Tom Pokladowski of UC Irvine Extension Appointed to National Association of Legal Assistants Certifying Board for Paralegals

IRVINE, Calif., June 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- University of California, Irvine Extension announces the appointment of Tom Pokladowski, director of Law, Finance and Business programs at UC Irvine Extension, as a member of the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) Certifying Board for Paralegals. Pokladowski will serve two-years on the board and help maintain the integrity of the credentialing program. He along with other board members will be responsible for all aspects of the certification program including statistical analyses, policy making, disciplinary procedures, and examination content.

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Established in 1976, the Certified Paralegal (CP) credentialing program is administered by the NALA Certifying Board for Paralegals and is nationally recognized. As of March 2013, more than 17,000 paralegals have achieved this designation. Since administration of the first examination, the CP program has had a significant positive impact on the paralegal profession. The CP credential is the nation's standard setting program for paralegals. It provides national recognition of the achievements of paralegals and is a powerful tool in the management of one's career in this competitive hiring market.

Pokladowski oversees and guides the promotion and development of current legal, financial, and leadership programs and curriculum at UC Irvine Extension. He is admitted to practice law in the State of California and has experience in state and federal court.  Pokladowski earned his law degree from Chapman University School of Law, and he is a member of, the Orange County Bar Association and the American Bar Association.

"My experience directing an ABA-approved paralegal certificate program keeps me on the forefront of current trends that will help students gain the skills needed to be successful legal professionals," said Pokladowski. "I hope my experience and knowledge in continuing education can help the paralegal profession continue to grow."

About The National Association of Legal Assistants: The National Association of Legal Assistants, headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is a national non-profit association which represents over 18,000 paralegals through individual members and 84 affiliated state and local associations. It is the leader in the growth and development of the paralegal profession, providing continuing education, professional development and certification programs for the career field. For more information, please visit www.nalanet.org.

About UC Irvine Extension:

As the continuing education arm of UCI, UC Irvine Extension is dedicated to providing a university-level learning experience for students, offering thousands of exciting courses and programs to local, regional, and global constituencies via online curriculum as well as through on campus classes. UC Irvine Extension offers a rich array of academic and community programs to support a diverse audience, from a wide selection of academic programs to numerous campus activities. For more information, please visit www.extension.uci.edu  or fan the school at www.facebook.com/UCIExtension.

About the University of California, Irvine:  The University of California, Irvine is a top-ranked university dedicated to research, scholarship and community service. Founded in 1965, UCI is among the fastest-growing University of California campuses, with more than 27,000 undergraduate and graduate students and about 1,400 faculty members. The second-largest employer in dynamic Orange County, UCI contributes an annual economic impact of $3.3 billion. For more UCI news, visit www.today.uci.edu.

SOURCE University of California, Irvine Extension