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11 March 2019 / Amanda Hamilton
Categories: Features , Profession
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Praise to the paralegal

Paralegals are the unsung heroes of the legal sector, so show your appreciation this National Paralegal Day, says Amanda Hamilton

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

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Haynes Boone—Jeremy Cross

Haynes Boone—Jeremy Cross

Firm strengthens global fund finance practice with London partner hire.

DWF—Stephen Webb

DWF—Stephen Webb

Partner and head of national planning team appointed

mfg Solicitors—Nick Little

mfg Solicitors—Nick Little

Corporate team expands in Birmingham with partner hire

NEWS
Contract damages are usually assessed at the date of breach—but not always. Writing in NLJ this week, Ian Gascoigne, knowledge lawyer at LexisNexis, examines the growing body of cases where courts have allowed later events to reshape compensation
The Supreme Court has restored ‘doctrinal coherence’ to unfair prejudice litigation, writes Natalie Quinlivan, partner at Fieldfisher LLP, in this week' NLJ
The High Court’s refusal to recognise a prolific sperm donor as a child’s legal parent has highlighted the risks of informal conception arrangements, according to Liam Hurren, associate at Kingsley Napley, in NLJ this week
The Court of Appeal’s decision in Mazur may have settled questions around litigation supervision, but the profession should not simply ‘move on’, argues Jennifer Coupland, CEO of CILEX, in this week's NLJ
A simple phrase like ‘subject to references’ may not protect employers as much as they think. Writing in NLJ this week, Ian Smith, barrister and emeritus professor of employment law at UEA, analyses recent employment cases showing how conditional job offers can still create binding contracts
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