National Affiliation
NFPA®
The National Federation of Paralegal Associations, Inc., promotes a global presence for the paralegal profession and leadership in the legal community.
The VPO is a member of the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA). In 1995, when the VPO joined NFPA, VPO members automatically became NFPA members.
NFPA was formed in 1974 and was the first national paralegal association. NFPA consists of a federation of over 50 local and state paralegal organizations as well as individual members. It was created as an issues-oriented, policy-driven professional association, directed by its membership.
Being a member organization of NFPA gives the VPO the strength of being connected to an organization with tremendous resources as well as the power to exchange ideas, partner, and collaborate with over 11,000 paralegals across the country.
VPO members also gain the direct, tangible benefit of receiving the National Paralegal Reporter, NFPA’s bimonthly publication.
Biannually, the VPO membership selects a primary and secondary representative as its delegates to NFPA. The NFPA representatives are also Officers of the VPO Board of Directors. Section 6.10 of the VPO Bylaws provides that the Representatives principal responsibility is to act as liaisons between the VPO and NFPA. The Representatives interact with the NFPA Board of Directors, NFPA Committee Members, and other NFPA Member Organizations via national and regional meetings, online discussions, telephone conferences, and review of NFPA written materials.
Information is disseminated to the VPO membership via:
- selecting and/or writing articles for the VPO newsletter, the Paralegal Focus;
- sharing information with the VPO Membership Chairperson who communicates directly with the VPO membership via occasional email bulletins; and,
- networking with members at VPO events.
Each NFPA member association, regardless of its size, has one direct vote at the national level. The VPO Representatives are accountable for reviewing NFPA agenda topics, educating themselves regarding the VPO memberships’ reaction to proposed resolutions affecting both NFPA and the profession, voicing objections and debating issues at national conferences, and ultimately casting votes that are a reflection of the viewpoint of the VPO membership.
From the 2008 Arkansas Convention:
The Model Plan for Voluntary Regulation, Resolution 08-05 was passed, after being sent back to the committee last year for further development. The resolution approves a model plan for voluntary regulation. It is NFPA's hope that their model, containing national goals, would be used in whole or in part by states or organizations that wish to establish voluntary regulation for paralegals. Review the Model Plan for Voluntary Regulation.
For more information about NFPA, please visit their website at www.paralegals.org
For specific information on how NFPA supports the VPO
Welcome Letter Listing NFPA Benefits
