April 18, 2018 – Through a new State Bar program, paralegals in Wisconsin are eligible to be certified – a credential that demonstrates a paralegal’s dedication to professional development and excellence.
The State Bar of Wisconsin Certified ParalegalTM program is a self-funded, voluntary program for all paralegals in Wisconsin who meet the program's criteria.
“Paralegals have long asked for regulation and recognition for their profession,” said attorney Kathryn Bullon, past chair of the CLE Committee that proposed the program.
This new State Bar program protects the interest of paralegals and attorneys by providing a certification process that vets the paralegal’s education and experience, says Bullon.
To be certified, the paralegals must work under the supervision of a Wisconsin-licensed attorney. They must also meet the program’s education and experience requirements, and participate in ongoing legal education to polish their skills and ensure they’re up-to-date on the latest changes and trends.
A State Bar of Wisconsin Certified Paralegal (SBWCP) meets and maintains the certification requirements, including training and ethical standards. The program provides a benchmark to ensure paralegal competency and enhance the quality of the legal services they provide.
“In this rapidly changing legal market, a SBWCP can work with our attorneys to help enhance the services and broaden the coverage of the attorney's practice as a trusted colleague, not as a competitor,” Bullon said. “The program is a win-win for paralegals and for Wisconsin attorneys.”
‘An Indispensable Part of Our Practice’
Attorney Jessica Kirchner and paralegal Erica Pedrazoli at a Green Bay Packers – New Orleans Saints game in October 2017. Pedrazoli, in the Saints jersey, said “I didn’t even get fired after the Saints won!”
Paralegals are an “indispensable part of our practice,” said attorney Jessica Kirchner, who works with paralegal Erica Pedrazoli at O'Flaherty Heim Birnbaum Kirchner & Curtis Ltd., in La Crosse.
“Paralegals keep my work more organized and allow me to work more efficiently,” said Kirchner. “Our paralegals support us in our work by taking some of the workload off our shoulders so that we focus on tasks that we need to get done.”
It was important to Kirchner’s firm that their paralegals take immediate advantage of the certification process. It isn’t just about education, but about how paralegals fit into the legal profession as a whole. “The certification process for paralegals will hopefully achieve more of an integration of paralegals into law firms and the legal profession overall,” Kirchner said.
“We are a great ‘go-between’ with clients, and can save attorneys time, enabling them to spend more time practicing law,” said paralegal Cindy Dahlke of Klinner Kramer Shull LLP in Wausau.
Dahlke and Pedrazoli are among the first paralegals to be certified as a State Bar of Wisconsin Certified Paralegal, and now use the credential initials “SBWCP” after their names.
“I was excited and could not wait! I have been looking forward to this for a long time,” Dahlke said.
Certification Requirements
“Supporting the professionalism and training of paralegals improves the practices of attorneys who hire them, as certified paralegals are educated on Wisconsin-specific laws and procedures,” said Bullon.
To be certified, all paralegal program applicants must:
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be employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, or agency;
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be directly supervised by a Wisconsin-licensed lawyer;
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consent to a criminal history background check; and
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meet the program’s education OR experience requirements
To maintain their certification, SBWCPs must meet the program’s employment practice and education requirements, including 12 hours of continuing education every two years.
More than a dozen paralegals are now certified since early March, with additional applications in process.
“Certification highlights the importance of paralegals in the practice of law and is the hallmark of professionalism,” said Rebecca Farr of von Brisen & Roper, s.c., Milwaukee, a newly certified paralegal.
“The certification is important, because it sets apart paralegals who work for that designation from others who have not,” Dahlke said.
Kathryn Bullon, past chair of the CLE Committee, discusses the voluntary certification program in April 2016 at a State Bar Board of Governors' meeting.
Expertise and Qualifications
Historically, paralegals developed from the ranks of legal secretaries and assistants who attorneys felt were capable of performing certain tasks previously only performed by attorneys, according to John Goudie, a SBWCP who worked with the State Bar to create the program on behalf of the Paralegal Association of Wisconsin.
Goudie is the first paralegal to be certified in the program. “John spent more than two decades working on behalf of his fellow paralegals to get a program like this in place. It's appropriate that he became our very first SBWCP,” Bullon said.
“Lawyers can further promote that their paralegals are certified by the State Bar and thus are qualified to perform substantive legal work under the supervision of a lawyer,” says Goudie.
Bullon noted that other state bars certify paralegals, currently Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, and Texas. Those state bars recognized the growing field of paraprofessionals and took an active role in shaping how they are be regulated, she said.
Cindy Dahlke of Klinner Kramer Shull LLP in Wausau – who participates in obedience trials with her Shetland Sheepdog, Casey – is one of the first paralegals to obtain SBWCP certification.
An Objective Measure
“The program is an excellent way for law firms to have some objective measure of their staff persons’ qualifications and skill sets,” says Kirchner.
Certification is vitally important to Pedrazoli. “The certification helps firms feel comfortable giving the paralegal more in-depth tasks to complete, and allows clients another degree of protection,” she said.
“By obtaining the certification, you not only make a commitment to yourself, you also show your employer or future employers that you are committed to your profession,” Pedrazoli said.
The Continuing Education Component
Paralegals will also need continuing education to maintain their certification.
“Continuing education allows paralegals a way of expanding our skills without losing the knowledge we already have,” said Pedrazoli. “A continuing education course may also provide a paralegal a new way of thinking or doing a particular task in a way that would be more efficient and beneficial to their attorney. “
Farr said she knows of many paralegals who were very excited to be a part of the start of “this pioneering event,” which is “a way to propel professionalism in our field.”
The certification program emphasizes the specialized legal skills that paralegals work to maintain, according to Dahlke.
“In the medical field, there are LPNs, RNs, CNAs, etc. It is time for us to have that level of professionalism as well,” Dahlke said.
About the State Bar Certified Paralegal Program
The State Bar of Wisconsin Paralegal Certification program is a self-funded, voluntary credentialing program of the State Bar of Wisconsin.
The State Bar Board of Governors established the program to identify training and ethical standards for paralegals working in Wisconsin and to recognize the professional commitment of paralegals who choose to become a State Bar of Wisconsin Certified ParalegalTM (SBWCP).
The program provides a benchmark for paralegal standards for lawyers who do or plan to work with paralegals. And it promotes access to legal services and the justice system by utilizing the services of qualified paralegals.
The SBWCP program creates a standard for the quality of paralegal services. In addition, the program will make the hiring process easier, since a SBWCP’s credentials are already verified and approved by the State Bar of Wisconsin.
Applicants must pay a $125 nonrefundable application fee. If the application is approved, the applicant must pay a $75 certification fee, and annually pay $75 to maintain certification.
For more information, visit the SBWCP website on WisBar.org. There, you’ll find:
For more information about the State Bar of Wisconsin Certified Paralegal program, call the State Bar at (800) 728-7788. You can also email Kristin Huotari, director of professional development.