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Membership is open to qualifying paralegals, legal assistants, and paralegal students throughout the Buffalo area.

Benefits of joining the Western New York Paralegal Association can be found here

Qualification of joining the Western New York Paralegal Association can be found here

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Active Member (Voting) - Offline Payments - $65.00 (USD) Subscription period: 1 year No automatically recurring payments Any person who is practicing paralegal / legal assistant at the time application for membership may become a voting member. A practicing paralegal / legal assistant may be employed or retained by a lawyer, law firm, corporation, agency, clinic, governmental agency, court or other entity. A freelance paralegal will be required to submit written verification from a supervising attorney that they have performed substantive legal work in the past 90 days.

If you wish to pay by credit card, please select the “online payment” option. If you attempt to pay an "offline price" with an online payment option (credit card), you will be billed for the non-refundable processing fee.

Active Member (Voting) - Online Payments - $67.50 (USD) Subscription period: 1 year No automatically recurring payments Any person who is practicing paralegal / legal assistant at the time application for membership may become a voting member. A practicing paralegal / legal assistant may be employed or retained by a lawyer, law firm, corporation, agency, clinic, governmental agency, court or other entity. A freelance paralegal will be required to submit written verification from a supervising attorney that they have performed substantive legal work in the past 90 days.

A non-refundable $2.50 online processing fee is included in the listed price. If you would like to pay by any method other than credit card, please select the "offline payment" option.

Associate Member (Non-Voting) - Offline Payment - $55.00 (USD) Subscription period: 1 year No automatically recurring payments Any person who has practiced as a paralegal / legal assistant or who has completed a formal course of study, but who is not so employed at the time of application for membership and any voting member who is not practicing as a paralegal / legal assistant at the time of the annual renewal of such voting member’s membership may become an associate member. Any individual or organization interested in WNYPA's goals, purposes, education and/or professional offerings may become an associate member.

If you wish to pay by credit card, please select the “online payment” option. If you attempt to pay an "offline price" with an online payment option (credit card), you will be billed for the non-refundable processing fee.

Associate Member (Non-Voting) - Online Payment - $57.50 (USD) Subscription period: 1 year No automatically recurring payments Any person who has practiced as a paralegal / legal assistant or who has completed a formal course of study, but who is not so employed at the time of application for membership and any voting member who is not practicing as a paralegal / legal assistant at the time of the annual renewal of such voting member’s membership may become an associate member. Any individual or organization interested in WNYPA's goals, purposes, education and/or professional offerings may become an associate member.

A non-refundable $2.50 online processing fee is included in the listed price. If you would like to pay by any method other than credit card, please select the "offline payment" option.

Emeritus Member (Non-Voting) - Offline Payments - $30.00 (USD) Subscription period: 1 year No automatically recurring payments Any individual who has been an Active or Associate Member (under the provision that he or she has been a practicing paralegal in the past) may become an Emeritus Member provided that such Member. Emeritus Members in good standing shall be entitled to fully participate in the affairs of the Association, except that they shall not have the right to vote or hold elective office.

If you wish to pay by credit card, please select the “online payment” option. If you attempt to pay an "offline price" with an online payment option (credit card), you will be billed for the non-refundable processing fee.

Emeritus Member (Non-Voting) - Online Payments - $32.50 (USD) Subscription period: 1 year No automatically recurring payments Any individual who has been an Active or Associate Member (under the provision that he or she has been a practicing paralegal in the past) may become an Emeritus Member provided that such Member. Emeritus Members in good standing shall be entitled to fully participate in the affairs of the Association, except that they shall not have the right to vote or hold elective office.

A non-refundable $2.50 online processing fee is included in the listed price. If you would like to pay by any method other than credit card, please select the "offline payment" option.

Student - Offline Payment - $30.00 (USD) Subscription period: 1 year No automatically recurring payments A student member is categorized as currently taking classes in order to enter the paralegals field. Paralegals who are taking classes while already in the field should apply for Active (Voting) Membership.

If you wish to pay by credit card, please select the “online payment” option. If you attempt to pay an "offline price" with an online payment option (credit card), you will be billed for the non-refundable processing fee.

Student Member - Online Payment - $32.50 (USD) Subscription period: 1 year No automatically recurring payments A student member is categorized as currently taking classes in order to enter the paralegals field. Paralegals who are taking classes while already in the field should apply for Active (Voting) Membership.

A non-refundable $2.50 online processing fee is included in the listed price. If you would like to pay by any method other than credit card, please select the "offline payment" option.

Benefits

All members of the WNYPA are automatically members of the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) and the Empire State Alliance of Paralegal Associations (ESAPA).
Direct contact with over 100 local paralegals who share your professional interests, educational background, and employment situations.
- Networking opportunities provided by WNYPA sponsored social events
Continuing legal education opportunities, including both formal seminars and informal specialty-section presentations, designed specifically for paralegals.
- Opportunities for professional development including access to Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam (PACE) study group.
Access to WNYPA's online Job Bank Service and, through reciprocal agreements with other NFPA member associations, information regarding career opportunities nationwide
E-mail notification of monthly general membership meetings (September-May) and access to career-elated information disseminated at such meetings
Invitation to monthly social events hosted by the WNYPA Social Committee
Ability to influence WNYPA policy and the future development of the paralegal profession through direct participation in Association activities including committee membership and contributions to Paramount and the Discussion Forum
Access to news of national, state, and local legislation, decisions, and events affecting the paralegal profession
Peer recognition and affirmation

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Qualifications

Active Membership

An Active Member shall be defined as any employed paralegal having a title of paralegal, legal assistant, nurse paralegal, or paralegal assistant or, if self-employed or employed under another title, having a significant number of duties and responsibilities normally associated with a paralegal position, and who meets the requirements set forth in any one of the following eight (8) categories:

possesses a baccalaureate degree, a certificate from a paralegal training program and at least six (6) months working experience in a paralegal capacity;
possesses a baccalaureate degree and at least one (1) year working experience in a paralegal capacity;
possesses an associate degree in paralegal studies and at least one (1) year working experience in a paralegal capacity;
possesses an associate degree and at least two (2) years working experience in a paralegal capacity;
possesses a high school diploma, a certificate from a paralegal training program and at least three (3) years working experience in a paralegal capacity;
possesses a high school diploma and at least four (4) years working experience in a paralegal capacity; or
was an Active Member in good standing of the Association as of December 20, 1988.
any paralegal as defined by the criteria set forth in Subsections A-G above and who possesses at least twenty (20) years working experience in a paralegal capacity, who has been in good standing of WNYPA as of January 1, 2000, but is temporarily not employed as a paralegal. If not employed as a paralegal at the end of a one-year period from loss of employment then the Active Member status expires.

Any paralegal as defined by the criteria set forth and who possesses at least twenty (20) years working experience in a paralegal capacity, who has been in good standing of WNYPA as of January 1, 2000, but is temporarily not employed as a paralegal. If not employed as a paralegal at the end of a one-year period from loss of employment, then the Active Member status expires.

Associate Membership

An Associate Member shall be defined as any employed paralegal not qualifying for active membership or any unemployed paralegal or any individual or organization interested in WNYPA's goals, purposes, education and/or professional offerings. An Associate Member shall not be entitled to vote but shall have all other privileges of active membership.

Student Membership

A Student Member shall be defined as any student currently enrolled in an accredited college or university, who does not meet the requirements to maintain the designation Active Member. A Student Member shall not be entitled to vote but shall have all of the other privileges of active membership.

Emeritus Membership

An Emeritus Member shall be defined as any retired paralegal interested in WNYPA's goals, purposes, education and/or professional offerings. An Emeritus Member shall not be entitled to vote, or to be elected to serve on the Board. An Emeritus Member shall have all other privileges of active membership.

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WNYPA

PO Box 207

Buffalo, New York 14201