This Thursday, 14 March 2019, is the first National Paralegal Day in the UK—a day that has been marked to celebrate the work that paralegals do as the unsung heroes of the legal services sector and beyond.
Many solicitors regard paralegals as wannabe solicitors—LLB/LPC graduates who cannot find training contracts. It is also true to say that a number of graduates who are desperate to be offered that elusive training contract, do approach solicitors’ firms for paralegal work. Any wonder then, that this is the manner in which paralegals are regarded. However, in reality, these paralegals make up just a fraction of who paralegals are. Many, in reality, wish to be career paralegals and want to be recognised as such rather than would-be solicitors.
As CEO of the National Association of Licensed Paralegals (NALP), the foremost paralegal membership body I am in a good position to recognise that the vast majority of our paralegal members are not law graduates. Many are career changers
