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A paralegal revolution or robot wars?

09 June 2017 / Rita Leat
Issue: 7749 / Categories: Features , Profession
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Rita Leat charts the rise & rise of the fourth arm of the legal profession

There is little doubt or disagreement that paralegals are the backbone of the legal services industry. In 2016, the Professional Paralegal Register announced that professional paralegals were now the fourth arm of the legal profession with 2,000+ members willing to take up its voluntary regulatory scheme that can protect consumers.

There are an estimated 120,000 paralegals operating in the UK, both on an employed and self-employed basis in law firms, companies, local authorities and charities. The growth of the paralegal sector has been phenomenal over the last five years and shows no sign of declining any time soon. Demand for cost effective legal services has reached breaking point especially in the areas of housing and benefit law where many solicitors are choosing not to offer these services for commercial reasons.

We have all acknowledged the need for litigants in person to have access to justice and paralegals are leading the way in this regard. However, is this growth

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Birketts—trainee cohort

Birketts—trainee cohort

Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025

Keoghs—four appointments

Keoghs—four appointments

Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner

NEWS
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
Writing in NLJ this week, Thomas Rothwell and Kavish Shah of Falcon Chambers unpack the surprise inclusion of a ban on upwards-only rent reviews in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
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