| Table of Contents | ||
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Membership | |
| 1.1 | Benefits | |
| 1.2 | Prerequisites | |
| 1.3 | Required Documents | |
| 1.4 | Step Summary | |
| 1.5 | Costs and Tuitions | |
| 1.6 | Notable Alumni & Members | |
| 1.7 | A Message from the NAFA President | |
| 2 | Certification | |
| 2.1 | Foreign Attorneys | |
| 2.2 | Graduates | |
| 2.3 | Notary Publics | |
| 3 | NAFA Administrative Process | |
| 4 | 2024 Student Handbook | |
| 5 | Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) | |
NAFA is an organization of consortia that carries out the primary responsibility of training and educating foreign professionals residing in the United States. The homologation and degree validation services are separate services, but conducted separately by UNPAM.
NAFA's mission is to provide services in reciprocity between foreign and local professionals alike based on the current educational and accreditation standards. It includes the implementation of post-secondary education and equitable access to the resources most recommended by our educated professional members or faculties, in regulation with the present American education system equally.
NAFA offers the foreign lawyer and professional, after registering as a member, a more economical alternative process within their financial budget compared to (re-)attending a university, to prevent debt and suggest an alternative career enrichment program. After advice, consultations, support, representation and studies, which will facilitate revalidation for all foreign lawyers and professionals who aspire to practice in the United States.
The applicant will receive through NAFA:
(a) a higher education;
(b) opportunities for professional work; and
(c) the resources necessary to obtain a professional visa in the USA.
NAFA also has other supporting affiliates, such as AICAC-HR. The American International Court of Arbitration and Commission on Human Rights (AICAC-HR) on international arbitration and human rights, is a court that is planned to issue opinions and judgments on alleged violations of the International Convention on Human Rights, including Arbitration American International. [courtaicac-hr.us]
UNPAM, a support affiliate for the purpose of conducting homologations, is the private institution that is responsible for the student's equivalence progress. UNPAM was founded in 1967 as PUA and established as a private Catholic undergraduate university based in Puerto Rico. UNPAM is an institution approved by the Puerto Rico Department of Education. Currently, UNPAM is responsible for conducting the foreign credential evaluation, which is a course-by-course evaluation, of a graduate level or postgraduate level student's prior academic history after a review of the student's submissions of all transcripts and diplomas. UNPAM builds a profile for the respective member, and measures their academic profile and education received to accreditation standards; for attorneys, such as the American Bar Association (ABA).
A homologation, or a foreign credential evaluation of a university, of ANY career (not just law) obtained in a foreign country, is to grant academic evaluations and accreditations with translations into the English language to people educated in universities and colleges in other foreign countries, establishing an equivalence of their credentials in the United States. , Puerto Rico, Spain. See the institution which grants Homologations through NAFA ASSOCIATION: universidadunpam.org.
Revalidation to practice is the training and all of the administrative management required to overcome the requirements for general revalidation that must be met by any person aspiring to practice the profession of lawyer (and any other profession) in the United States. The revalidation process is administered by the Board of Examiners of Applicants to the Practice of Law and the State Bar, and professional licensing office - which is an administrative body of the Supreme Court or a governmental one. The purpose of revalidation is to qualify the applicant in terms of their legal-professional knowledge to practice the profession of lawyer or another profession. Every applicant must request revalidation before the Examining Board. NAFA also offers advice, consultations, support, representation and studies, which will facilitate the revalidation of all foreign lawyers and professionals who aspire to practice in the United States.
NAFA is not a degree granting institution. NAFA trains and facilitates foreign attorneys and professionals who are up to date with their licenses to practice in their respective countries, in good standing with the law, and in alignment with the standard law curriculum taught in the United States. NAFA offers its professional services to these members interested in facilitating their training and enriching their legal careers, after joining as a member of the NAFA Association. For legal training, NAFA follows the Continuing Legal Education (CLE) curriculum approved by the Florida Bar. Please read our disclaimer page for more information. Disclaimer notice.
The prospective student or foreign lawyer declares and understands that NAFA ASSOCIATION will provide all assistance, advice, representation, education and studies according to the program chosen by the student. He also understands that, NAFA ASSOCIATION- is NOT the regulatory authority, NOT the licensing authority, NOT grants authorization to obtain a license for practice. This authority is absolute and is under the jurisdiction of the admission authorities of the Supreme Court, the State Bar, the NCBE and the state authorities.
NAFA and UNPAM do not offer undergraduate or training services or programs.
Beginning in 2024, NAFA is applying for accreditation in the near future. Currently, NAFA is permitted by the Florida Bar to teach Continuing Legal Education (CLE) courses.
NAFA no longer offers legal services to the general public. NAFA members have access to immigration law training workshops and seminars. They also have access to NAFA members who are licensed U.S. attorneys who are actively practicing independently and offering their immigration services to the general public.
(1) The Foreign Legal Consultancy Rule of the State Bar in 32 states and 1 U.S. territory allows a foreign attorney to be certified as a Foreign Legal Consultant attorney, recognized to advise clients on the bar laws under which the lawyer is admitted to practice. This complex certification process involves two applications: an application from the state supreme court through the state bar (Part A) and an application from the National Conference of Bar Examiners (Part B).
(2) Most states require a JD degree from a US ABA-accredited law school to sit for the bar exam. However, there are seven states, five of which allow foreign attorneys to take the bar exam from these states with additional education. Another state, Louisiana, requires the foreign lawyer to take only 14 academic credits in U.S. law. One state, California, is the only state that does not require additional education for foreign lawyers and only requires filing paperwork and a bar review course. If accepted, foreign attorneys can sit for that state's bar exam in the same manner as a domestic applicant would.
Foreign educated candidates who are qualified attorneys seeking employment in the United States have a unique opportunity to be admitted and work as a foreign legal consulting attorney that does not require being a citizen or resident of the U.S. These candidates are often misinformed and confused by how difficult it can be for them to get a job as lawyers in the United States, even though their resume shows that they are highly qualified for the available positions; It is for this very reason that NAFA and UNPAM exist to break this erroneous barrier and fallacy. In addition, there are other fields of work for non-citizen foreign lawyers who do not want or cannot apply to be admitted by the supreme court and the state bar - such as: in-house legal advisors of companies, teachers, legal administrators of companies, among other careers. .
Before continuing with any process, NAFA reserves the right to revoke or suspend any application for homologation or title revalidation. For more information and details, please refer to our blog article for our NAFA Member Manual and Regulations.
For Foreign Lawyers / Foreign Legal Consultants (FLC): Once you have received confirmation from the NCBE that your application has been processed and a character and fitness report has been submitted to the Bar, you can proceed to complete the Application for Certification as a Foreign Legal Consultant / Foreign Legal Consultant. An application to the Florida Bar will not be accepted until the Bar has received the NCBE report.
For example, the Rules and Regulations of the Florida Bar. Upon receipt of the results of the NCBE background check and your complete Florida Bar application, the Foreign Legal Counsel Committee of the Florida Bar International Law Section will review each application for completion, accuracy, and eligibility, and if all criteria are met, will make a final recommendation to the Supreme Court. Florida Supreme Court indicating that the applicant must be certified as a Foreign Legal Consultant under the Rules Governing the Florida Bar. See rule: Foreign Legal Consultant Rule and Certification - The Florida Bar.
For general practice attorneys and foreign legal consultants. The background investigation takes 4 to 6 months on average, and can take up to 12 to 14 months. The Bar may reply to several letters during the investigation for inquiry, such as requests for information or to tell you what is missing from your exam application. Check here for Florida Bar: Florida Bar Admissions Process - Florida Board of Bar Examiners.
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