Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) in California
Why Become a Paralegal in California?
In California, legal assistants or paralegals rank in the top 100 professions for employment. It is predicted to grow faster than average in comparison to paralegals in the other US states and to all other occupations within California.
To shine brighter than your competing job applicants, you should get one of the two voluntary certifications:
• Certified Legal Assistant (CLA)
• Registered Paralegal (RP)
Californians usually take the CLA exam. They have met the established standards of the National Association of Legal Assistants, and passed a two-day exam given by the Certifying Board of Legal Assistance. Residents of California who possess the Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) certification are eligible to sit for the CAS exam.
You can select your specialty from the following 5 areas:
• Business and Organizations
• Estates and Trusts
• Family Law
• Civil Litigation
• Real Estate
You must renew the certification every five years, in order to continue your work in the profession. You should be able to show successful completion of 70 hours of valid continuing education credits in the legal field in a five year period to allow for renewal or youcould lose your certification and will need to make the whole process from the beginning.
