If you ask anyone in the UK legal sector, they will tell you that paralegals are an invaluable part of any team. In fact, many lawyers wouldn’t be able to do their job without the support and skill that paralegals offer. There are currently around 100,000 paralegals working in the UK, and they make up the second largest portion of the legal profession. For a long time, paralegals were seen as ‘less than’ in the sector, due to it being a non-fee earning role. However, this is slowly changing.
Now, the legal sector is beginning to invest in paralegals, finally realising that they are a key part of running a successful legal team. This is why being a paralegal can be a long term, valuable and interesting career choice for many people. With the right investment, becoming a paralegal is a worthwhile pursuit. For many years, paralegals were seen as entry level, a role best suited to those starting their legal careers, but this is no longer the case.
The changing role of paralegals
Legal careers have gone through a lot of changes in recent years, and there is no longer a ‘one size fits all’ route from trainee to partner. There are now a variety of career paths to consider, including those that specialise in project management and freelance lawyering. This has meant that being a paralegal is a good place to start a legal journey, as there are a range of career paths to follow from this key starting block.
It’s also important to think about how wellbeing and mental health has changed the way that people view paralegals. More and more people are realising the importance of having a good balance between work life and home life, and this is something that a paralegal has. Instead of focusing on working their way up to become a partner, a lot of people are seeing the wellbeing benefits of being a paralegal.
Why investing in paralegal is vital to the future of the legal sector
Paralegals are invaluable in the workplace; they ensure deadlines are met, collate important evidence, handle documentation, research, handle caseloads and offer a wealth of administration support. By investing in the role, firms will show paralegals that their work is valued. Plus, it helps to create a number of future opportunities for paralegals, such as branching out into people management and more extensive legal work.
As an employer, it’s important to attract top legal talent, and investing in paralegals helps you to do this. It will also help you to retain employees, by showcasing the benefits and opportunities available to them. Instead of having to hire and train a constant turnover of new paralegals, you can invest in the ones you have, and get as much out of them as possible.