Our Purpose

The purpose of IPA is to establish good fellowship among association members and members of the legal community; to encourage a higher order of ethical and professional attainment; to further education and training among members of the profession; and to cooperate and foster working relationships with bar associations and other professional organizations.

The Association

IPA Defines a paralegal/legal assistant as a person qualified through education, training or work experience to perform substantive legal work that requires knowledge of legal concepts and is customarily, but not exclusively, performed by an attorney.  This person may be retained or employed by an attorney, law office, governmental agency, or other entity or is authorized by administrative, statutory or court authority to perform this work.

Indiana Rules of Professional Conduct, 9.1 - 9.10, Use of Legal Assistants, adopted by the Supreme Court in 1994, provide guidelines to attorneys in the use of paralegals/legal assistants.

History

IPA was formed in 1979 as the Indianapolis Paralegal Association in response to the growing need for an organized professional association for paralegals.  In 1983, the name was changed to the Indiana Paralegal Association, Inc. and was incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation.  IPA is a grass roots organization whose policy is developed by consensus of the majority of its membership.  It has grown from an organization consisting of a small handful of pioneer members to the successful collaboration of several hundred paralegals.

Because of IPA's focus and leadership, it has made several accomplishments in the advancement of the paralegal profession.  IPA was the voice behind legislation which was passed that defines a paralegal and allows for the recoverability of paralegal fees when attorney's fees are awarded (Indiana Code 1-1-4-6).  The Association has also adopted Education Guidelines and a Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility and Rules for Enforcement.

Contact Information

Indiana Paralegal Association, Inc.
P.O. Box 441342
Indianapolis, IN 46244
(317) 686-3141
info@indianaparalegals.org
technology@indianaparalegals.org