The majority of today's paralegals don't remember the days when limitations were imposed upon the profession. We've set standards for education, created an ethical code, identified a preferred form of regulation, and developed a professional examination. We've embarked upon the path forged by our predecessors and have reaped the rewards of success. The paralegal profession has now become a bona fide career field. We are recognized as an integral part of the legal team.
Many paralegals take for granted the types of duties they now perform on a daily basis.
Evidence of our professional evolution can be seen in NFPA's publication, Paralegal Roles and Responsibilities . In the 1980s, the publication ran less than 20 pages and contained only a few specialty areas. The 1996 edition of that publication contains more than 60 pages and 27 specialty areas. With the 21st century only a few years away, it is incumbent upon our generation to begin making decisions that further refine the career path for our profession's future. Each decade has brought new challenges to our profession, and the 1990s decade is no different.