Professional Legal Secretary (PLS)
Credential: Professional Legal Secretary (PLS)
Credentialing Agency: NALS - The Association for Legal Professionals
Renewal Period: 5 years
Professional Legal Secretary (PLS) is the advanced certification for legal professionals. Candidates must have three years' experience in the legal field. A partial waiver of the three-year legal experience requirement may be granted for post-secondary degrees, successful completion of the ALS exam, or other certifications. The maximum waiver is one year. Candidate needs to take and pass a one day, four-part exam that includes knowledge areas on written communications, office procedures and technology, ethics and judgment, and legal knowledge and skills.
More information can be found on the certifying agency's website.
Professional Legal Secretary (PLS)
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Eligibility Requirements (View Details)
- Credential Prerequisite
- Experience: 3 years
- Education
- Training
- Membership
- Other
- Fee
Note: This credential may have multiple options for becoming eligible. Listed are the minimum requirements based on the minimum degree required. To view other options, see the Eligibility tab.
Exam Requirements (View Details)
- Exam
- Written Exam
- Oral Exam
- Practical Exam
- Performance Assessment
RECERTIFICATION SUMMARY
Renewal Period: 5 years
AGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION
NALS - The Association for Legal Professionals
P.O. Box 470348
Tulsa, OK 74147
Phone: (918) 582-5188
Fax: (918) 582-5907
Contact Page
Experience REQUIREMENTS
Candidate must have three years' experience in the legal field.
Note: A partial waiver of the three-year legal experience requirement may be granted for post-secondary degrees, successful completion of the ALS exam, or other certifications. The maximum waiver is one year.
Other REQUIREMENTS
The Professional Legal Secretary (PLS) credential has the following other requirements:
- Candidate must agree to follow the NALS Code of Ethics.
Written Exam
-
Written Communications
- Grammar and Word Usage
- Punctuation
- Number Usage
- Capitalization
- Spelling
- Composition and Expression
-
Office Procedures and Technology
- Records Management
- Computer Information Systems
- Miscellaneous Equipment and Information Services
- Other Office Procedures and Practices
- Office Accounting
-
Ethics and Judgment
- Ethics
- Judgment Regarding Appropriate Actions and Priorities
-
Legal Knowledge and Skills
- Legal Knowledge
- Citations
- Legal Research
- Legal Skills
Exam Preparation Resources
There are a number of resources available to help you prepare for the Professional Legal Secretary (PLS) examination:
- Best Sources
- General References
- Related Training
RECERTIFICATION
Professional Legal Secretary (PLS)
Renewal Period: 5 years