.

In our association’s efforts to support this high standard of educational achievement, FWPA offers a 2-day CLA Review Course (usually in the spring), as well as a CLA Study Course, which meets weekly for eight weeks in the fall. See registration forms for CLA study opportunities with FWPA.

For information regarding the NALA CLA Examination, including specific exam dates and filing deadlines, see www.nala.org.

*NALA has recognized either CLA (Certified Legal Assistant) or CP (Certified Paralegal) for those persons who have completed the CLA certification.