Paralegal Certification

About Paralegal Certification

The North Carolina State Bar’s Plan for the Certification of Paralegal is a self-funded, voluntary certification program of the North Carolina State Bar, the regulatory agency for North Carolina lawyers. The Plan provides incentives to North Carolina paralegals to obtain a minimum level of education and pass an examination to become a “North Carolina Certified Paralegal”. The Plan does not restrict the use of the term “paralegal” nor does it differentiate between the services of a certified and a non-certified paralegal. However, it does provide a much-needed benchmark to ensure paralegal competency and enhance the quality of legal services provided by North Carolina paralegals.

The State Bar's paralegal certification program promotes the proper utilization of paralegals and assures that legal services, although delegated to a lawyer's professional assistants, are professionally and ethically offered to the public. The Plan for Certification of Paralegals approved by the NC State Bar and adopted by the NC Supreme Court in 2004 has assisted the development of paralegal standards, raised the profile of the paralegal profession, and standardized the expectations of the public and other legal professionals.

Participation is Voluntary

The program is voluntary. A paralegal may choose not to be certified and still perform substantive legal work under the supervision of a lawyer using the titles “paralegal” and “legal paralegal”. Obtaining certification is not a requirement to be employed as a paralegal/legal paralegal or to call oneself a paralegal in North Carolina. However, the titles “North Carolina Certified Paralegal,” “North Carolina State Bar Certified Paralegal,” and “Paralegal Certified by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Paralegal Certification” are reserved for those individuals who are certified by the North Carolina State Bar.

Certification Rules

The State Bar has worked diligently with lawyers and paralegals across the state to establish a voluntary North Carolina certification program with requirements that are properly defined and that ensure the credential has value. Through education and experience, the North Carolina certification plan assists lawyers and administrators to identify paralegals who meet or exceed the skills required for certification. As multi-skilled professionals, paralegals have a diverse knowledge base and must practice effective interpersonal communication skills to maintain collaborative relationships within the legal team. Paralegals, like lawyers, continue to be held accountable to high ethical and professional standards.

The Plan for Certification of Paralegals is located in Chapter 1, Subchapter G of the North Carolina State Bar's administrative rules. The rules were adopted by the North Carolina State Bar Council and approved by the North Carolina Supreme Court pursuant to N.C.G.S. §84-21.