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NLJ this week: Career options increasing for niche & freelance paralegals

31 January 2025
Issue: 8102 / Categories: Legal News , Career focus , Profession
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The responsibilities of paralegals have expanded considerably, as have their career options, Amanda Hamilton, Patron of the National Association of Licensed Paralegals, writes in this week’s NLJ. Some use the experience as a stepping stone into a career as solicitor or barrister, while others develop a specialism in a particular area.

‘Freelancing is another viable path,’ writes Hamilton, with paralegals offering legal services directly to clients or to legal firms on a contract basis. ‘This option provides greater flexibility and the ability to build a niche practice.’

Hamilton highlights the growing range of opportunities for freelancers, from legal tech to employment grievance procedures. 
Issue: 8102 / Categories: Legal News , Career focus , Profession
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NLJ Career Profile: Bridget Tatham, Forum of Insurance Lawyers

NLJ Career Profile: Bridget Tatham, Forum of Insurance Lawyers

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NEWS
One in five in-house lawyers suffer ‘high’ or ‘severe’ work-related stress, according to a report by global legal body, the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC)
The Legal Ombudsman’s (LeO’s) plea for a budget increase has been rejected by the Law Society and accepted only ‘with reluctance’ by conveyancers
Overcrowded prisons, mental health hospitals and immigration centres are failing to meet international and domestic human rights standards, the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) has warned
Two speedier and more streamlined qualification routes have been launched for probate and conveyancing professionals
Workplace stress was a contributing factor in almost one in eight cases before the employment tribunal last year, indicating its endemic grip on the UK workplace
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