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The rise of paralegals

26 January 2024 / Linda Ford
Issue: 8056 / Categories: Features , Profession , Career focus
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Linda Ford explains why career progression & recognition are key to retention in a competitive market
  • There has been considerable growth in demand for paralegals, and it’s a competitive marketplace.
  • It is now a profession in its own right rather than a stepping stone to becoming a qualified lawyer.
  • Employers need to offer development opportunities and long-term career progression if they want to retain talented paralegals.
  • CILEX’s new framework will provide a national register underpinned by standards, professional recognition and regulation for those working as paralegals.

In recent years we have seen considerable growth in demand for paralegals. According to recent estimates, 100,000 people who work in legal services in England and Wales do so in some form of paralegal role.

Over the past 30 years our sector has, perhaps accidentally, created a whole group of legal practitioners, many of whom work in regulated environments and are often in positions of considerable trust and held in high esteem.

The rise of the paralegal reflects the changing nature of the

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Gilson Gray—Linda Pope

Gilson Gray—Linda Pope

Partner joins family law team inLondon

Jackson Lees Group—five promotions

Jackson Lees Group—five promotions

Private client division announces five new partners

Taylor Wessing—Max Millington

Taylor Wessing—Max Millington

Banking and finance team welcomes partner in London

NEWS
The landmark Supreme Court’s decision in Johnson v FirstRand Bank Ltd—along with Rukhadze v Recovery Partners—redefine fiduciary duties in commercial fraud. Writing in NLJ this week, Mary Young of Kingsley Napley analyses the implications of the rulings
Barristers Ben Keith of 5 St Andrew’s Hill and Rhys Davies of Temple Garden Chambers use the arrest of Simon Leviev—the so-called Tinder Swindler—to explore the realities of Interpol red notices, in this week's NLJ
Mazur v Charles Russell Speechlys [2025] has upended assumptions about who may conduct litigation, warn Kevin Latham and Fraser Barnstaple of Kings Chambers in this week's NLJ. But is it as catastrophic as first feared?
Lord Sales has been appointed to become the Deputy President of the Supreme Court after Lord Hodge retires at the end of the year
Limited liability partnerships (LLPs) are reportedly in the firing line in Chancellor Rachel Reeves upcoming Autumn budget
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