CERTIFICATION/EDUCATION
TPA is affiliated with the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) and the
Virginia Alliance of Paralegal Associations (VAPA).
The
National Association of Legal Assistants
NALA has developed
a voluntary certification examination. Those who succeed in passing the exam are entitled to use the designation "CP"-Certified
Paralegal or "CLA" - Certified Legal Assistant. Specialty Examinations in certain practice areas are also available
to be taken by those who have attained CLA/CP status and those passing the specialty examination are entitled to use the designation
of "ACP" - Advanced Certified Paralegal. If you are interested in taking the Certified Paralegal/Legal Assistant
exam, please click here. The provided link will give you all the information you need about the nationally recognized credential examination administered
by NALA
The Virginia Registered Paralegal Program (VARPTM)
In recognition of the growing need to establish a benchmark
to determine qualified paralegals, on November 7, 2015, the Virginia Alliance of Paralegal Associations (VAPA) adopted a Policy
on Paralegal Regulation by approving the Virginia Registered Paralegal (VARPTM) program, a voluntary paralegal
credentialing system.
Under this new program, a paralegal applying
for the VARPTM credential must be a voting member of any VAPA member association in good standing and/or an area
liaison, and meet certain minimum standards relating to education/CLEs and experience. A paralegal with a VARPTM
designation is required to complete a minimum of twelve hours of CLE credits including two hours of ethics every two years
and provide proof of completion of the requisite CLE hours to VAPA in order to maintain her/his VARPTM credential.
For information, please click here.
NALA
Headquarters Virginia Registered Paralegal Program
7666 E. 61st Street, Suite 315
P.O. Box 537
Tulsa,
OK 74133
Warrenton, Virginia 20188
Phone: 918-587-6828
Email: VARP@vaparalegalalliance.org
Fax: 918-582-6772
Email:
nalanet@nala.org