Establishing minimum educational and continuing educational standards for paralegals in South Carolina enhances the quality of the support services that paralegals provide to the lawyers who employ them. This, in turn, improves the quality of client representation by those lawyers. Certification highlights the importance of paralegals in the practice of law and is the hallmark of professionalism. Becoming a SC Certified Paralegal is the next step in your professional career.

• It demonstrates your commitment to the paralegal profession.
• It is a recognition of the high professional standards you have satisfied.
• It enhances the quality of the legal support services that you provide to lawyers.
• It helps you stay current in the legal field.
• It makes the hiring process easier – your credentials are already verified.

Other benefits of certification include free access to Fastcase, one of the largest online libraries in the world, a digital badge for use in email, social media and letterhead to publicize your certification, and access to discounts on goods and services afforded to SC Bar Members. You can see a list of those goods and services at www.scbar.org/lawyers/member-benefits-assistance.

How to Qualify

• pay an annual fee of $50.00; and
• at the time of application, be designated as a Certified Legal Assistant (CLA)/Certified Paralegal (CP), Professional Paralegal (PP) or PACE-Registered Paralegal (RP). 

No individual may be certified as a paralegal if the individual's certification or license as a paralegal in any state is under suspension or has been revoked; the individual is or was licensed to practice law in any jurisdiction and has been disbarred, is suspended from the practice of law, or resigned in lieu of discipline; the individual has been convicted of a criminal act that reflects adversely on the individual's honesty, trustworthiness or fitness as a paralegal, or has engaged in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation; or the individual is not a legal resident of the United States.

Portions of this text are used with permission of The North Carolina State Bar.