The paralegal profession has seen significant and progressive growth since its birth in the mid-1960s. Today the paralegal profession continues to mature and expand its duties. Paralegals no longer work just in traditional environments such as law firms and governmental agencies. The profession is expanding into corporate legal departments, paralegal teaching positions, freelance paralegal services, and paralegal management positions. Paralegals are also applying their paralegal skills to other careers. The profession is no longer considered a stepping-stone to law school. Furthermore, the days of paralegals working without formal education are steadily declining. 

Although the paralegal profession has gained widespread recognition in the legal community and by the public, it has long suffered from ambiguity. Anyone today can call himself or herself a paralegal and begin working as a paralegal without any formal education and training. As a result, the profession has confronted professional development and unauthorized practice of law issues that have caused a growing national trend towards paralegal regulation in an effort to provide a more unified system. 

North Carolina is not immune to this growing national trend. Increased concerns expressed by paralegals and attorneys about possible unauthorized practice of law activities in North Carolina and specific actions taken by both the North Carolina State Bar and the North Carolina Bar Association, combined with a growing national trend towards paralegal regulation issues, compelled the formation of the Alliance for Paralegal Professional Standards ("APPS").

APPS decided it was time to be proactive instead of reactive and created a regulatory scheme designed to identify the profession; enhance the professional status of the profession; and create a unified, regulatory voice for North Carolina paralegals.  The proposed regulatory schemes that are contained on our web page are the result of more than four years of hard work by many dedicated individuals. 

APPS was joined in its efforts in 2003 by the North Carolina State Bar.  As the North Carolina state agency tasked with regulating the practice of law in North Carolina, it was felt that regulation of paralegals would work best under the auspices of the North Carolina State Bar.

In July, 2004 the North Carolina State Bar received the statutory authority to regulate North Carolina Certified Paralegals and to seek injunctive relief for the improper use of the title.  This authority became effective October 1, 2004.   The Plan was adopted by the North Carolina Supreme Court during its administrative session the week of October 4, 2004 and is now part of the North Carolina Administrative Code.  The initial Board of Paralegal Certification, which will implement the Plan for Paralegal Certification, was appointed October 22, 2004.  The first applications for certification were accepted on July 1, 2005.  To obtain further information about the Plan for Certification of Paralegals visit http://www.nccertifiedparalegal.org

We hope you will join us in our excitement about this regulation and the future of paralegals in North Carolina.