National Association of Legal Assistants
The National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) is an organization dedicated to the advancement of paralegals. The organization provides aid to legal assistants to ultimately find opportunities for employment, education, and professional certification.
The NALA has a strict Code of Ethics that must be followed by all members of the organization. Failure to adhere to these these standards may result in the termination of membership. First, this code describes the duties of a paralegal in assisting attorneys in all areas of the legal system, but emphasizes that they may perform no duties that are reserved strictly for attorneys. A legal assistant's work must be supervised by an attorney, and he is not permitted to give clients legal advice without the direction of that attorney.
A paralegal must not engage in any sort of activity, even if it is under the direction of an attorney, that would be considered inappropriate or a violation of professional standards. Through education and training, legal assistants must offer the highest degree of quality in the legal services they provide to clients. And finally, all paralegals must adhere to the code of professional conduct that has been set forth by the American Bar Association.
The NALA emphasizes the importance of continued education in order to enhance the quality of work provided by legal assistants. In 1976, the NALA developed a Certified Legal Assistant program which is an exam that must be completed every five years and earns a paralegal a Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) or Certified Paralegal (CP) credential.
All legal assistants who earn this degree receive a recognition of achievement by attorneys and within their own field. The exam is voluntary within the field of paralegals, however, members of the NALA must complete this examination and maintain their education by renewing their certification, in order to remain a part of the organization.
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