BECOMING A PENNSYLVANIA CERTIFIED PARALEGAL (Pa.C.P.)

QUALIFICATIONS:
To become a Pennsylvania Certified Paralegal you must fulfill the following qualifications and grandfathering or the educational requirements set forth below:

1. Applicant must be a member in good standing of a Keystone Alliance of Paralegal Associations member association;
2. Applicant must be a legal resident of the United States of America;
3. Applicant must satisfy Education/Experience or Grandfathering requirements;
4. Applicant must submit declarations from one (1) attorney in good standing with the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania who will attest to his/her direct knowledge of the Applicant's skill level and his/her work as a Paralegal;
5. A Paralegal making application under work experience only must submit declarations from two (2) attorneys; and
6. Certified copy of Applicant's official transcript(s) from the educational institution(s) attended OR a letter from the education institution(s) attended indicating the dates of the Applicant's attendance and the date(s) of the Applicant's graduation OR a copy of the Diploma/Certificate received by the Applicant from the education's institution(s) attended.  Certified Legal Assistants ("CLA"), Certified Paralegal's ("CP"), Registered Paralegal's ("RP"), or Paralegal's holding another Paralegal credential approved and recognized by the Keystone Alliance of Paralegal Associations need only submit a copy of their original credential certification and their current letter of good standing.  Applicants who are making application for certification under work experience only, do not need to submit transcripts or Diplomas/Certificates.
7. All applicants must be currently employed as a paralegal pursuant to the definition established and approved by the Keystone Alliance of Paralegal Associations.
8. All years of substantive paralegal experience under the Grandfathering Provision and Educational Requirements shall be consecutive.  

GRANDFATHERING PROVISION:
Prior to June 30, 2012, Applicant must meet one (1) of the following criteria: 

1. Bachelor's Degree in Paralegal Studies from an ABA-approved Paralegal Program AND one (1) year of substantive Paralegal experience; OR
2. Bachelor's Degree in any discipline from an accredited institution AND a Certificate/Associate's Degree from an ABA-approved Paralegal Program AND one (1) year of substantive Paralegal experience; OR
3. Bachelor's Degree in any discipline from an accredited institution AND three (3) years of substantive Paralegal experience; OR
4. Associate's Degree in Paralegal Studies AND three (3) years of substantive Paralegal experience; OR
5. Certificate from an ABA-approved Paralegal Program AND three (3) years of substantive Paralegal experience; OR
6. Associate's Degree in any discipline from an accredited institution AND five (5) years of substantive Paralegal experience; OR
7. Certificate from a non-ABA-approved Paralegal Program AND five (5) years of substantive Paralegal experience; OR
8. Seven (7) years of substantive Paralegal experience; OR
9. Designation of CLA, CP or RP or other Paralegal credential approved and recognized by the Keystone Alliance of Paralegal Associations AND two (2) years of substantive Paralegal experience.

EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
After July 1, 2012, Applicant must meet one (1) of the following criteria:

1. Bachelor's Degree in Paralegal Studies from an ABA-approved Paralegal Program AND one (1) year of substantive Paralegal experience; OR
2. Bachelor's Degree in any discipline from an accredited institution AND a Certificate/Associate's Degree from an ABA-approved Paralegal Program AND one (1) year of substantive Paralegal experience; OR
3. Bachelor's Degree in any discipline from an accredited institution AND three (3) years of substantive Paralegal experience; OR
4. Associate's Degree in Paralegal Studies from a Paralegal Program AND five (5) years of substantive Paralegal experience; OR
5. Certificate from a Paralegal Program AND five (5) years of substantive Paralegal experience; OR
6. Designation of CLA, CP or RP or other Paralegal credential approved and recognized by the Keystone Alliance of Paralegal Associations AND two (2) years of substantive Paralegal experience.

OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

• Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Requirements - Twelve (12) hours with two (2) hours being in ethics for every two (2) years' renewal.
• Examination - No exam at this time.
• Fees - Fifty ($50.00) Dollars non-refundable Processing Fee for initial two (2) year period.  Twenty-Five ($25.00) Dollars non-refundable Processing Fee for each renewal period of two (2) years.  Fees subject to change.
• The Keystone Alliance of Paralegal Associations utilizes a scanning process system. Therefore, certificaiton application and all attachments submitted for processing must be held together with either paper clips, rubber bands or a binder clip. Do not use any staples, metal or plastic bindings, 3 ring binder, metal fold over straps, etc. Further information can be obtained by contacting the Keystone Alliance of Paralegal Associations.
• The date you complete and sign your Application should be the date of submission to the Keystone Alliance.  Please be sure that submitted Attorney Declarations are dated no more than 45 days from the date of completion and submission.  Do not submit resumes, letters of recommendation, or other documents that have not been requested.  No other documentation will be accepted in lieu of the required documents.
• The Committee for Paralegal Certification will examine the qualifications of each Applicant and will determine within 30 days whether the Applicant meets the requirements as established by the Keystone Alliance.  If any Applicant is denied certification, the Applicant may file an appeal within 45 days of receipt of the denial.  The Appellant shall submit the Appeal Form, reason for the appeal and any supporting documentation.  The Appeals Committee shall make the final determination on the acceptance or denial of the Appellant's certfication.

RENEWAL:

No sooner than forty-five (45) days prior to the expiration of your certification (two years from the date of your original certification date, or in subsequent years, two years from the date of your most recent renewal) you must submit the following:

• Renewal Application with the required supporting documentation attached;
• CLE Reporting Form listing your CLEs for the past two-year period; and
• Twenty-five ($25.00) Dollars non-refundable Processing Fee.

Please Note:  Renewal applicants must continue to be a member in good standing of a Keystone Alliance of Paralegal Associations member association.

CLE REQUIREMENTS:

Twelve (12) hours of Continuing Legal Education (CLE) every two (2) years are required for the Pennsylvania Certified Paralegal to maintain his or her credential.  Two (2) of the twelve (12) hours shall be in ethics credits.

To be accepted as CLE credit hours, the credits must be obtained prior to the Pa.C.P.'s credential expiration date, and within two (2) years of the Pa.C.P.'s anniversary date.

All CLE credit hours may be obtained in person, via audio or on-line or video from the following sources:

• Courses/seminars offered by the Pennsylvania Bar Association or any bar associations;
• Courses/seminars offered by approved national or state law-related organizations (e.g., American Trial Lawyers Association, Pennsylvania Association for Justice, etc.);
• Courses/seminars offered by any national or state paralegal association;
• Courses/seminars offered by any accredited education institution or organization;
• Courses/seminars offered by professional education providers (e.g., Institute for Paralegal Education, Mealey's (via Lexis/Nexis), West LegalEdcenter (via Thomson West), etc.);
• Courses/seminars offered by any federal/state regulatory or government authority;
• Courses/seminars/programs offered in-house by the applicant's firm, corporation or employer;
• Self study programs provided by any of the entities listed herein above which are available on audio and/or videotape and have supporting written materials;
• Teaching, speaking or guest lecturing at a seminar or course.  The subject must be on substantive law or issues, or must  be relevant to and oriented to the specific nature of the paralegal profession that are relevant to employed paralegal's and/or paralegal students.
• Authoring an article or publication on substantive legal issues and be relevant to and oriented to the specific nature of the paralegal profession that are relevant to employed paralegal's and/or paralegal students.

COURSES/SEMINARS/PROGRAMS

When applying for CLE credit hours for seminar/courses attended, the Pa.C.P. must submit with his or her renewal application the following:

• an outline of the seminar topics including a brief summary of each topic being presented and, if available, a copy of the seminar brochure.
• a copy of each speaker's resume including his or her relevant qualifications;
• a detailed time line of each segment of the seminar being offered including lunch and breaks; and
• the number of hours attended (e.g. proof of attendance).

CLE credit hours shall not be granted for less than thirty (30) minutes of classroom instruction.  There is no restriction on the number of CLE credit hours obtained in this manner.

SELF STUDY PROGRAMS

When applying for CLE credit hours for self study programs, the Pa.C.P. must submit with his or her renewal application the following:

• a copy of the promotional brochure;
• the course outline;
• a list of faculty names and credentials;
• sample exam questions or blank affidavit of completion;
• a copy of your final test score; and
• the certificate of completion.

The course provider must provide a minimum of ten (10) test questions for each CLE credit hour to all participants, and participants must correctly answer 80% of the questions to receive credit for the on-line seminar.

The determination of the number of credit hours is based as follows:

• audio and video tapes will be based on the amount of time it takes to view and/or listen to the tapes;
• CD and DVD and Internet presentations will be based on the amount of time it takes to view;
• written materials including books and seminar manuals will be based on 50 pages per hour.

A maximum of three (3) CLE credit hours may be obtained in this manner.

TEACHING, SPEAKING OR GUEST LECTURING SEMINAR

When applying for CLE credit hours for teaching, speaking or guest lecturing, the Pa.C.P. must submit with his or her renewal application information pertaining to the course or seminar for which CLE is sought will be reviewed and considered for CLE credit.  The information must include the following:

• a copy of the course advertisement or seminar brochure;
• a description of the seminar topic, including areas of substantive law or professional issues to be presented; or a copy of the seminar outline;
• description of the speaker's relevant qualifications; or a copy of the speaker's résumé;
• if offered, the number of credits available to attendees; and
• number of hours/minutes of the engagement.

The number of CLE credit hours to be awarded in this category will be based upon the length and content of the presentation.  The number of CLE credit hours granted is at the discretion of the Committee on Paralegal Certification.

The maximum of five (5) CLE credit hours may be obtained for a course or seminar presentation.  CLE credit is provided only one time for any seminar/course presentation.

PUBLISHING ARTICLES

When applying for CLE credit hourse for publishing an article, the Pa.C.P. must submit with his or her renewal application the following:

• the article(s) for consideration;
• proof the article was published; and
• the date of publication.

The number of CLE credit hours to be awarded in this category will be based upon the length and content of the article.  The number of CLE credit hours granted is at the discretion of the Committee on Paralegal Certification.  To receive credit, the article must be published prior to the Pa.C.P.'s certification expiration date.

The maximum of two (2) CLE credit hours may be obtained in this manner.

FORMS:
The application for Certification can be found on the FORMS AND DOCUMENTS page.



^top