Los Angeles Paralegal Association

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 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's practice focuses primarily on Landlord/Tenant, Consumer Protection, Home Foreclosure, Employment Rights, Collection, Bankruptcy, Guardianship, Conservatorship and Supplemental Security Income 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 of California Family Law. The cost of the training is $85.00 for volunteers and the commitment 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.

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!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS