South Dakota § 16-18-34.1 Minimum qualifications.

South Dakota Statutes

§ 16-18-34.1 — Minimum qualifications.

South Dakota § 16-18-34.1

Title 16COURTS AND JUDICIARY

Ch. 16POWERS AND DUTIES OF ATTORNEYS

This text of South Dakota § 16-18-34.1 (Minimum qualifications.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering South Dakota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

S.D. Codified Laws § 16-18-34.1 (2026).

Text

Any person employed by a licensed attorney as a legal assistant must meet the minimum qualifications of:

(1)Successful completion of the Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) examination of the National Association of Legal Assistants, Inc.; or (2) Graduation from an ABA approved program of study for legal assistants; or (3) Graduation from a course of study for legal assistants which is institutionally accredited but not ABA approved, and which requires not less than the equivalent of sixty semester hours of classroom study; or (4) Graduation from a course of study for legal assistants, other than those set forth in (2) and (3) above, plus not less than six months of in - house training as a legal assistant; or (5) A baccalaureate degree in any field, plus not less than six mont

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Any person employed by a licensed attorney as a legal assistant must meet the minimum qualifications of: (1) Successful completion of the Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) examination of the National Association of Legal Assistants, Inc.; or (2) Graduation from an ABA approved program of study for legal assistants; or (3) Graduation from a course of study for legal assistants which is institutionally accredited but not ABA approved, and which requires not less than the equivalent of sixty semester hours of classroom study; or (4) Graduation from a course of study for legal assistants, other than those set forth in (2) and (3) above, plus not less than six months of in - house training as a legal assistant; or (5) A baccalaureate degree in any field, plus not less than six months in - house training as a legal assistant; or (6) A minimum of three years of law - related experience under the supervision of a licensed attorney, including at least six months of in - house training as a legal assistant; or (7) Two years of in - house training as a legal assistant. Provided, further, that any legal assistant hereunder shall have a high school diploma or general equivalency diploma (GED). For purposes of these standards, "in - house training as a legal assistant" means legal education of the employee by a licensed attorney concerning legal assistant duties and these guidelines. In addition to review and analysis of assignments, the legal assistant should receive a reasonable amount of instruction directly related to the duties and obligations of the legal assistant and the Rules of Professional Conduct as stated in this chapter.