Active Members: Active Members shall be paralegals who meet at least one of the following criteria:

a.       Awarded a CP or ACP designation by NALA – The Paralegal Association;

b.       Awarded a RP® by the National Federation of Paralegal Association;

c.       Awarded a PP by the National Association for Legal Support Professionals;

d.       Are currently registered with the Florida Bar as a Florida Registered Paralegal (FRP);

e.       Graduated from an ABA-approved paralegal program of study;

f.        Graduated from a legal studies program from an accredited school which requires at least 60 semester hours of classroom study;

g.       Graduated from a legal studies program which required less than 60 semester hours PLUS at least six (6) months of in-house training as a paralegal, as attested to by a supervising attorney;

h.       Awarded a B.A. or B.S. in any field of study PLUS at least six (6) months of in-house training as a paralegal, as attested to by a supervising attorney;

i.        Has a minimum of five (5) years of law-related experience under the supervision of an attorney in the last eight (8) years INCLUDING at least six (6) months of in-house training as a paralegal, as attested to by a supervising attorney.

Student Members: Student membership shall be open to any individual who is actively enrolled in, either full- or part-time, and in good standing with any university, college, junior college, or other educational program pursuing a course of studies as a paralegal or legal assistant, and which school or institution is either (a) ABA-approved or (b) institutionally accredited by one of the regional agencies approved by the U.S. Department of Education for accreditation of higher education institutions and requires not less than the equivalent of sixty (60) semester hours of classroom study.  In order to apply for student membership, an applicant must have signed an attestation from a professor or administrator confirming enrollment. Upon successful completion of the course of study, a Student Member may then apply for either Active or Associate membership in this Division.

Associate Members: Associate membership shall be open to any individual who has current law-related experience, such as legal secretaries, attorneys, judicial assistants, legal studies educators, member of a bar association, or recent graduates of a law related program who does not qualify as an Active Member or Student Member. 

Patron Members: Patron Membership shall be open to any individual, company, firm, vendor, or institution who endorses the paralegal concept or is involved in the promotion of the paralegal profession, and those persons, companies, firms, vendors, or institutions interested in supporting this Volusia County Paralegal Association may become Patron Members.  Patron membership does not include any individual who would otherwise qualify as an Active Member or Associate Member.