About

Mission Statement

The Sierra Nevada Association of Paralegals is committed to promoting the Legal Assistant profession through education and camaraderie.

Who We Are

The Sierra Nevada Association of Paralegals (SNAP) is an association by and for paralegals*, organized to promote professional and ethical development of the vocation.

Since the fall of 1989, SNAP, a Nevada non-profit corporation, has been an affiliate of the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA). Membership consists of paralegals, students, associate and retired members. Its objectives and purposes are to:

• Establish a spirit of collegiality among association members and members of the legal community
• Encourage a high level of ethical and professional achievement; to further education among members of the profession
• Cooperate with local bar associations
• Support and carry out the programs, purposes, and goals of NALA

NALA is composed of more than 18,000 paralegals as individual members and through affiliated associations. Its Web site at NALA.org includes information about paralegal careers and about programs and services of NALA, including its national certification program.

* The terms "paralegal" and "legal assistant" are used interchangeably in Nevada, much like the terms "attorney" and "lawyer."

What We Do

SNAP holds an annual seminar on an area of major importance to the legal community. Monthly meetings are held throughout the year, usually with educational speakers. Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of the month at different local restaurants. SNAP offers CLEs at the annual seminar and monthly meetings with speakers.

SNAP encourages paralegals to seek national certification, such as the CLA/CP ("Certified Legal Assistant" / "Certified Paralegal") designation offered by NALA. To aid paralegals in preparing for the certification examination, SNAP hosts CLA study groups when there is sufficient interest. Please contact nalaliaison@snapreno.com for more information.

The newsletter, SNAP Shot, distributed monthly to members, contains seminar information, news of relevant educational events, and other news of the legal community.

SNAP maintains a job bank, which is a membership benefit, and welcomes all firms and businesses employing paralegals to list their openings. Potential employers and members should contact the Second Vice-President through jobbank@snapreno.com.

SNAP offers several types of membership to fit the needs of the legal community. These include:

• Active: $50
• Associate: $30
• Student and retired: $20
• Sustaining: $75

See the Membership Classifications page for details on each level of membership. A member must agree to be bound by the Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility adopted by NALA and subscribed to by SNAP, and by the SNAP by-laws. A member cannot have been convicted of a felony or have been disbarred from the practice of law. For further information and a membership application, please visit the Membership page or e-mail membership@snapreno.com.

Definition of Legal Assistant and Paralegal

In Nevada, legal assistants, also known as paralegals, are a distinguishable group of persons who assist attorneys in the delivery of legal services. Through formal education, training and experience, legal assistants have knowledge and expertise regarding the legal system and substantive and procedural law which qualify them to do work of a legal nature under the supervision of an attorney.

Disclaimer

The information accessible at this Web site is provided for informational purposes only. In some instances the opinions expressed in certain materials contained on this Web site are the opinions of the individual authors and may not reflect the opinions of SNAP. SNAP does not endorse, and is not responsible for, any third-party content that may be accessed through this Web site. The hypertext links herein are provided for your convenience only and SNAP disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for them, including any content or services provided to you by such Web sites. SNAP does not warrant that this Web site or third party sites, or any of its functions, will be interrupted, error free, or are free of viruses or other harmful components.