LAPA welcomes and
encourages students currently enrolled in paralegal programs to
take advantage of the benefits LAPA has to offer. Students should
be aware of the below requirements for California paralegals as
stated in California Business & Professions Code 6450.
For students just getting started in their paralegal career, we
understand the challenges you face in getting that first job. Below
is a listing of internship and pro bono opportunities that welcome
paralegal students which can possibly assist you with obtaining
great experience. This webpage will soon announce details of LAPA
paralegal scholarships and will be updated to include more student
internship and pro bono opportunities on a quarterly basis. Additionally,
below is a link that will connect you with LAPA's "Career Center" webpage
where you can post your resume, visit LAPA's "Student Lounge",
have access to legal articles, a national Q&A forum and much more!
CALIFORNIA REQUIREMENTS FOR PARALEGALS
Pursuant to California Business & Professions Code Section 6450(d),
paralegals must meet the following continuing education requirements:
- Four hours of legal ethics every two years; and
- Four hours of general or specialized legal education every
two years.
There is no mechanism for reporting or monitoring compliance with
this requirement. Paralegals and their supervising attorneys must
certify compliance, but the paralegals are responsible for maintaining
records of the certifications. The MANDATORY continuing legal education
("MCLE") requirements provide that "all continuing education courses
shall meet the requirements of Business & Professions Code Section
6070. Per Section 6070 only courses offered by State Bar of California
approved MCLE providers are recognized when considering MCLE credit
hours earned."
NEW BILL EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2007
Paralegal MCLE Requirements
California Assembly Bill 2303 was signed by the Governor and became
effective on January 1, 2007. AB 2303 was an omnibus bill containing
the amendment to Business and Professions Code Section 6450 (d)
to correct the staggered compliance periods set forth in the Code.
The amended section reads:
"6450.. (d) Every two years, commencing January 1, 2007, any person
that is working as a paralegal shall be required to certify completion
of four hours of mandatory continuing legal education in legal
ethics and four hours of mandatory continuing legal education in
either general law or in an area of specialized law. All continuing
legal education courses shall meet the requirements of Section
6070. Certification of these continuing education requirements
shall be made with the ! paralegal's supervising attorney. The
paralegal shall be responsible for keeping a record of the paralegal's
certifications."
Internships / Pro Bono Opportunities
BET TZEDEK LEGAL SERVICES
The House of Justice
145 South Fairfax Avenue, Suite 200
Los Angeles, California 90036
Bet Tzedek is one of the nation's premier legal services organizations
providing free assistance to more than 10,000 people of every racial
and religious background at their offices in the Fairfax and North
Hollywood districts of Los Angeles and at more than 30 senior centers
throughout Los Angeles County. Bet Tzedek makes a crucial difference
in the lives of the most vulnerable members of the community. Bet
Tzedek practice focuses primarily on Landlord/Tenant, Consumer
Protection, Home Foreclosure, Employment Rights, Collection, Bankruptcy,
Guardianship, Conservatorship and Supplemental Security Inco! me
issues.
Pro bono, volunteer, and internship opportunities are available
at Bet Tzedek. In order to possibly perform pro bono, volunteer
and/or internship services for Bet Tzedek, please e-mail your resume
to
humanresources@bettzedek.org to
the attention of Ms. Robin Sommerstein. You may also fax your resume
to (323) 939-1040. For additional information on pro bono, volunteer,
and internship opportunities, please click on the below PDF flyers
and/or visit Bet Tzedek's website,
www.bettzedek.org.
HARRIETT BUHAI CENTER
3250 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite #710
Los Angeles, California 90010
The mission of the Harriett Buhai Center (“Center”) is to provide
family law assistance to low income families in Los Angeles County
through the efforts of volunteer attorneys, paralegals and law
students assuring those families access to the courts, reducing
poverty among children and single parents and stopping domestic
violence directed toward women and children. All volunteers at
the Center must take Family Law training, which is an all day training
of introduction to the theoretical and practical basis bases of
California Family Law. The cost of the training is $85.00 for volunteers
and the co! mmitment of 45 hours of office pro per assistance within
12 months following the training. The 45 hours could be done on
a weekday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or on a Saturday from 9:00
a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Center. The Volunteer Coordinator for
this great organization is Nicole Kennedy, who can be reached at
(213) 388-7505.
Paralegal Scholarships
LAPA awards scholarships for use toward paralegal education. Details
to be announced soon.
Please be sure to visit LAPA's "Career Center" webpage at:
www.lapa.legalstaff.com
On the LAPA "Career Center" webpage, students will have access
to post resumes and the following great features:
The LAPA Student Lounge
Here you will find the career-enhancing services and resources
you need. LAPA's student lounge is part of a national online career & practice
development community of over 50 state and local bar associations,
as well as 15 national and regional paralegal associations. Whatever
your goals, here you will find valuable resources to help achieve
them!
Career & Practice Development Community
This online community assists our members and the wider legal community
in finding the career and practice development related services
and resources they need, locally and nationwide. With over 50 state
and local bar associations as well as 15 national and regional
paralegal associations, you will find all the resources that you
need!
Click here for upcoming LAPA Mandatory Continuing Legal Education
("MCLE") Seminars and networking events!