NALP Level 4 Certificate for Associate Paralegals

The NALP Level 4 Certificate for Associate Paralegals replaces the Level 4 Diploma in Paralegal Studies.

The new Level 4 Certificate enables you to gain or strengthen knowledge of key areas of law. The subjects covered within the Level 4 Certificate have been chosen by NALP to provide a solid foundation for new paralegals to build upon as they start in their chosen profession.

By completing the Level 4 Certificate, you will develop the qualities and transferable skills for paralegal practice requiring the exercise of some personal responsibility. Additionally, you will gain a recognised and respected qualification to aid you in entering and progressing your career as a paralegal.

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Course fees

Entry requirements

Learners under the age of 25 wishing to enrol on the NALP Level 4 Certificate for Associate Paralegals must have obtained any one of the following qualifications:

NALP Level 3 Qualification (NALP Level 3 Certificate for Paralegal Technicians, NALP Level 3 Certificate or Diploma in Paralegal Practice or NALP Level 3 Paralegal Apprenticeship)
Two A Levels in any subject OR A Level in Law OR T Level in Law
International Baccalaureate Diploma
BTEC National Diploma (NVQ/GNVQ Level 3 or above)
ILSPAs Legal Secretary Diploma
Access to HE Diploma
Foundation Year Degree
Non-UK Equivalent Qualifications

Learners over 25 years old are welcome to enrol on the NALP Level 4 Certificate for Associate Paralegals without meeting any of the above criteria, however, please contact us to discuss whether this is the correct level for you.

Learners must have a NALP Affiliate membership in order to study this qualification (1-year Affiliate membership is included in the course fee).

A reasonable standard of written English is required (equivalent to a Level 2/3 in English such as a GCSE grade 4/5 (old grade C), A-Level etc.).

What will you study?

There are four mandatory units required to complete the NALP Level 4 Certificate for Associate Paralegals.

The following is a summary of the units underpinning the NALP Level 4 Certificate for Associate Paralegals with the Total Qualification Time (TQT). The TQT is a term used for qualifications regulated by Ofqual and is the total number of hours it is estimated that an average learner will take to complete a qualification. Each unit has a TQT of 95 hours, providing an overall TQT of 380 hours to complete the qualification.

Unit 1 – English Legal System for Associate Paralegals: To gain a detailed knowledge and understanding of the legal system in England and Wales (TQT 95 hours)
Unit 2 – Law of Tort for Associate Paralegals: To understand the rules requiring persons to have a duty of care towards other persons and provide awareness of which infringements constitute a tort in law and the remedies that are available (TQT 95 hours)
Unit 3 – Criminal Law for Associate Paralegals: To understand what constitutes a crime, different categories of criminal offences and defences that may be available (TQT 95 hours)
Unit 4 – Employment Law & Practice for Associate Paralegals (available Summer 2025): To understand substantive employment rights and duties to effectively take part in the practice of employment law by contributing to the drafting of advice (TQT 95 hours)

You will have a maximum of two years course access to complete from the date of enrolment, however most learners will complete within one year.

Note that you must have a NALP Affiliate membership in order to study this qualification (1-year Affiliate membership is included in the course fee). If you do not complete within 1 year you will need to purchase additional membership with NALP.

Exemption guidance: to discuss possible exemptions please email us with the details of the qualifications you hold (ideally your transcript) and our academic team will gladly assess and advise you further. This is a free service.

Course features

The NALP Level 4 Certificate for Associate Paralegals is taught by online distance learning with all materials supplied. A variety of learning resources are provided to suit different learning styles and are designed in a way to provide knowledge and understanding of each topic, together with revision and application, guiding you step by step through your study of the qualification specification.

The course fees include:

Administration

Flexible start date: We know that our learners need flexibility for course dates to fit around their work and life commitments. This is why you can enrol at any time. The on-demand course materials and Video Library of previous workshops means that, no matter when you start, you will have access to the content and can move through the course at the pace that suits you.
Access period: Learners receive 24 months course access with our NALP Level 4 Certificate for Associate Paralegals.
NALP membership: 12 months free Affiliate Membership is provided to all learners upon enrolment for this qualification.

Workbooks

On-demand course materials

Recorded lectures: Recorded lectures providing an introduction to and summary of the topics to be studied.
Self-test questions: Self-test questions are designed to assess your understanding and recollection of the learning content provided. Answering specific questions about the study materials assist with recall and help you to identify any areas you need to revisit. The questions are fully automated on our virtual learning environment allowing you to attempt the questions and review the suggested answers provided at any time.
Multiple choice questions (MCQs): MCQs are designed to test your understanding of the subject area.

Live tutor support

Unit forum: A monitored online forum where you can raise queries and interact with other learners on the course is provided for each unit.
1:1 tutor support: 48hr email response time from specialist tutors (Mon-Fri) to help with any course-related queries for each provided subject area.
Personal academic coach: Your 1:1 personal academic coach will support you to stay on track not only providing academic support but also pastoral care, careers guidance, CV advice and guidance on how to balance studies and work life.

Final assessment

Lexis+ UK subscription

Lexis+ UK is a leading research platform from LexisNexis. Lexis+ UK provides the largest collection of UK law, up-to-date legislation, case law, commentary and comprehensive practical guidance. Learners can also obtain Lexis+ certification for both Legal Research and Practical Guidance, which is nationally recognised by law firms and demonstrates expertise to future employers. Access will be provided to Lexis+ UK during the period of the course up to the completion of the final assessment.

How will you be assessed?

The NALP Level 4 Certificate for Associate Paralegals is assessed via a multiple choice question (MCQ) paper and a written assignment for each individual unit.

Multiple choice question paper: The multiple-choice paper assessment is taken online via a secure proctoring service, at pre-arranged dates and times. You will have 45 minutes to complete the paper which will consist of 30 questions. This paper will account for 60% of the final mark awarded for the unit.
Written assignment: Written assignments are undertaken on request as you complete each unit of study and will consist of problem based questions. You will have 3 weeks to complete and submit your response with a limit of 4,000 words. This paper will account for 40% of the final mark awarded for the unit.

A pass mark of 45% is set for each assessment (MCQs and written assignment). You must reach the pass mark for each element in order to pass the unit overall.

The course fees include one year Affiliate Membership of NALP. Membership is required in order to request and submit your assignments. If you require longer than one year membership you must purchase an additional membership with NALP.

In order to achieve the overall qualification you must have completed and achieved the required pass mark for all units within 2 years (24 months) of enrolment onto the qualification.

The documentation for this course can be downloaded below for further information.

Assignment Guide for Distance Learners

Download

Level 4 Qualification Specification

Download

Course fees and enrolment

Paralegal Power-Up Offer: Get huge savings on NALP and power up your legal career when you enrol before 31 May 2025.

NALP Level 4 Certificate for Associate Paralegals – £1,450 £1,375

Please use the buttons below to view our course fees and enrol.

Course fees

Enrolment form

Law Training Centre accepts PayPal as a payment option. A link to PayPal will be provided on your invoice when you sign up for a course. PayPal is a secure card processor and allows you to use your debit or credit card to pay, you do not need to have a PayPal account to use this service.

FAQs

What will I need before I get started?

Minimum hardware requirements:

Computer / laptop / Google Chromebook / Apple MacBook
Keyboard and a mouse or another pointing device
Broadband connection with 10 Mbps average speed
An Ethernet cable for maintaining internet stability
Working microphone, either internal or external
Webcam with 320 x 240 VGA resolution, either internal or external

Minimum system requirements:

Preferred internet browser: Google Chrome
Operating system: Windows 7+ / macOS 10.11+ / Chrome 58+
Free RAM: 2GB
Processor: 2GHz Intel Pentium / Intel / ARM
Free disk space: 1GB

How do I enrol?

Law Training Centre accepts applications throughout the year so that learners can start when it suits them most.

You can complete our NALP enrolment form here.

To ensure your enrolment is processed as quickly as possible, please make sure that you read the form carefully, and fill out all the required boxes. If you need any help or have questions, please contact us on 0330 088 8495 or [email protected]

What happens after I complete my enrolment form?

Once received, your enrolment will be processed by our Student Services Team. If there are any queries at this stage, we will contact you.

Invoicing:
We will issue your invoice according to your chosen option – either self–sponsored or firm-sponsored. If you are paying by instalments, a separate Direct Debit mandate email will be sent out for you to complete online, you will need to set up both the Direct Debit and complete the initial payment. Once the invoice has been paid (or the Direct Debit set up if applicable) please notify us by return email.
Payment options:
You can pay by bank transfer to our account or by card using the payment link on your invoice. Cheques are accepted and your course login will be made live once the cheque has cleared into our bank account.
Course Login:
Once we have processed your payment and the 14-day cooling-off period has passed or has been waived, please allow up to 2 working days from the invoice being paid to being emailed your course login.

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Why choose Law Training Centre?

As specialised legal trainers, we’ve trained over 4,500 learners from the UK and across the globe.

Our academic team are legal professionals and academic specialists that understand the requirements of the legal sector.

Unique, fully flexible online course delivery made to fit around your work and life commitments.

Unlimited tutor support for learners to help you accelerate your legal career and stand out from the competition.