Benefits & Qualifications

Getting involved in NePA allows you to network with peers of your profession and gives you the opportunity to develop an important skill set and an opportunity for professional advancement. Following is a list of possible choices of membership. Chose the one that best describes your current position.

Active Members. (Voting Status) - Active membership is open to any individual who meets at least one of the following four requirements. This is the only membership classification which carries full voting privileges. Active members are also the only NePA members who may serve as Association officers, members of the Board of Directors or committee chairperson.

• Any individual who has successfully completed a curriculum of training as a paralegal or who is certified by a university, college, junior college or other approved school as having successfully completed a full course of studies prescribes for training as a paralegal, plus not less than six months of in-house training as a paralegal; provided, however, that all such schools, curricula and certifications shall be subject to the approval of this Association; or
• Any individual who has a minimum of three years of law-related experience under the supervision of an attorney, including at least six months of in-house training as a paralegal, whose attorney/employer attests that such person is qualified as a paralegal; or
• Any individual without prior law-related experience who has a minimum of two years of in-house training as al paralegal, whose attorney/employer attests that such person is qualified as a paralegal; or
• Any individual who has successfully completed the CLA examination administered by the National Association of Legal Assistants, Inc., whose attorney/employer attests that such person is qualified as a paralegal.

Associate Members. (Nonvoting Status) - Associate membership is open to any individual who meets at least one of the following qualifications.

• Those members of the bar associations, law firms, corporations or other individuals endorsing the legal assistant concept or involved in the promotion of the legal assistant profession; or
• Those members of the educational field and paralegals program representatives endorsing the paralegal concept or involved in the promotion of the paralegal profession; or
• Those persons directly involved in the supervision of paralegals.

Student Members. (Nonvoting Status) - Student membership is open to any individual who are students in good standing in any university, college, junior college or other school pursuing a course of studies as a paralegal enrolled with a minimum of six (6) credit hours per semester; provided, however, that all such schools, curricula and certifications shall be subject to the approval of this Association.

Sustaining Members. (Nonvoting Status) - Sustaining membership is available to an law firm, corporation and paralegal program representative who endorses the paralegal concept or are involved in the promotion of the paralegal profession who contribute dues as set forth in the Bylaws or Standing Rules of this Association.

Dues Structure - First year's dues and initiation fee must accompany the application form. Thereafter, annual dues shall be paid by August 1 of each year and will be delinquent if not paid by October 1 (fiscal year is October 1 - September 30). Proration of membership dues is prohibited. Dues for the fiscal year starting October 1, 2005 are:

• Active Member: $65 annually; $25 initiation fee
• Associate Member: $65 annually
• Student Member: $30 annually
• Sustaining Member: $65 annually