President’s Message - from the June 2026 HPA Newsletter

Throughout my career as a paralegal, I have followed the profession closely—both in Houston and nationwide—and one issue consistently arises: confusion within the legal community about the difference between a paralegal certificate and paralegal certification. This misunderstanding is common among attorneys, paralegals, and legal administrators in every state. While many paralegals are not concerned by this distinction, it can be frustrating for those who have invested the time, effort, and expense to earn professional certification, such as the TBLS, CP, ACP, or RP credentials. These are among the most widely recognized certifications in the legal field.

Recently, I saw a social media post from an attorney seeking recommendations for a certified paralegal program for their employee. It was clear upon reading the entire post that the attorney meant a paralegal education program—but completing such a program does not result in certification and I do not believe that the attorney was aware of the difference.

Here’s a simple breakdown:

• Completing a paralegal education program results in a certificate of completion. This means the individual is certificated, not certified.
• Earning a degree in paralegal studies reflects formal education, but it does not confer certification.
• A paralegal becomes certified only by passing an exam administered by a recognized certifying organization, such as the Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS), NALA (CP/ACP), or NFPA (RP).

While certification is not required to work as a paralegal, it represents a significant professional achievement. With thousands of paralegals in Texas and only a small portion certified, it is important to recognize and respect the distinction.

Please use the title “certified paralegal” only if you have earned it through the appropriate process.

Until next month,

Ruth S. Conley

President, HPA 2025-2026