CALIFORNIA CERTIFIED LEGAL SECRETARY (“CCLS”)
Do you want to become a CCLS? These are the dates and deadlines you should know.
One section of the California Certified Legal Secretary Exam is “Legal Computations” which includes calendaring. Here is your first exercise – to calendar all the dates and deadlines associated with the CCLS exam. We suggest that you make a note of these dates and deadlines (on Outlook or whatever calendaring program you have in your office) to ensure that you are complying and that there are no surprises.
Taking the Exam
March and September – The CCLS Exam is given twice a year in March and September. The Exam date is the third Saturday of those months.
60 Days Before Exam Date – The deadline to send in applications for the CCLS Exam is 60 days prior to the exam date. The application must be received by the CCLS Certifying Board by no later than the deadline. If the deadline lands on a weekend or a holiday, it is still timely for it to be received by the next business day. If you need to send your application via overnight mail, please contact the CCLS Certifying Board to obtain the address to which you should send the application. These deadlines apply to those who are retaking either the full Exam or portions of the Exam.
30 Days Before Exam Date – Late applications to take the Exam may be accepted up to 30 days prior to the exam date. The application must be received by the CCLS Certifying Board by no later than the deadline. If you apply late, you must include the applicable late fee.
30 Days Before Exam Date – If you are unable to sit for the Exam on the date you have applied for, you must notify the CCLS Certifying Board that you will be deferring and pay the applicable fee. If an emergency occurs and you are not able to submit a timely request to defer, please contact the CCLS Certifying Board Chair to request an exception.
45 Days Before Exam Date – The CCLS Certifying Board will send a confirmation of receipt of your application to take the Exam.
30 Days Before Exam Date – The CCLS Certifying Board will send an email providing you with your Exam schedule, along with other pertinent information you will need for exam day.
After the Exam
6 Weeks After Exam Date – Results of the CCLS Exam will be emailed to examinees within 6 weeks after the Exam.
20 Days After Exam Results Sent – Within 20 days after the Exam results are sent to examinees, those examinees who did not pass the Exam may submit a request to review those portions of the Exam that they did not pass.
60 Days Prior to Next Scheduled Exam Date – Exam reviews must be completed no later than 60 days prior to the next scheduled Exam date. The Certifying Board will contact you to schedule the Exam review, however, it is the examinee’s responsibility to follow up to ensure the review occurs by this cut-off.
LPI Annual Conference – At LPI’s Annual Conference each year, a special luncheon is held on Saturday to honor those new CCLSs who passed the Exam during the last fiscal year.
Recertification
Every 3 Years – CCLSs must recertify every 3 years, during the month that they passed the Exam (either March or September).
March 31/September 30 – Applications for Recertification must be submitted to the CCLS Certifying Board by the last day of the month in which the CCLS is to recertify. If you are unable to meet this deadline, you must contact the CCLS Certifying Board as soon as possible to request an extension, which may be granted upon approval of the CCLS Certifying Board. The CCLS Certifying Board will send out reminders to CCLSs needing to recertify, however, it is the CCLS’s responsibility to ensure they submit their Application for Recertification, along with the appropriate fees and certificates, in a timely fashion.
60 Days from Returning to California – A CCLS who moves out of state, upon notifying the CCLS Certifying Board, can put a hold on continuing education requirements; however, upon returning to California, the CCLS must notify the CCLS Certifying Board within 60 days of their return and continue with the recertification requirements.
Immediately – A CCLS who is no longer working in the legal field may, upon notifying the CCLS Certifying Board, change their status to inactive and put a hold on continuing education, and cease using the CCLS designation during this time. If the CCLS returns to the legal field, they must notify the CCLS Certifying Board immediately and continue with their educational and recertification requirements to once again use the CCLS designation.
Immediately – In order to keep the CCLS records current (and to keep those Recertification reminders coming), notify the CCLS Certifying Board immediately if your address changes. The form is available on LPI’s website www.legalprofessionalsinc.org
Categorized in: General
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