Long ranked among the best states in the nation for its business-friendly environment, North Carolina is a hub for corporations like Lowes, Bank of America, and Honeywell. Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro, Durham, Winston-Salem, and more, North Carolina is grounded in multiple, large metro areas where business thrives and opportunities for paralegals abound.
Whether you have an interest in corporate law, bankruptcy law, litigation, or estate law, your solid work ethic, organizational prowess, and ability to thrive under pressure are a perfect match for a career as a paralegal. But before you can become part of this exciting profession, you’ll need to make sure you understand how to become a paralegal in North Carolina.
With so many paralegals at work in North Carolina, the North Carolina State Bar (NCSB) created a Plan for Paralegal Certification, which was adopted by the North Carolina Supreme Court in 2004. Under this plan, paralegals may voluntarily choose to become certified and use one of the following titles: North Carolina Certified Paralegal, North Carolina State Bar Certified Paralegal, Paralegal Certified by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Paralegal Certification, or NCCP. The NCCP certification process involves meeting educational standards and passing an examination that is offered by the NCSB.
Educational requirements for North Carolina certification are: an associate, bachelor’s, or master’s degree in paralegal studies; a juris doctorate degree from a law school; or an associate or bachelor’s degree in another filed complemented by a post-baccalaureate certificate in paralegal studies.
Degree and certificate conferring educational institutions must also meet qualifications, and be either American Bar Association (ABA) approved, American Association for Paralegal Education (AAfPE) proved, or offer a program that would meet AMA/AAfPE standards and be accredited by the United States Department of Education. There is no path to certification for paralegals without formal education.
North Carolina Statistics
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As in other states, paralegal-attorney relationship in North Carolina is governed by Rule 5.3 which concerns the Professional Responsibilities of Lawyers to Nonlawyer Assistants. Lawyers must directly supervise paralegals and assume responsibility for paralegals’ conduct when executing work given to them by the lawyer. Additionally, lawyers may not ask paralegals to perform tasks which would fall under the category of “practicing law without a license.”
Is There Paralegal Certification in North Carolina?
While it is legal to work in North Carolina without meeting the NCCP requirements, many paralegals choose education as their entry point into a career so that they can be competitive in their job search and have the option of certifying. As the NCCP certification plan requires that educational programs meet ABA or AAfPE educational standards and be accredited, program choices should be thoroughly researched.
The terms “certificated paralegal” and “certified paralegals” are sometimes interchanged although they signify different things. Certificates are issued by some educational programs in lieu of degrees. Certificated paralegals have received a certificate of completion from an educational certificate program. Some programs admit students without a previous degree and others, called post-baccalaureate certificate programs, require a degree in any field as a prerequisite. In North Carolina, it is legal to work with a non-baccalaureate certificate but only a post-baccalaureate certificate qualifies a paralegal to become a NCCP.
National certification, through which paralegals become certified paralegals, is another pathway to demonstrate proficiency in the paralegal profession, though it is not recognized for certification purposes within North Carolina. To be eligible for national certification, paralegals must meet requirements for education, work experience or a combination of the two. Paralegals who meet those requirements may then take a national certification exam. Requirements for the national exams differ between the three national paralegal organizations.
Currently there are four 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
The North Carolina Paralegal Association (NCPA), founded in 1980, has worked for over 30 years to develop a strong paralegal network across the state and to advocate for the interests of paralegals in discussions around regulation, educational standards and the like. The NCPA championed the North Carolina Certified Paralegal plan as part of its commitment to raising the professional status of paralegals and demonstrating a commitment to ongoing education. The NCPA continues to respond to the needs and interests of its members by introducing new programs such as mentoring, partnering with Legal Aid of North Carolina to offer pro bono services, and offering continuing legal education (CLE) on hot topics in the paralegal profession.
The NCPA has the following membership levels:
- General Member – Open to North Carolina residents who meet one of the following:
- Paralegal school graduate who is or has been employed as a paralegal
- Three years of continuous on-the-job paralegal training
- NALA certification as a Certified Paralegal (CP)/Certified Legal Assistant (CLA)
- North Carolina Certified Paralegal (NCCP)
- Associate Member – Open to North Carolina residents who meet one of the following:
- Employed paralegals who have been working for less than three years
- Graduates of paralegal training programs with no work experience
- Paralegal educators
- Licensed practicing attorneys
- Former General Members
- Meets General Membership eligibility but resides out-of-state
- Student Member – Open to students enrolled in a paralegal education program
- Patron/Sustaining Member – Open to persons and entities who support the NCPA
- Affiliate Member – Open to paralegal associations in North Carolina
- Paralegal Educational Program – Open to schools that offer paralegal education programs
North Carolina State Bar – This association offers the optional North Carolina Certified Paralegal (NCCP) credential for paralegals who meet these requirements:
- US citizen
- Have a paralegal studies degree from a program approved by the ABA or the North Carolina State Bar
- Pass an examination
Once you’ve earned the NCCP you can refer to yourself as:
- North Carolina Certified Paralegal (NCCP)
- North Carolina State Bar Certified Paralegal (NCSB/CP)
- Paralegal Certified by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Paralegal Certification
Regionally, many professional associations provide networking opportunities, develop working relationships with local bar associations, and offer ongoing education and professional development. Local professional associations include: the Asheville Area Paralegal Association (AAPA), the Catawba Valley Paralegal Association, Inc. (CVPA), the Cumberland County Paralegal Association (CCPA), the Guilford Paralegal Association (GPA), the Metrolina Paralegal Association (MPA), the Raleigh-Wake Paralegal Association (RWPA) and the Research Triangle Paralegal Association (RTPA).
Raleigh-Wake Paralegal Association (RWPA) – Offers two levels of membership:
- General Membership – Open to individuals who meet one of the following:
- Is or has been employed under the direct supervision of a licensed attorney
- Has completed a paralegal training program
- Is currently a North Carolina Certified Paralegal (NCCP)
- Is an educator associated with paralegal training programs
- Student Membership – Open to those enrolled in a paralegal training program
Metrolina Paralegal Association (MPA) – Affiliated with the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA), the MPA offers three levels of membership:
- General Member – Open to those who meet one of the following:
- North Carolina Certified Paralegal (NCCP) credential
- Certified Paralegal (CP)/Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) credential from NALA
- Graduate of a paralegal program and currently employed as a paralegal
- Three years of on-the-job paralegal training
- Associate and Student Members – Open to those who meet one of the following:
- Graduate of a paralegal program but not currently employed
- Less than three years of paralegal work experience
- Enrolled as a student in a paralegal program
- Individuals, attorneys, and paralegal program representatives who endorse the paralegal concept
- Patron – Open to persons and entities who support the goals of the MPA
Cumberland County Paralegal Association (CCPA) – Offers three levels of membership:
- General – Open to those who live in Cumberland County who meet one of the following:
- Graduate of a paralegal program with current or previous paralegal employment experience
- Two years of on-the-job training as a paralegal
- Certified Paralegal (CP) or Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) credential from the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA)
- Associate – Open to those who live in Cumberland County who meet one of the following:
- Six months of paralegal training
- Graduate of a paralegal program
- Paralegal program educators
- Does not live in Cumberland County but otherwise qualifies for General membership
- Licensed North Carolina attorney
- Student – Open to students enrolled in a paralegal program
Catawba Valley Paralegal Association (CVPA) – Offers five levels of membership:
- Professional – Open to paralegals, paralegal educators, and those employed in the judicial system
- Associate – Open to retired or unemployed paralegals
- Graduate – Open to recent graduates of paralegal programs
- Student – Open to students enrolled in at least an associate’s degree program in paralegal studies
- Educational Institution – Open to classes of paralegals with at least 25 students
Law Firms
Large law firms are major employers of paralegals in North Carolina. They can be important entry-points for new paralegals. North Carolina’s top law firms include:
- Alston & Bird LLP
- Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & L
- Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP
- Cranfill, Summer & Hartzog LLP
- Hedrick Gardner Kincheloe & Garofalo
- Hunton & Williams LLP
- K & L Gates
- Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton
- Mayer Brown
- McGuirewoods
- Merritt, Flebotte, Wilson, Webb & C
- Moore & Van Allen PLLC
- Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP
- Nexsen Pruet
- Parker, Poe, Adams & Bernstein
- Patterson Dilthey Clay Bryson
- Poyner & Spruill
- Robinson Bradshaw & Hinson
- Smith Moore
- Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan LLP
- The Van Winkle Law Firm
- Ward and Smith, P.A
- Williams Mullen
- Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice
- Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton
Important Contacts for Paralegals
- North Carolina Paralegal Association (NCPA), affiliated with NALA
- Asheville Area Paralegal Association (AAPA)
- Catawba Valley Paralegal Association, Inc. (CVPA)
- Cumberland County Paralegal Association (CCPA), affiliated with NALA
- Metrolina Paralegal Association (MPA), affiliated with NALA
- Raleigh-Wake Paralegal Association (RWPA)
- Research Triangle Paralegal Association (RTPA)
- North Carolina Bar Association (NCBA)
- North Carolina State Bar – Board of Paralegal Certification
- North Carolina State Bar – Guidelines of the Use of Paralegals in North Carolina
- North Carolina State Bar – Guidelines for Becoming a Certified Paralegal in North Carolina
- North Carolina Court System
- North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State
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.