Western Massachusetts

Paralegal Association, Inc.

Membership Information

What is a Paralegal?

A paralegal/legal assistant is a person qualified through education, training and/or work experience to perform substantive legal work that requires knowledge of the law, legal procedure, and skills related to the law and who works under the supervision of an attorney or is authorized by administrative, statutory, or court authority to perform this work. This person may be retained or employed by a lawyer, law office, governmental agency, corporation or other entity.

Membership Classifications

The following information is taken from WMPA's By-Laws:

The Association shall offer and the membership shall be comprised and defined under the following classifications.

1. Voting membership: Anyone is eligible to become a Voting member of the Association, with full voting rights and privileges, provided that he or she is employed as a paralegal at the time of application or renewal. A Voting member shall be entitled to one vote in the affairs of the Association and have the privilege of holding office in the Association.
2. Associate membership: This class shall be open to any person who has been employed as a paralegal or has graduated from a paralegal program and is not employed at the time of application or renewal. Associate members shall have all privileges associated with membership, except the right to vote and hold office.
3. Student membership: Student membership shall be open to any person, not employed as a paralegal, but enrolled in a paralegal educational or training program or serving a paralegal internship related to such a program at the time of application or renewal. A Student membership shall have all privileges associated with membership, except the right to vote and hold office.
4. Sustaining membership: Sustaining membership shall be open to all individuals, corporations, or other entity concerned with the betterment, mutual association and communication of the paralegal profession. A Sustaining membership shall have all the privileges associated with membership, except the right to vote and hold office.

Dues

The annual dues in the Western Massachusetts Paralegal Association are:

 $50.00* for a voting member;

 $50.00 for an associate member;

 $25.00 for a student member;

 $100.00 for a sustaining member

* After July 1, the new voting membership dues will be $25.00 for that year only.

Benefits and Services

In return for membership dues, all members receive the following from WMPA:

 A subscription to PARADOCS, the WMPA newsletter;

 A subscription to the National Paralegal Reporter. The Reporter is a quarterly magazine mailed to each member;

 Education programs and seminars;

 Professional Recognition;

 Job Bank information (http://www.paralegals.org/Center/)

 Links to other useful web sites (http://www.paralegals.org/LegalResources/)

 WMPA's Membership Directory containing all members, their areas of law, and how to contact each member;

 Professional Liability Insurance-NFPA members can purchase professional liability insurance that provides coverage for acts, errors, or omissions for services provided as a paralegal, notary public, or member of a local association Board of Directors or committee members;

 Professional and personal benefits-NFPA members have access to professional liability insurance plans, membership with Members America Credit union, and discounts on professional publications, selected hotels, air express delivery services, car rentals, eye wear, prescriptions, dental and other professional services;

 Annual dinner meeting, featuring guest speakers, and round table discussions about the profession. Members are welcome to bring guests. An annual meeting is held in April to elect officers and to discuss any other business matters which may come before the meeting;

 Professional and personal contact with other paralegals around the country.

National Affiliation

WMPA is a member of the National Federal of Paralegal Associations ("NFPA"), a nationwide organization of paralegal associations. NFPA membership provides paralegal associations with a means of communicating effectively on issues of national importance regarding the paralegal profession. NATIONAL PARALEGAL REPORTER is mailed to all current WMPA members.

NFPA Web Site: http://www.paralegals.org/