NALA Affiliate
SMPA is an Affiliate of NALA – The Paralegal Association, the nation’s leading professional paralegal association. NALA provides continuing education and professional development for paralegals, through its various programs and its Certified Paralegal and Advanced Certified Paralegal Programs.
Career Opportunities
SMPA members receive notifications of open paralegal positions in the East Tennessee area. Postings are received from local law firms, corporations, and agencies and distributed to members via our email newsletter.
Networking and Leadership Opportunities
SMPA provides its members with several opportunities to network with area paralegals at its various events throughout the year.
SMPA also provides active members with the opportunity to develop leadership qualities by serving on the SMPA Executive Committee and various other committees.
Continuing Legal Education (CLE)
SMPA provides its members with 1.0 credit of CLE free of charge on varied topics at its monthly luncheons. If you can’t make the meetings, you don’t need to miss out on earning your CLE. Each month we upload a recording of the current CLE presentation to this website. These CLEs are available for viewing in the Members Area for a limited time.
Our Annual Seminar provides 8 to 10 hours of Continuing Legal Education. These seminars are held throughout the East Tennessee region.
Community Outreach
SMPA members are committed to supporting the local community by providing opportunities for members to participate in a variety of outreach efforts that serve individuals and organizations in the East Tennessee area.
Social Media
Members are kept up to date on announcements, news, features, articles, and other information about SMPA and the paralegal profession through our social media platforms.
Mentor Program
All Student Members are assigned a mentor. Mentors are paralegals with a minimum of three years’ experience in the legal field. Mentors also assist paralegal students with questions about the legal profession, while being a source for answers to questions as the students enter the workforce and provide encouragement.
Professional Publication
Members have access to our quarterly publication, The Liaison, for timely articles from various legal professionals, book reviews by our members, case analysis, SMPA events, NALA events, and articles which nourish our individual well-being, as well as, our professional development.
SMPA Today
SMPA Today is provided electronically every month with CLE opportunity announcements and other timely information.
Scholarships
A Certified Paralegal Scholarship is awarded annually to an Active Member in good standing in an amount equal to the cost of taking the NALA Certified Paralegal examination.
A Student Scholarship is awarded annually to a student currently enrolled in a paralegal program within the East Tennessee region.
Sustaining Members
Prominent display of the company logo and contact information on our website with a link to the sustaining member’s website.
We have 4 different membership options available. Find your place with SMPA and get access to these great benefits and resources today!