Ohio Statewide Alliance

The Ohio Statewide Alliance is a volunteer collaborative effort of the five Ohio Paralegal Associations. Since the 1980’s, representatives members of the alliance associations have gathered to discuss issues that concern the paralegal profession.     

Cleveland Area Paralegals

Greater Dayton Paralegal Association

Cincinnati Paralegal Association

Paralegal Association of Central Ohio

Paralegal Association of Northwest Ohio

Alliance Meetings

The Statewide Alliance meetings are held twice a year in the Fall and Spring. The Statewide Representatives bring agenda topics presented to them by their associations to discuss.

Statewide Forum

The Forum is a day of seminars for paralegals and vendors to network with paralegals throughout the state of Ohio. It is an opportunity to learn about upcoming issues, current trends, and expand your legal topical knowledge. 

The most recent Statewide meeting was held in Columbus on September 12, 2009.

Ohio Paralegal Day

The third Monday in May is designated as Paralegal Day in Ohio.  The Governor issues a Proclamation to each Association proclaiming this day "Paralegal Day in Ohio" and each Association asks the Mayor of their City to issue a similar Proclamation.  The date was chosen to mark the date the first paralegal association, PACO, was incorporated in Ohio.

Regulation

Regulation is a generic term that encompasses all processes granting authority for recognition to an individual or institution.  NFPA has conducted considerable research on the issue of regulation. This research has revealed that there are a number of mechanisms for regulating any profession. Some forms of regulation include:

Accreditation -- a voluntary process by which an agency or organization evaluates and recognizes a program of study or an institution as meeting predetermined qualifications or standards. It shall apply to its institutions and programs of study or services.

Certification -- a voluntary process by which a nongovernmental agency or association grants recognition to an individual who has met certain predetermined qualifications specified by that agency or association. Such qualifications may include (a) graduation from an accredited program, (b) acceptable performance on a qualifying examination or series of examinations, and/or (c) completion of a given amount of work experience.

Licensure -- the process by which an agency or branch of government (a) grants permission to persons meeting predetermined qualifications to engage in a given occupation and/or use a particular title, or (b) grants permission to institutions to perform specified functions.

Limited Licensure -- the process by which a governmental entity grants authority to non-lawyers to assume roles that are customarily, but not exclusively, performed by lawyers in a limited specialty practice area, i.e., real estate or bankruptcy law.
Restricted Licensure -- the process by which a governmental entity grants authority to non-lawyers to assume roles that are customarily, but not exclusively, performed by lawyers with a specified restriction, i.e., for a specific period of time. This license would prohibit assuming roles outside the scope of the restriction unless the criteria for a plenary license is met.

Specialty Licensure -- the process by which a governmental entity grants authority to non-lawyers to assume roles that are customarily, but not exclusively, performed by lawyers in a specialty practice area. This license can stand on its own or be the second tier of a two-tiered licensing program to expand the scope of permissible roles in that particular specialty practice area.

Registration -- the process by which individuals or institutions list their names with an association or agency. Registration may be voluntary or mandatory. There usually is no education or training requirement, although references and/or bonding requirements are sometimes necessary.

Courtesy of The National Federation of Paralegal Associations

Statewide Representatives

Each Association elects or appoints a Statewide Representative to attend and voice the opinions of the Association’s membership. To email PACO’s Statewide Representative, click here.  The Statewide Representatives also attend the Ohio State Bar Association Paralegal Committee Meetings.