The California Advanced Specialist (“CAS”) Program was created in 1994 by agreement (“Original Agreement”) between the National Association of Legal Assistants (“NALA”) and the California Alliance of Paralegal Associations (“CAPA”).
Pursuant to the terms of the Original Agreement, CAPA established a separate entity, the Commission for Advanced California Paralegal Specialization, Inc. (“CACPS,” hereinafter referred to as “CCCP”[i]) to assist NALA in the development, verification, modification, and monitoring of the CAS Program.
CCCP is a California non-profit mutual benefit corporation. It qualifies as a 501(c)(6) tax-exempt organization under the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to CCCP are NOT tax deductible. Under both California and Federal Law, the Commission must derive its income from sources directly related to its mission.
Unlike NALA or CAPA, CCCP is not a member-supported organization and receives no annual membership dues.
In 1995, NALA, CAPA, and CCCP entered into an addendum to the Original Agreement. CAPA remained jointly responsible with CCCP for the performance of its obligation under the Original Agreement.
The first CAS was offered in 1995. The original CAS courses were offered in paper format at select testing locations.
NALA terminated the Original Agreement by written notice of non-renewal, effective December 2003. NALA indicated its willingness to re-negotiate a new contract with CAPA that would continue to support the CAS program in the best interest of CAPA members.
After the announcement of NALA’s new online assessment (Advanced Paralegal Certification program or “APC”), NALA reported that registration for both the CLAS and CAS exam dropped considerably. NALA announced that the CAS would no longer be offered after the July 2005 testing date. There were 59 awardees of the CAS at that time.
In 2005, CCCP entered into a Web Server Usage Contract (“WSUC”) with NALA, whereby NALA agreed to work with CCCP by adding California specific modules to APC Courses using NALA’s existing web platform and awarding the APC, combination APC and CAS, or CAS credential to qualified CLA/CPs.
Under the terms of the WSUC, NALA is not responsible for the content, revisions or additions to the California Modules. CCCP is the owner of the California Modules and is solely responsible for any information, data, text, software, messages, or other materials set forth in the California Modules.
At this time, no contract exists between CCCP and CAPA.
In February of 2016, CCCP launched its first online assessment in California Discovery.
In September of 2016, the Web Server Usage Contract between CCCP and NALA terminated. CCCP and NALA entered into a Course Administration Agreement, whereby NALA agrees to make available the courses created by CCCP to NALA’s existing ACP course library and administer the CCCP courses through NALA’s platforms.
[i] In December of 2015, CACPS filed a Certificate of Amendment to its Articles of Incorporation to change its name from CACPS to the Commission for Certification of California Paralegals (“CCCP”).