My Paralegal Association, the Philadelphia Association of Paralegals, is an affiliate of the National Federation of Paralegal Associations, aka NFPA.
NFPA administers an exam - the PACE exam to paralegals in order to ensure the highest level of competency among paralegals. The study guide for the PACE examination, the registration and the test itself costs about $325.00. I was lucky enough to win a scholarship to take the PACE exam, but I have to take the exam before November. I plan on taking the exam in September (or October, but before November) and I have been studying for a long time. The study manual is the size of the Philadelphia phone book.
You may want to look in to taking the test yourself. Once you pass the exam you can then use the R.P. designation after your name. So if I pass, I will be knonw as Kim Walker, R.P. Information on the PACE exam can be found at
http://www.paralegals.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=17
Wish me luck. I'm sure that as I prepare I will learn (or remember) lots if information that I will be sure to pass along.