Local News / Articles
IS A REGISTERED PARALEGAL (“RP”) DESIGNATION REALLY NECESSARY?
After passing the PACE (“Paralegal Advanced
Competency Exam”), I became a certified RP in January 2001. Since that time, I
have had to renew my RP certification twice by obtaining 12 CLE credits every
two years. While I do have my four year BS degree and almost 20 years experience
in the legal field as a paralegal, I do not have my 2 (two) year paralegal
certificate. It is for this reason that I decided to take the test, as well as
protect my credentials and experience in the paralegal profession.
I anticipated that sometime in the future
paralegals (like teachers and nurses) would become regulated. Paralegal
regulation has been an ongoing topic of discussion. A recent July 1, 2005
article on the front page of The Florida Bar News entitled “Should Paralegals be
regulated?” focuses on the fact that the Bar Board of Governors have approved
the creation of a new special committee to study whether paralegals in Florida
should be regulated. All it takes is one state to regulate paralegals and then
it will most likely continue to happen in the other states (please view
recent article
regarding the status of paralegal regulation in different states prepared by
Valerie A. Dolan, R.P. contained in this forum for your reference). Another
reason I took PACE was because I have seen the term “Paralegal and/or Legal
Assistant” used interchangeably with “Legal Secretary and/or Administrative
Assistant,” as anyone can see if you look at the Buffalo News Help Wanted Ads.
Some employers and/or the general public lump the job descriptions together not
realizing there is a distinct difference. I wanted to make certain that I had
some type of designation to distinguish myself as a paralegal. I was also very
fortunate that my employer paid for me to take the exam and has been very
supportive of me keeping up with my RP designation by obtaining the necessary
CLE credits. The CLE requirement has proven to be very worthwhile, since it
makes me keep abreast of what is going on in the legal field by attending such
events.
My mission in writing this article is to get
other paralegals interested in taking the PACE in order to advance our
profession by providing the legal service industry with an option to evaluate
the competency level of experienced paralegals. The other great news about the
PACE is that candidates now taking the exam receive an instant score at the time
they complete the exam, instead of waiting weeks like I did for the results. If
you are interested in learning more about the PACE, or possibly getting a study
group together to assist you with studying for the exam, I would be more than
happy to coordinate this with you. Please contact me directly at my work phone
of 566-2876, or e-mail of jdimitroff@bsk.com.
Jennifer Dimitroff, RP
PACE Ambassador
