FAQ : |
Q: What is the difference between a paralegal and a legal assistant? A: It would seem to most that the terms are interchangeable, however the Ohio Supreme Court has articulated that a person is a paralegal based on his or her education while a legal assistant is based on experience. See Columbus Bar Assoc. v. Flanagan (1997), 77 Ohio St.3d 381. Q: I’ve seen some paralegals with initials RP or CLA after their name. What do they stand for? A: Registered Paralegal and Certified Legal Assistant. Individuals with these credentials after their names have taken and passed specific examinations and been awarded the credential by a national paralegal organization (the National Federation of Paralegal Associations and the National Association of Legal Assistants, respectively). Q: Is it difficult to become a member of PACO? A: No. If you are a paralegal student or a paralegal graduate, whether working in the paralegal field or not, simply complete the application. If you are a student, you may have your instructor sponsor you. If you are a paralegal graduate and do not know a Columbus Bar Association member attorney, simply enclose your check for the fee and forward to the Columbus Bar. The Columbus Bar Liaison can sponsor you for membership. Q: Everyone keeps asking members to become more involved. Isn't it just a select group of people that get picked for the Board and committees? A: No. What you are seeing are those that are willing to step up to the plate and serve our association. Come forward and get involved, it's that easy. Q: What is PACE? A: PACE stands for the Paralegal Advanced Competency Examination. It is a four hour, computer-generated test and is offered by the NFPA at more than 200 Sylvan Technology Centers across the U.S. In order to be eligible to take the PACE, you must have:
For more information about the PACE, please visit the National Federation of Paralegal Association website. |