Paralegal Division, State Bar of Texas
By Norma Hackler, CMP
The Paralegal Division (PD) was the first paralegal organization to become affiliated with a State Bar in the
country. The Paralegal Division (formerly known as the Legal Assistants Division) was created by the State Bar of
Texas (SBOT) on October 23, 1981. On October 23, 2008, the Paralegal Division will celebrate its 27th
anniversary as well as Texas Paralegal Day. During the creation of the PD, the State Bar of Texas Board of Directors
adopted a stated purpose of the Division, “to enhance legal assistants’ participation in the administration of
justice, professional responsibility and public service in cooperation with the State Bar.” An additional reason for
forming the Division was to provide a state-wide organization for legal assistants which would serve as a central
vehicle for effective communication and resolution of matters of mutual concern to legal assistants throughout the
State.
Membership in the Paralegal Division does not certify, register, or regulate the paralegal profession in any
way. There is no regulation in the State of Texas for paralegals. All certifications must be obtained by successfully
passing an examination administered by one of the following organizations: Texas Board of Legal Specialization,
National Association of Legal Assistants, or National Federation of Paralegal Associations. However, there is a CLE
requirement to maintain Active and/or Associate membership in the Paralegal Division. Currently, 6 hours of CLE is
mandated to renew Active and Associate membership in the Paralegal Division. The 6 hours of CLE must be obtained
within the PD’s fiscal year (June 1–May 31).
In April 2005, the SBOT approved a name change from Legal Assistant Division to the Paralegal Division.
Following a national trend of using the title legal assistant to refer to legal staff and not specifically to those
persons performing substantive job duties, the Bar felt that the term “paralegal” was more specific to the nature of
the substantive legal work paralegals performed. The SBOT Board of Directors also approved changing the words “legal
assistant” to “paralegal” in its definition of a legal assistant. The definition now reads as follows:
A paralegal is a person, qualified through various combinations of education, training, or work experience, who
is employed or engaged by a lawyer, law office, governmental agency, or other entity in a capacity or function which
involves the performance, under the ultimate direction and supervision of a licensed attorney, of specifically
delegated substantive legal work, which work, for the most part, requires a sufficient knowledge of legal principles
and procedures that, absent such person, an attorney would be required to perform the task. (Adopted June 13, 1987;
revised by Division members December 1, 2005). (Revision of Definition of a Legal Assistant was adopted by the
State Bar of Texas Board of Directors on April 8, 2005 to replace “legal assistant” with “paralegal.”)
A year following the PD name change, the SBOT Board of Directors adopted the “Texas Paralegal Standards.” An
article authored by Judge Xavier Rodriguez, US District Judge for the Western District, entitled “State Bar Adopts
New Standards” appears elsewhere in this issue. These standards were created and adopted because members of the
Paralegal Division and supporters of paralegals worked hard to accomplish their goals; it was another great moment
for the paralegal profession. A joint committee was formed that included members of the Paralegal Division and
members of the Standing Committee on Paralegals (a SBOT committee) to write the standards that were ultimately
submitted to the SBOT Board of Directors for a vote. Judge Rodriguez appeared before the SBOT Board of Directors and
was successful in its adoption. A copy of the Standards can be found on the Division’s website under “Texas Paralegal
Standards.”
Today, the Paralegal Division represents paralegal members from across the State of Texas. There are also
members outside of Texas who have maintained their membership even though they have moved from Texas paralegal jobs.
For various reasons, they choose to continue their relationship with the Paralegal Division. There are approximately
1900 Paralegal Division members.
Membership in the Paralegal Division means different things to different people. Some have joined because they
wanted to join their peers to raise the standards of the paralegal profession; others join to network with colleagues
from across the state; and others join to learn more about the career path they have chosen. The Division can be many
things to many people, but every member greatly benefits from each volunteer’s hard work in developing the Paralegal
Division as a leader in fostering the paralegal profession.
There are numerous other benefits as well. One of the most “user friendly” benefits of the Paralegal Division
is its members-only E-Group. This is a listserv for paralegals to use to gain knowledge of the profession. If there
is a question posed to this group, an answer is given in a flash. I have been told by one PD member that her
[attorney] boss comes to her with a question and requests that she send it out to the PD E-Group because he knows he
will receive a quick response; now that really says something. Other benefits for joining the Division can be found
on the website at www.txpd.org, under Membership.
Over the past 17 years, I have come to know the members of the Paralegal Division. Trust me, these are the
types of people you want to get to know and associate with. If you are a member and want to enjoy the true benefits
of PD membership, working with other paralegals, just let us know - there is a job for everyone. Not all of the
members volunteer enormous amounts of time, some just do one job a year. Whatever you do, I am sure you will reap the
benefits of joining in with other members to “grow your profession.” The Division is about You!
To join the Paralegal Division, you can download a membership application from the Division’s website at
www.txpd.org. Just click on the Membership tab to view applications and criteria for membership. There are different
membership categories:
ACTIVE MEMBER is an individual who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work at least 80% of the
time and works under the direct supervision of an attorney; or is a contract (freelance) paralegal who performs
specifically delegated substantive legal work under the direct supervision of an attorney.
ASSOCIATE MEMBER is an individual who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for at least fifty
percent of the time and works under the direct supervision of an attorney OR is employed as the coordinator or
supervisor of a paralegal program within a firm, corporation or agency.
EMERITUS MEMBER is an individual who at one time was an ACTIVE member of the Paralegal Division but is no longer
working as a paralegal. An emeritus member shall have all of the privileges and prerogatives of an active member,
except that an emeritus member may not vote, hold office, or serve as the chair on any committee or subcommittee.
SUBSCRIBING MEMBER is any individual who is interested in supporting the purposes and goals of the Division.
Subscribing members shall not be entitled to vote, hold office, or serve as chair of a committee. It is not the
intent of the Division for subscribing members to use their membership in the Division for the purpose of marketing
or supplying products or services to the legal profession.
STUDENT MEMBER is an individual attending a paralegal education program that meets the criteria of the Paralegal
Division. A student member shall have all the privileges and prerogatives of an active member, except that a student
member may not vote, hold office, or serve as the chair of any committee.
SUSTAINING MEMBER is a law firm, corporation, paralegal training program, company, or individual who supports the
purposes and the goals of the Paralegal Division of the State Bar of Texas. Sustaining members shall not be entitled
to vote, hold office or serve in a voting capacity on a committee.
The Paralegal Division leadership recognizes “To be a vital, dynamic section of the State Bar, the Division, a
professional association governed by its members, must continue to grow and change. Growth and change require some
basic ingredients: (i) the wisdom and experience of its long-time members, many of whom have taken on leadership
positions; and (ii) the creativity, energy, intelligence, and enthusiasm of new members who are willing to give their
time, share their ideas, and take responsibility for the future of the Division. The membership is the mainstay of
the Division.”
Norma Hackler is a certified meeting professional and has been the coordinator of the Paralegal Division since
June 1990. Norma’s work is performed in Austin, TX.
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