Rule 24-101.1. Paralegal division.

A. Membership. A person is eligible to become a member of the paralegal division of the state bar if the person meets the qualifications set forth in this rule and bylaws approved by the Board of Bar Commissioners. B. Employment qualifications. A person may become a member of the paralegal division if the person: (1) contracts with or is employed by an attorney, law firm, corporation, governmental agency or other entity; (2) performs substantive legal work as defined in Rule 20-102 NMRA; and (3) meets one or more of the qualifications described in Paragraph C of this rule. C. Educational and experience qualifications. In addition to the employment qualifications set forth in Paragraph B of this rule, an applicant for membership to the paralegal division, shall meet one or more of the following educational or experience qualifications: (1) graduation from a paralegal program that is: (a) approved by the American Bar Association; (b) an associate degree program; (c) a post-baccalaureate certificate program in paralegal studies; or (d) a bachelor's degree program; (2) graduation from a post-secondary legal assistant program which consists of a minimum of sixty (60) semester hours or equivalent, as defined by the American Bar Association Guidelines for the Approval of Paralegal Education Programs, of which at least eighteen (18) semester hours or equivalent are general education courses and eighteen (18) semester hours or equivalent are legal specialty courses; (3) a bachelor's degree in any field plus two years of substantive law-related experience under the supervision of a licensed attorney. Successful completion of at least fifteen (15) semester hours of substantive paralegal courses may be substituted for one year of law-related experience; (4) graduation from an accredited law school and not disbarred or suspended from the practice of law by the State of New Mexico or any other jurisdiction; or (5) certification by the National Association of Legal Assistants, Incorporated, the National Federation of Paralegal Associations, Incorporated or other equivalent national or state competency examination plus at least one (1) year of substantive law- related experience under the supervision of a licensed attorney.