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NORTH CAROLINA PARALEGAL
CERTIFICATION EXAMINATION STUDY
GUIDE | LATEST UPDATE 2026/2027 |
PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS |
EXAM REVIEW
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. NCCP Certification Overview, Eligibility, and Exam Logistics
2. Ethics and Professional Responsibility
3. Civil Litigation and Court Procedures
4. Commercial Law and Contracts
5. Criminal Law and Procedure
6. Family Law
7. Real Property and Real Estate
8. Wills, Trusts, and Estates
9. Legal Research and Analysis
10. Communication, Organization, and Documentation
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Question 1: What task may a lawyer NOT delegate to a paralegal under the North Carolina
Rules of Professional Conduct?
A) Preparing a standard form document
B) Filing documents with the courts
C) Establishing the lawyer-client relationship
D) Handling procedural matters
Correct Answer: C) Establishing the lawyer-client relationship
Establishing the attorney-client relationship is a non-delegable task that only a licensed
lawyer can perform. Paralegals may prepare documents, file pleadings, and handle
procedural matters under attorney supervision.
Question 2: A paralegal receives a call from a client asking for legal advice about a pending
divorce. What should the paralegal do?
A) Provide the advice since the paralegal knows the case
B) Explain that the paralegal cannot give legal advice and offer to relay the question to the
supervising attorney
C) Refer the client to another attorney
D) Provide general information about divorce law in North Carolina
Correct Answer: B) Explain that the paralegal cannot give legal advice and offer to
relay the question to the supervising attorney
Paralegals are prohibited from giving legal advice under the North Carolina Rules of
Professional Conduct. The appropriate action is to explain the limitation and offer to have
the supervising attorney respond to the client's question.
Question 3: May paralegals be listed as such on a law firm's letterhead?
A) Paralegals may not be listed on the employing lawyer's letterhead
B) Paralegals may be listed on the letterhead as long as the paralegal's position is clearly
indicated
C) Paralegals may be listed on the letterhead in the same manner as the lawyers
D) Paralegals may not be listed on the letterhead unless they are certified
Correct Answer: B) Paralegals may be listed on the letterhead as long as the paralegal's
position is clearly indicated
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North Carolina allows paralegals to be listed on law firm letterhead provided their non-
lawyer position is clearly designated. This ensures the public is not misled about the
paralegal's status.
Question 4: A paralegal is assisting an attorney who represents a plaintiff in a personal injury
action arising from a car accident. The attorney asks the paralegal to interview the client to
obtain information for the case. Is this appropriate?
A) No, only the attorney may interview clients
B) Yes, paralegals may interview clients to obtain information required for the assignment
under attorney supervision
C) No, the paralegal must first obtain written client consent
D) Yes, but only if the paralegal is certified
Correct Answer: B) Yes, paralegals may interview clients to obtain information required
for the assignment under attorney supervision
Client interviews to obtain information are a permissible paralegal task when performed
under attorney supervision. This is a core function within the Communication domain of the
NCCP examination.
Question 5: Which of the following is an example of the unauthorized practice of law (UPL)?
A) A paralegal drafting a complaint for attorney review
B) A paralegal giving a client specific legal advice about their case
C) A paralegal filing documents with the court
D) A paralegal organizing case files
Correct Answer: B) A paralegal giving a client specific legal advice about their case
Giving legal advice is the practice of law and cannot be performed by a non-lawyer.
Paralegals must refer substantive legal questions to the supervising attorney. The other
activities are permissible paralegal tasks.
Question 6: A client asks a paralegal whether they should accept a settlement offer. What
should the paralegal do?
A) Provide an opinion based on the paralegal's experience
B) Tell the client to accept the offer
C) Explain that settlement decisions require legal judgment and arrange for the client to
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discuss it with the attorney
D) Advise the client to reject the offer
Correct Answer: C) Explain that settlement decisions require legal judgment and
arrange for the client to discuss it with the attorney
Settlement recommendations involve legal judgment that only the attorney can provide. The
paralegal should facilitate communication between the client and the attorney without
offering legal advice.
Question 7: Under the North Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct, which of the following
is a paralegal's ethical obligation regarding confidential client information?
A) Paralegals are not bound by confidentiality rules
B) Paralegals may share client information with anyone in the firm
C) Paralegals must protect client confidences and secrets under the supervision of the
attorney
D) Paralegals may share client information only after the case ends
Correct Answer: C) Paralegals must protect client confidences and secrets under the
supervision of the attorney
Paralegals are bound by the duty of confidentiality. Client information may not be disclosed
except as authorized by the client or required by law. This duty continues after the
representation ends.
Question 8: A paralegal is asked to conduct a client interview. What is the most important
ethical consideration?
A) Obtaining all information as quickly as possible
B) Ensuring the client understands the paralegal is not an attorney and cannot give legal
advice
C) Recording the interview without the client's knowledge
D) Promising the client a favorable outcome
Correct Answer: B) Ensuring the client understands the paralegal is not an attorney
and cannot give legal advice
NORTH CAROLINA PARALEGAL
CERTIFICATION EXAMINATION STUDY
GUIDE | LATEST UPDATE 2026/2027 |
PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS |
EXAM REVIEW
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. NCCP Certification Overview, Eligibility, and Exam Logistics
2. Ethics and Professional Responsibility
3. Civil Litigation and Court Procedures
4. Commercial Law and Contracts
5. Criminal Law and Procedure
6. Family Law
7. Real Property and Real Estate
8. Wills, Trusts, and Estates
9. Legal Research and Analysis
10. Communication, Organization, and Documentation
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Question 1: What task may a lawyer NOT delegate to a paralegal under the North Carolina
Rules of Professional Conduct?
A) Preparing a standard form document
B) Filing documents with the courts
C) Establishing the lawyer-client relationship
D) Handling procedural matters
Correct Answer: C) Establishing the lawyer-client relationship
Establishing the attorney-client relationship is a non-delegable task that only a licensed
lawyer can perform. Paralegals may prepare documents, file pleadings, and handle
procedural matters under attorney supervision.
Question 2: A paralegal receives a call from a client asking for legal advice about a pending
divorce. What should the paralegal do?
A) Provide the advice since the paralegal knows the case
B) Explain that the paralegal cannot give legal advice and offer to relay the question to the
supervising attorney
C) Refer the client to another attorney
D) Provide general information about divorce law in North Carolina
Correct Answer: B) Explain that the paralegal cannot give legal advice and offer to
relay the question to the supervising attorney
Paralegals are prohibited from giving legal advice under the North Carolina Rules of
Professional Conduct. The appropriate action is to explain the limitation and offer to have
the supervising attorney respond to the client's question.
Question 3: May paralegals be listed as such on a law firm's letterhead?
A) Paralegals may not be listed on the employing lawyer's letterhead
B) Paralegals may be listed on the letterhead as long as the paralegal's position is clearly
indicated
C) Paralegals may be listed on the letterhead in the same manner as the lawyers
D) Paralegals may not be listed on the letterhead unless they are certified
Correct Answer: B) Paralegals may be listed on the letterhead as long as the paralegal's
position is clearly indicated
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North Carolina allows paralegals to be listed on law firm letterhead provided their non-
lawyer position is clearly designated. This ensures the public is not misled about the
paralegal's status.
Question 4: A paralegal is assisting an attorney who represents a plaintiff in a personal injury
action arising from a car accident. The attorney asks the paralegal to interview the client to
obtain information for the case. Is this appropriate?
A) No, only the attorney may interview clients
B) Yes, paralegals may interview clients to obtain information required for the assignment
under attorney supervision
C) No, the paralegal must first obtain written client consent
D) Yes, but only if the paralegal is certified
Correct Answer: B) Yes, paralegals may interview clients to obtain information required
for the assignment under attorney supervision
Client interviews to obtain information are a permissible paralegal task when performed
under attorney supervision. This is a core function within the Communication domain of the
NCCP examination.
Question 5: Which of the following is an example of the unauthorized practice of law (UPL)?
A) A paralegal drafting a complaint for attorney review
B) A paralegal giving a client specific legal advice about their case
C) A paralegal filing documents with the court
D) A paralegal organizing case files
Correct Answer: B) A paralegal giving a client specific legal advice about their case
Giving legal advice is the practice of law and cannot be performed by a non-lawyer.
Paralegals must refer substantive legal questions to the supervising attorney. The other
activities are permissible paralegal tasks.
Question 6: A client asks a paralegal whether they should accept a settlement offer. What
should the paralegal do?
A) Provide an opinion based on the paralegal's experience
B) Tell the client to accept the offer
C) Explain that settlement decisions require legal judgment and arrange for the client to
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discuss it with the attorney
D) Advise the client to reject the offer
Correct Answer: C) Explain that settlement decisions require legal judgment and
arrange for the client to discuss it with the attorney
Settlement recommendations involve legal judgment that only the attorney can provide. The
paralegal should facilitate communication between the client and the attorney without
offering legal advice.
Question 7: Under the North Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct, which of the following
is a paralegal's ethical obligation regarding confidential client information?
A) Paralegals are not bound by confidentiality rules
B) Paralegals may share client information with anyone in the firm
C) Paralegals must protect client confidences and secrets under the supervision of the
attorney
D) Paralegals may share client information only after the case ends
Correct Answer: C) Paralegals must protect client confidences and secrets under the
supervision of the attorney
Paralegals are bound by the duty of confidentiality. Client information may not be disclosed
except as authorized by the client or required by law. This duty continues after the
representation ends.
Question 8: A paralegal is asked to conduct a client interview. What is the most important
ethical consideration?
A) Obtaining all information as quickly as possible
B) Ensuring the client understands the paralegal is not an attorney and cannot give legal
advice
C) Recording the interview without the client's knowledge
D) Promising the client a favorable outcome
Correct Answer: B) Ensuring the client understands the paralegal is not an attorney
and cannot give legal advice
