Welcome to CAPA's Website!

The Capital Area Paralegal Association is a professional association for paralegals and legal assistants in Austin, Texas, and surrounding areas. CAPA was organized in August 1978 by a small group of pioneering paralegals and has since grown into the largest affiliate of the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) in Texas.

Click on a link at left to learn about member benefits, meeting information, CLE events, volunteer opportunities and more!

What is a paralegal or legal assistant?

"Legal assistants, also known as paralegals, are a distinguishable group of persons who assist attorneys in the delivery of legal services. Through formal education, training, and experience, legal assistants have knowledge and expertise regarding the legal system and substantive and procedural law which qualify them to do work of a legal nature under the supervision of an attorney."

Definition from NALA's Code of Ethics & Professional Responsibility of Legal Assistants, July 14, 1995.

"A legal assistant or paralegal is a person qualified by training or work experience who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency, or other entity, who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work, for which a lawyer is responsible."

Definition from the American Bar Association & adopted throughout the United States by various state legislatures, courts, & bar associations.