Comprehensive NALA Certified Paralegal Exam Preparation Guide

NALA Certified Paralegal Examination

A two-part exam that assesses the knowledge and skills of paralegals.

Knowledge Exam

A three-hour test in multiple-choice format covering topics such as the U.S. legal system, contracts, criminal law, ethics, and others.

Skills Exam

An exam administered in February, April, July, and October that requires a written essay focusing on legal writing ability and critical thinking skills.

Certified Paralegal (CP)

A credential awarded to paralegals who successfully pass both the knowledge and skills exams.

Advanced Certified Paralegal (ACP)

A specialization offered by NALA in various areas of law, such as contract law, personal injury practice, and family law.

NALA Student Membership

A resource included in the tuition for the paralegal program that provides access to additional educational materials.

Certified Paralegal Review Course Bundle

A resource included in the tuition that helps prepare students for the Certified Paralegal exam.

Certified Paralegal Practice Exam

A practice exam included in the tuition that allows students to prepare for the Certified Paralegal exam.

Legal Deliverable

A written essay that is often required in the skills exam.

Critical Thinking Skills

Skills that include reading comprehension and problem analysis, assessed in the skills exam.

Capstone Project

A project that must be submitted before applying for the certification exam.

NALA Certified Paralegal Program Handbook

A document that outlines the additional education or experience requirements for taking the certification exam.

Multiple-Choice Questions

The format of questions used in the knowledge exam.

Test Duration for Knowledge Exam

Three hours.

Test Duration for Skills Exam

Two hours.

Exam Availability

The knowledge exam can be taken year-round, while the skills exam is offered in specific months.

Paralegal Competence

Demonstrated through successfully completing a certification exam.

Marketing for Paralegals

A benefit of obtaining national certification, allowing paralegals to market themselves more effectively.

Higher Wages

An advantage of obtaining national certification for paralegals.

ed2go

An organization that has a special arrangement with NALA for paralegal education.

NALA Resources

Value-added extensions of paralegal education provided through the program.

Reading Assignment

Students are required to read new content added to previous lessons for preparation.

Certification Exam Requirements

Additional education or experience requirements must be met before applying for the exam.

Knowledge Examination

The first part of the NALA CP exam, consisting of a 120-question test broken down into 10 categories.

Skills Examination

The second part of the NALA CP exam, evaluating practical skills and the ability to apply legal knowledge.

U.S. Legal System

One of the categories in the knowledge exam, consisting of 15 multiple-choice questions.

Civil Litigation

One of the categories in the knowledge exam, consisting of 15 multiple-choice questions.

Professional and Ethical Responsibility

One of the categories in the knowledge exam, consisting of 12 multiple-choice questions.

Torts

One of the categories in the knowledge exam, consisting of 10 multiple-choice questions.

Contracts

One of the categories in the knowledge exam, consisting of 10 multiple-choice questions.

Corporate/Commercial Law

One of the categories in the knowledge exam, consisting of 10 multiple-choice questions.

Real Estate and Property

One of the categories in the knowledge exam, consisting of 8 multiple-choice questions.

Criminal Law and Procedure

One of the categories in the knowledge exam, consisting of 7 multiple-choice questions.

Estate Planning and Probate

One of the categories in the knowledge exam, consisting of 7 multiple-choice questions.

Debtor/Creditor and Bankruptcy

One of the categories in the knowledge exam, consisting of 6 multiple-choice questions.

Legal research and analysis

A topic focused on in the skills examination, evaluating the ability to conduct legal research.

Drafting legal documents

A topic focused on in the skills examination, assessing the ability to create legal documents.

Case management

A topic focused on in the skills examination, evaluating the ability to manage legal cases.

Factual investigation

A topic focused on in the skills examination, assessing the ability to investigate facts related to legal cases.

Ethical dilemmas

A topic focused on in the skills examination, evaluating the ability to navigate ethical issues in legal practice.

Eligibility for NALA exam

Candidates must meet specific requirements outlined in the NALA Certified Paralegal Program Handbook.

Category 1 - Paralegal Studies

One of the categories for certification eligibility, requiring graduation from a paralegal program.

American Bar Association

An organization whose approval is one criterion for paralegal programs under Category 1.

15 semester hours

Equivalent to 225 clock hours, a requirement for certain paralegal programs.

Category 1

225 hours combined with 45 semester hours to meet the 60 semester hours required.

Category 2

A bachelor's degree in any field and one year of experience as a paralegal or completion of at least 15 semester hours of substantive paralegal courses.

Category 3

A high school diploma or equivalent plus five years' experience as a paralegal and a minimum of twenty hours of substantive continuing legal education completed within a two-year period prior to application.

Substantive Continuing Legal Education

Twenty hours of education required within a two-year period prior to application.

Application Documentation

Transcripts, proof of paralegal education, documentation of work history, and attestation of employment experience from employer.

NALA Exam Application

Complete the application on the NALA website after ensuring eligibility and gathering documentation.

Clock Hours to Semester Hours Conversion

900 clock hours of a paralegal program is equivalent to 60 semester hours.

Quarter Hours to Semester Hours Conversion

90 quarter hours of a paralegal program is equivalent to 60 semester hours.

Substantive Legal Courses Conversion

225 clock hours of substantive legal courses is equivalent to 15 semester hours.

Quarter Hours of Legal Courses Conversion

22.5 quarter hours of legal courses is equivalent to 15 semester hours.

Minimum Graduation Requirement

Graduation from a paralegal program consisting of a minimum of 15 semester hours or equivalent clock/quarter hours.

Combining College Hours

Candidates applying under Category 1 may combine college hours from more than one institution.

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Program

An original course catalog or letter from the school registrar attesting that the program requires a bachelor's degree as a prerequisite.

Evidence of Continuing Legal Education Credit

Documented by attorney/employer attestation or certificates of completion of CLE taken.

NALA Website

The site where candidates create an account and complete their application for the exam.

Eligibility Notification

Candidates will be notified by email whether they meet the requirements.

Exam Scheduling

Scheduling the exam can be done on the NALA website after receiving eligibility confirmation.

Combining On-the-Job Experience

Candidates applying under Category 3 may combine on-the-job experience from more than one employer.

American Bar Association (ABA)

Refer to the ABA website for definitions related to paralegal requirements.

Learning Objectives

Understand the requirements for taking the two-part NALA Certified Paralegal Examination.

Proven Studying Methods

Methods that improve chances of passing the NALA exam.

Daily Study Time

Setting aside a regular time each day to study various topics.

Bite-size Chunks

Dividing study material into smaller, manageable parts.

Sample Test Questions

Questions based on previous exams to evaluate knowledge.

Study Groups

Groups formed via social media or in-person to share study tips.

Practice Questions

Sample questions designed to help prepare for the NALA exam.

Timer Allocation

Setting a timer for three hours to complete the first 120 questions.

Question Proportions

The distribution of questions by category on the NALA CP exam.

Correct Answer Percentage

66.9% correct answers based on 109 correct out of 163 questions.

U.S. Court of Appeals

Court typically having appellate jurisdiction over district court decisions in civil cases.

Paralegal Role in Trial Preparation

Assisting with case analysis, research, and organization.

Res Judicata

Legal doctrine preventing a case from being retried between the same parties after a final judgment.

Habeas Corpus

Legal action that allows a person to seek relief from unlawful detention.

Subpoena

A document that orders an individual to testify or produce evidence.

Civil Case

A legal dispute between parties that seeks monetary damages or specific performance.

Final Judgment

A court's final decision on the matters presented in a case.

Cram Session

A last-minute study session before an exam.

Feedback from Practice Tests

Information provided after completing practice questions to assess knowledge.

Study Schedule Adjustment

Modifying study plans based on areas of weakness identified in practice tests.

Online Study Platforms

Websites and social media used to connect with study groups.

Exam Date

The scheduled day on which the NALA exam is administered.

Stare decisis

A legal doctrine that obligates courts to follow historical cases when making a ruling on a similar case.

Ordinance

A law passed by a local government, such as a town council or city government.

Supremacy clause

This legal doctrine holds that when there is a conflict between federal and state law, federal law will prevail.

Article III

Which Article of the U.S. Constitution prevents federal judges from being fired?

Statute of limitations

A statute that imposes a time limit on the initiation of a civil action.

Medical authorization

A form, signed by the client, that allows the legal team to review and obtain copies of the client's medical records.

Initial client meeting

The first meeting with a prospective client, where information will be gathered, additional information requested, and the attorney-client relationship formed.

Cause of action

A personal, financial, or other injury for which the law gives a person the right to receive compensation.

Preponderance of the evidence

The burden of proof in civil cases is usually described as.

Providing support and assistance to attorneys in their legal work

In a legal setting, what is the primary role of a paralegal to avoid engaging in unauthorized practice of law?

Draft and file legal documents

To avoid the unauthorized practice of law, paralegals should not independently.

Attorney-client privilege

A legal concept that protects communications between an attorney and their client from being disclosed.

Loyalty and confidentiality

An ethical principle that guides paralegals in maintaining client confidentiality and avoiding conflicts of interest.

Legally valid offer

An offer that does not require specific words to be legally valid.

Revocation

The situation where an offer has been made but the person or business making the offer terminates it before it has been accepted.