Debra L. McDonough, legal assistant for the NDSU General Counsel, successfully completed the two-day certified paralegal examination and is entitled to use the “CLA” or “CP” professional credential. She is among 120 paralegals in North Dakota who have attained this goal.

Established in 1976, the certified paralegal examination program is a voluntary professional credentialing program developed by the National Association of Legal Assistants and administered by a board composed of paralegals, members of the American Bar Association and paralegal training educators. The CLA/CP program involves successful completion of a comprehensive examination covering the topics of communications, legal research, ethics, human relations and interviewing techniques, legal terminology, judgment and analytical ability and substantive law.

McDonough has worked at NDSU since 2001 and has been with the Office of the General Counsel since 2005.