Discover the benefits of joining Iowa's largest paralegal association and take control of your career.

 

IPA offers valuable services and member benefits to paralegals, employers and students with an interest in the legal profession in Iowa. Click on the Membership Application button to sign up today!

If you renew or apply for active membership before January 31, you have the opportunity to get a publication of your choice.  Click on the Membership Application button to sign up today!


  • Active:  $90.00
    An individual whose supervising attorney attests that such person is qualified as a paralegal AND that such individual works at least three-fourths of total hours of employment as a paralegal as defined by the American Bar Association. Active members must live or work in the State of Iowa. This membership classification carries voting privileges at the state level. Active members may serve as state officers.
  • Associate:  $60.00
    Any individual not currently employed as a paralegal who has successfully completed a course of study as a paralegal at an educational institution. Any individual not currently employed as a paralegal who has successfully completed the Certified Paralegal (CP) examination administered by the National Association of Legal Assistants.Paralegals. Any former active member of IPA not currently employed as a paralegal. Associate members may vote and hold office on a regional level, but do not have state voting rights and may not hold a state office.
  • Student:  $25.00
    Any individual who is a student at any educational institution pursuing a course of study as a paralegal, and who is not currently employed as a paralegal. Evidence of good standing or an attestation of the director of said program that the individual is a student in good standing is required. Student members do not have voting rights and may not act as an officer on either the state or regional level. Please send the required documentation to membership@iowaparalegal.org upon submission of your application.
  • Sustaining:  $150.00
    Those members of bar associations or the legal profession endorsing the paralegal concept or involved in the promotion of the paralegal profession. Those members of the educational field endorsing the paralegal concept or involved in the promotion of the paralegal profession. Any person or entity endorsing the paralegal concept or expressing a viable ongoing interest in the legal profession and approved by the Board of Directors.


The paralegals of Iowa Paralegal Association are some of the best paralegals in the state. We care about our professional development. We take the time to stay current on the everchanging legal landscape. We are dedicated to our careers and making an impact.

Learn more about the benefits of joining this association of intelligent, like-minded professionals below.

The association provides an annual subscription to NALA's Facts & Findings magazine to all active members who renew their membership or join the association before January 31.
By using the Membership Directory, attending seminars, and participating in Region meetings, members of the association are able to discuss issues pertaining to the profession and with individuals who share common concerns and interests. Networking is often the most successful avenue for those paralegals seeking employment.
Available in the Member's only section, the associations Member Directory helps members locate peers working throughout the state.
The Original Notice provides a means through which the Board of Directors can update members on activities being conducted in each of the regions and at the state level. Pictures, awards, announcements, and articles keep members informed. The Original Notice is emailed to members and is also made available in the member's only section of the association's website for easy access.
In addition to networking opportunities that may lead to employment, the association posts paralegal job openings on the association’s website. As a courtesy to the attorneys that the Iowa Paralegal Association supports, we also provide postings for support staff other than paralegals.
The association conducts two educational seminars per year. These seminars typically rotate to various areas of the state from year to year in order to provide ample opportunity for paralegals to obtain continuing legal education. Seminars are general in nature in order to provide a wide array of topics. Members of the association may attend each of these seminars at a reduced cost. New student members of the association are provided a certificate for free attendance at one of these seminars.
Gain valuable information from informative speakers at monthly and/or quarterly Region Meetings in your area. In addition to IPA events, we are constantly updating our events calendar with additional events held by others that would interest paralegals. IPA also has libraries of self-study, prerecorded webinars and podcasts available to its members.
Paralegal students, new paralegals and paralegals new to a particular area of law, IPA is here to get you in touch with an experienced paralegal who can share his or her paralegal experiences, and offer friendly advice. Mentors and mentees seeking mentors will be paired on the basis of similar interests or career goals.
The association supports its members by offering scholarships that may be used in furthering their education.
As an affiliated association of NALA, the association encourages its members to study and sit for the CP and specialty exams offered by NALA. Members of the association who have achieved the CP designation serve as mentors, form study groups, and conduct study sessions. Member CPs can also proctor exams within the boundaries of the state, thus allowing paralegals to avoid the stress and expense of travel to other areas of the country for the exams.
Board and Committee members review issues concerning the paralegal profession and advise members of concerns and significant events. Members are kept apprised of laws that affect their profession and activities of affiliated associations throughout the country. Due to the efforts of the association, paralegals in Iowa who have passed NALA’s CP exam have been granted permission to use the designation of “Certified Paralegal” beneath their signature.
The association's discussion groups are a designated space where members can network and assist each other in working in the legal profession. This benefit also provides a forum through which members can communicate and engage with the committee activities.

 

When you join IPA, you join a large community of legal professionals united by a common desire to continuously learn, interact, collaborate, and innovate. IPA membership provides you with the resources and opportunities you need to keep on top of changes in the legal world; get involved in standards development; network with other professionals in your local area or within a specific legal interest; mentor the next generation of paralegals, and so much more. There is no better time to discover all that IPA membership has to offer.  Click on the Membership Application button below and join today!

"There is one quality that one must possess to win, and that is definiteness of purpose, the knowledge of what one wants, and a burning desire to possess it."  - Napoleon Hill