Grounded by big metro areas like Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska has long enjoyed a strong economy that has resulted in an equally strong paralegal field.
Whether you want to explore opportunities in Nebraska’s corporate sector with companies like Union Pacific, TD Ameritrade, and ConAgra Foods or you want to specialize in areas like litigation, bankruptcy law, and immigration law by securing a job in a major law firm like Berry Law, Johnson Flodman Guenzel & Widger, or Abboud Law Firm, you’re sure to find plenty of reasons to get a career as a paralegal off the ground in Nebraska. But first you’ll need to learn how to become a paralegal in Nebraska, which means earning the education and credentials that will make you a valuable employee.
Nebraska defines paralegals as paraprofessional and sets forth expectations of professional conduct in Rule § 3-505.3. Under this rule, paralegals must work under the supervision of attorneys, who are obligated to instruct them in professional conduct and ethics. Supervising attorneys must also assume responsibility for their nonlawyer-employees’ professional conduct.
Nebraska does not have certification or educational requirements for those wishing to become paralegals. On-the-job training, education or a combination of the two will allow aspiring paralegals to enter the profession. However, in a competitive job market, many aspiring paralegals find that education is helpful in setting them apart from their peers.
Is There Paralegal Certification in Nebraska?
Aspiring paralegals that desire education in paralegal studies can choose from several types of programs from certificates to master’s degrees. If the program is of suitable rigor, for example offered by an accredited institution or approved by the American Bar Association (ABA), it may also aid the paralegal in becoming eligible to take the voluntary national certification exams.
Nebraska Job Statistics
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Certificate programs offer focused coursework in paralegal studies, usually with few general education classes. Students who matriculate from such a program earn certificates of completion and become certificated paralegals. There are two types of certificate programs: those that require that students have previously earned a baccalaureate degree in any subject and those that accept students without higher education requirements.
Aspiring paralegals may also choose to earn a degree in paralegal studies. Degrees combine specialized paralegal education with general education requirements. Associate, bachelor’s or master’s degrees programs in paralegal studies are currently available to interested students.
National Certification
Paralegals who desire to distinguish themselves as qualified professionals known as certified paralegals may sit for one of the voluntary national certification exams that are offered by the national professional paralegal associations. To qualify for the exams, paralegals must meet educational and experiential requirements.
Currently, there are four different exams from which to choose:
- The PACE offered by the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA)
- The PCCE also offered by National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA)
- The CLA/CP offered by the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA)
- The PP offered by the Association for Legal Professionals (NALS)
Paralegal Associations
An affiliate of NALA, the Nebraska Paralegal Association (NePA) has more than 200 members from across the state, including professional paralegals, students, educators and attorneys. NePA is committed to developing the role of the professional paralegal by providing the public with information about the profession and by supporting high professional expectations. To this end, NePA provides continuing legal education (CLE), seminars, information sharing and networking opportunities, a mentoring program, and support for student paralegals or paralegals preparing to take NALA’s CLA/CP exam.
The NePA offers four levels of membership:
- Active
- Distance
- Associate
- Student
Nebraska’s paralegals may also join the Rocky Mountain Paralegal Association (RMPA), which is headquartered in Colorado but has members across Colorado, Nebraska, Utah, Wyoming and South Dakota. The RMPA is affiliated with the NFPA and offers support to those choosing to take the PACE orPCCEexams. The RMPA also works to represent paralegals from throughout the Rocky Mountains in national conversations about paralegals, and to provide networking and educational opportunities to their members.
RMPA offers four membership levels:
- Voting Member – Must be an employed paralegal
- Associate Member – Open to individuals who support the RMPA
- Sustaining Member – Open to firms, organizations, and businesses that support the RMPA
- Student Member – Open to students enrolled in a paralegal program
Law Firms
Large law firms can be great sources of employment for paralegals. The large law firms are usually concentrated in a state’s biggest cities. In Nebraska, Lincoln and Omaha are home to several large firms, including:
- Kutak Rock LLP
- McGrath North Mulling & Kratz, PC LLO
- Baird Holm LLP
- Fraser Stryker
- Koley Jessen P.C.
Important Contacts for Paralegals
- Nebraska Paralegal Association (NePA), affiliated with NALA
- Rocky Mountain Paralegal Association (RMPA), affiliated with the NFPA
- Nebraska State Bar Association
- Nebraska Secretary of State
- Nebraska Judicial Branch
May 2020 Bureau of Labor Statistics salary, growth, and job market trends for paralegals and legal assistants. Figures represent state data, not school specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed December 2021.