Rice Business Report July 2019 Rice Business report2xxzzzasa | Page 10

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Paralegals are not required to be licensed, however, the desig-
nations communicate to attorneys that
they value the role and are serious about maintaining a good
standing stature. Attaining additional
education adds value to the paralegal profession. It sets the
tone with the attorney that the paralegal
values his or her role within the law organization. The city of
Houston has several certificate programs at
its colleges and universities that provide education for individ-
uals to begin their career as a paralegal;
there are also online certification programs. Since attorneys
rely on the paralegal to assist them to run
their practice, the education and certification aspect of the job
is highly sought after by paralegals and
hiring managers.
The Certified Paralegal designation is a title that can be earned to progress the career and the Advanced
Paralegal Certification is the highest designation that can be earned through the National Association of
Legal Assistants (”NALA”). To obtain these credentials, the individual must meet certain educational and
professional requirements before applying and passing the exam. Once the designation is awarded, it
must be maintained by completing continuing legal education (“CLE”) hours each year. One way to
obtain these hours is to attend CLE luncheons hosted by the Houston Corporate Paralegal Association
(“HCPA”). While HCPA extends membership to students and legal assistants, its focus is to help provide
CLE though interactive luncheons once every month. CLE luncheons are open to members and non-
members.