header-logo header-logo

Paralegals: a growing force

31 January 2025 / Amanda Hamilton
Issue: 8102 / Categories: Features , Profession , Career focus
printer mail-detail
205933
From finding a niche to going freelance, Amanda Hamilton sets out the increasing range of career options available to paralegals

Traditionally, paralegals were seen as support staff. They performed administrative and clerical tasks under the supervision of solicitors. However, the responsibilities of paralegals have expanded considerably, and they now routinely handle more substantive legal work. This shift has been driven by factors such as the rising cost of legal services, regulatory changes, and the increasing recognition of paralegals as skilled professionals in their own right.

Individuals pursuing a career as a paralegal have a variety of options, reflecting the diverse nature of the legal profession and the growing demand for skilled legal support staff. The role of a paralegal can be a stepping stone for those aspiring to become solicitors or barristers, as it offers valuable experience and, in some cases, alternative routes to legal qualification through the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) or similar pathways. Additionally, a paralegal has the flexibility to tailor their career based on personal interests, specialisation areas, and long-term goals, making it a dynamic and rewarding choice

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Muckle LLP—Stacey Brown

Muckle LLP—Stacey Brown

Corporate governance and company law specialist joins the team

Excello Law—Heather Horsewood & Darren Barwick

Excello Law—Heather Horsewood & Darren Barwick

North west team expands with senior private client and property hires

Ward Hadaway—Paul Wigham

Ward Hadaway—Paul Wigham

Firm boosts corporate team in Newcastle to support high-growth technology businesses

NEWS

NOTICE UNDER THE TRUSTEE ACT 1925

HERBERT SMITH STAFF PENSION SCHEME (THE “SCHEME”)

NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND BENEFICIARIES UNDER SECTION 27 OF THE TRUSTEE ACT 1925
Law firm HFW is offering clients lawyers on call for dawn raids, sanctions issues and other regulatory emergencies
From gender-critical speech to notice periods and incapability dismissals, employment law continues to turn on fine distinctions. In his latest employment law brief for NLJ, Ian Smith of Norwich Law School reviews a cluster of recent decisions, led by Bailey v Stonewall, where the Court of Appeal clarified the limits of third-party liability under the Equality Act
Non-molestation orders are meant to be the frontline defence against domestic abuse, yet their enforcement often falls short. Writing in NLJ this week, Jeni Kavanagh, Jessica Mortimer and Oliver Kavanagh analyse why the criminalisation of breach has failed to deliver consistent protection
Assisted dying remains one of the most fraught fault lines in English law, where compassion and criminal liability sit uncomfortably close. Writing in NLJ this week, Julie Gowland and Barny Croft of Birketts examine how acts motivated by care—booking travel, completing paperwork, or offering emotional support—can still fall within the wide reach of the Suicide Act 1961
back-to-top-scroll