Background
The NALA Certifying Board provides oversight for the development and ongoing maintenance of the Certified Paralegal examination. The Certifying Board, NALA certification staff, and trained subject matter experts work in partnership with a qualified psychometric consultant to ensure the examination is developed and maintained in a manner consistent with generally accepted testing practices and utilizes best practices according to national accreditation standards for certification programs.
NALA conducts job analysis studies approximately every five to six years to identify and validate the knowledge and skills measured by the examination program. The results of the job analysis studies serve as the basis for exam specifications.
In October 2016, the NALA Certifying Board conducted its 2016 Job Task Analysis Study ("Study"). This Study examined the duties and responsibilities of paralegals in the workplace and the goals were to
•Validate and update the Certified
Paralegal examination content; and
•Ensure that NALA has current
information about the roles and
responsibilities of paralegals.
NALA contracted with PSI Services LLC, a leader in developing, delivering, and maintaining licensure and certification examinations, to conduct the Study. As part of the Study, NALA sent an electronic survey to more than 9,500 active Certified Paralegals. 1,839 Certified Paralegals responded, for a 19.2% response rate, which is typical for surveys of this nature. NALA included in the results responses only from those currently working in the paralegal field.
NALA posted the report detailing the process and the findings on its website under the Certification link.
New Examination Specifications
Based on analysis of the Study, improvements in technology, and recent refinements by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), and the advice of NALA’s psychometricians, the Certifying Board approved a new structure for the Certified Paralegal examination effective January 2018.
NALA also modified some policies and procedures based upon best practices in credentialing programs, and they are posted on its website under the Certification link.
NALA will administer the Certified Paralegal examination in its current structure for the May 2017 and September 2017 testing windows.
The new examination format will open in early 2018 for one-month of post-administration analysis, scoring, and standard setting.
With these modifications, the Certifying Board listened to member and nonmember paralegals working in the field, and applied findings of the Study to the examination. The Certifying Board works diligently to connect the Certified Paralegal examination directly to the day-to-day duties and responsibilities of paralegals in the workplace. The modifications announced for the 2018 examination are part of the continued effort to ensure the Certified Paralegal examination remains an accurate and relevant reflection of today’s paralegals.
Examination Format
The 2018 Certified Paralegal examination will consist of two required sections taken in the following order:
•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 result
reporting upon completion.
•Candidates must successfully complete the
Knowledge Exam in order to be eligible to
take the Skills Exam.
NALA Certifying Board Announces New Exam Specifications Effective with 2018 Administrations