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NALA Exam

What is NALA?

NALA (National Association of Legal Assistants) is a nonprofit professional organization that seeks to advance paralegals through certification and professional development.  NALA is a preeminent resource for individual and professional success. 

NALA provides current information about the paralegal profession through continuing education, networking opportunities, professional certification programs, occupational survey reports, and other publications to help paralegals excel in the workplace.  

What is the NALA CP Exam?

NALA offers paralegals an opportunity to achieve a Certified Paralegal (CP) credential through successful completion of the NALA Certified Paralegal Examination.  According to NALA, certification signifies that a paralegal is capable of providing superior services to firms and corporations. The CP credential has been acknowledged by the American Bar Association as a mark of high professional achievement, and more than 47 paralegal organizations and numerous bar associations also acknowledge the CP as the definitive paralegal certification.”     

The Certified Paralegal examination will consist of two required sections taken in the following order. Visit the NALA website and this policy page for additional information.

Knowledge Exam

  • The Knowledge Exam will consist of multiple-choice questions covering the topic areas listed in Appendix A.
  • The Knowledge Exam will be administered on-demand, year-round at testing centers, with preliminary results reported upon completion.
  • Candidates must successfully complete the Knowledge Exam in order to be eligible to take the Skills Exam.
  • Three (3) hours testing time.

Skills Exam

  • The Skills Exam will consist of a written assignment; specifications are set forth in Appendix A.
  • The Skills Exam will be administered during four testing windows each year:  February, April, July, and October.
  • Two (2) hours testing time.

Successful completion of both the Knowledge and Skills Exams is required to obtain the Certified Paralegal credential.

View the CP Program Candidate Handbook for a complete description of the program.

 

Types of questions on the NALA CP Exam

  • Multiple Choice Questions
  • Written Assignment

Helpful information about test questions and test-taking strategies:

  • The CP exam is a comprehensive assessment based on federal law and procedure. You can find the description of the exam sections and suggested study material located under the Examinees section of the Certification page on our website. 

 

NALA, the National Association of Legal Assistants, is a nationally recognized professional association for paralegals. It provides a national certification exam, the NALA CP, for paralegal students upon graduation from a paralegal program.

Click here for information about the certification examination and the application process. Click here to view a listing of testing centers in your state. Refer to this website for more assistance.

Certain requirements must be met in order to apply to take the NALA Paralegal Certification Exam.

Eligible candidates include:

  • Persons who are in the last semester/quarter of or have graduated from an associate's degree paralegal program are eligible to apply to take the NALA Certified Paralegal Examination.

Review the information at CP Examinee Eligibility for more information about the eligibility requirements to take the NALA Certified Paralegal Examination. 

  • You will need to create an account (at no cost) to begin the application process for NALA Certified Paralegal Examination.

Beat your test anxiety by being prepared!

Utilize the resources below to help you best prepare for the NALA CP Exam.

Study Aids:

Feeling overwhelmed about taking the NALA CP Exam?  Check out these resources to help you stay on your A game!  We have all the resources you could want to help you prepare for your test and stay cool while taking it, plus some tips for mastering multiple-choice exams.  

  • Creating a Study Schedule – To really prepare for tests, you must begin at the beginning.  The key to learning is understanding, not just memorizing. Creating study tools such as mindmaps and flashcards will help you in the long run. Focus on steps 4 and 5 in the study cycle while preparing for the POST Board exam.
  • Pre-test Prep & Post-test Reflection – What are you doing to prepare for your exams, and what should you be doing?  This sheet helps you strategize better study plans.
  • Managing Test Anxiety Video – This short webinar will give you tips to help you keep your cool as you take your exam.
  • Test-taking Strategies Video – Do you always seem to choose the wrong option in multiple-choice tests?  Watch this short webinar on tips to help you master multiple-choice and other test questions.
  • Studying Tips for College Students – No one knows studying for tests like fellow students!  This student blog shares the studying tips you need to do well on tests.  You can also learn How to Beat College Exam Stress.

 

Click on the image below to link to additional test taking skills resources:

  • Last Updated: Feb 22, 2023 6:44 PM
  • URL: https://guides.rasmussen.edu/justicestudies
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