Paralegal Career Information

Paralegal Career Guide:: What is a Paralegal?

Paralegals or legal assistants are in actuality people who assist a solicitor in the UK with regards to preparation of case notes, interviewing interested parties and the like with relation to legal services required. Generally a Paralegal would work in a legal practice, for companies, in government or in practice alone or as an LLP. They cannot represent a client, they work to assist a solicitor or lawyer (depending on what country they are in) and there work is supervised by the same. No matter what environment Paralegals operate in, they cannot give any form of legal advice or operate as a solicitor would in the sense they are unable to go to court to represent a client, nor can they sign official documents but they may give guidance to a client.

Paralegals help and assist solicitors with regards to cases in law, there role is somewhat limited but they can do all the groundwork as directed by a solicitor including the duties of investigation of the facts of a case, preparation of notes on the same, deal with inquiries, interviews, carry out administrative functions etc but they cannot act as a solicitor in a court of law be it a magistrates or crown court.

Paralegal Education and Training

You don’t have to be a brain box to qualify but many paralegals will go to university to study law and related disciplines. The requirements vary from country to country but generally in the UK you need at least a degree to succeed.On the basis you have completed a degree, and have completed your paralegal training you will become a paralegal thus opening up a career in law. There are many paralegals that go on from this point to gain a paralegal certificate and further study brings higher rewards. In short, it’s a career where you never stop learning.

Experience matters when one is a Paralegal and it opens many more doors for advancement of status and pay this is where your paralegal skills come into play. The more experience in the field, the faster the progression. Paralegals require a complete understanding of the nomenclature and terms used in law, this goes without saying. You must be efficient and organized plus be prepared to go the extra mile to get your tasks done. You ideally will be extrovert and able to deal with all types of people an additional requirement here would be communication skills which are paramount in this environment.

Paralegal Salary

Paralegals pay depends on many factors namely experience – time in the field, skills and achievements plus your education plays a part too. In the UK The lowest income a paralegal got for a year is about £14,000- £20,000.  You’ll already be doing quite well with a salary that’s near £20,000.  If however, you have gained a lot of experience and are a highly skilled paralegal, you can be looking at paralegal salaries up to the £30,000. Read more

Overview:

It’s a desirable job and paralegals are sought after by all types of employers from HR departments to law firms plus many more. Working in the paralegal field is exciting and no two cases are the same so you will rarely get bored. As a paralegal is cost-effective and affordable to employ, many companies in the UK to to express a preference to employing a paralegal contra to a full blown solicitor as the savings can be considerable. The job market is healthy for the paralegal and the popularity of this post is on the increase throughout the UK

Paralegal Career Information

Paralegal Career

List of Paralegal Associations

Paralegal Associations

There are many Paralegal associations in the UK and they act collectively as governing bodies under which Paralegals operate in their respective fields. They are the hub of information and standards for the Para Professional and offer additional training and education to there members and coordinate their efforts with the bar and other law bodies across the United Kingdom.

Paralegal associations are really central coordinating points for all its members offering education and support plus further training as required. Additionally, it provides a range of services to law firms, legal depts., Paralegal schools and colleges and corporate companies too.

Listed below are the UK Paralegal associations active today:

Institute of Paralegals

Made into an institute in 2005 by the UK government, this body is not for profit and its primary goal is to represent Paralegals. The IOP are closely supported by a number of groups including the Citizens Advice Service, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and the Bar Council amongst many others. Covering the entirety of England and Wales (and have overseas members also) they offer the complete service for not only Paralegals but also for people looking for a career in law and seeking to become a Paralegal. They offer help and advice to employers and other groups who actively work with Paralegals in the UK.

The mission of the Institute of Paralegals is:

1. Helping members in their chosen legal field
2. Working with employers of Paralegals offering help and advice
3. Providing nationally recognized training and educational networks.
4. Actively promote recognition of Paralegals across the UK.

Scottish Paralegal Association (SAP)

Established in early 1993, SAP is the primary organisation in Scotland for Paralegals and the only body recognize by the Law Society of Scotland. It actively promotes and represents the image and activities and also education and development of Paralegals in Scotland. It has memberships of a wide range of Paralegals and represents there interests and opinions across the fields its members are active in.

List Of Paralegal Associations

There are many companies (including solicitor and law firms) who are looking to recruit specialists in certain areas of law including Personal Injury,Criminal,Civil Litigation and employment law and there is actually types of Paralegal to cover this.

With your training under your belt and Paralegal degree your all set to move on in your job and legal career. There are companies today looking for people who are trained and able to make a strong contribution in there chosen field. The main areas are listed below:

Paralegal Jobs:

Personal Injury Paralegal:

Covering the law in this area examples would be a fall or injury at work and accident.Contract law: Covers all aspects of contracts including case law, statutes and so on. Again this is dependent on the school you choose.

Criminal Law Paralegal:
This is very specific and covers, fines and sanctions when no compliance is reported . Each and every crime in the UK has to a greater or lesser degree criminal attributes. Whilst a fine or suspended sentence may be employed in less serious cases, the option for a custodial sentence can and is frequently used for more serious crimes. In some cases of criminal law, a lighter sentence my be imposed with further measures such as rehabilitation etc, but this is subject to the judge, recorder or magistrate sitting on the bench in that session.Generally, lighter crime is covered by magistrates courts, this can include motoring offenses, divorce and similar. When the crime is more distinctive, then the person(s) who are suspects can be sent to a crown court for trial with Judge and Jury.

Civil Litigation Paralegal:
Civil law is the area of law pertaining to the legal status of individuals. Civil law can include matters such as libel, slander, accidents etc. It also covers the areas of property disputes, commercial law and admin disputes in the event of injury to a person or persons, compensation can be handled this way using this type of law.
Other areas of focus are : Business law, property law, estates and wills , tax law, immigration law generally speaking, you can specialize in one field then advance in another legal area as time moves on.

Employment Law Paralegal

These paralegals deal with all legal matters  with regards to employment, basically an extension of a human resources dept (HR) they handle all issues including employment and dismissal of staff, claims made against the company, union issues, health and safety. There are many areas of law that you will need to be aware off broadly speaking the study of company law in all its facets would be deemed to be required.

Will and Probate Paralegal

This broadly covers handling estates and planning of the same including handling wills and probate assisting clients with regards to forms, deeds of trust, probate and related matters. This position will require the preparation of legal documents and a sound knowledge of this area of law is required.

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Types Of Paralegal

As one is looking to expand in there legal skills in the fields of corporate business services, the retail sector and off course other legal areas a diploma in paralegal studies will help you succeed.There are levels of diploma including vocational level 1,2 and 3, for now lets take a look at what these qualifications are all about. There are a few awarding bodies including BTEC, NALP and City & Guilds. On this page we will take a brief look at them all.

There are levels of diploma including vocational level 1,2 and 3, for now lets take a look at what these qualifications are all about. There are a few awarding bodies including BTEC, NALP and City & Guilds. On this page we will take a brief look at them all.

Qualifications explained:

When your looking at a Diploma in Paralegal Studies, you are aiming undoubtedly for career advancement and a higher status in the field you choose to specialise in.A Diploma states a lot to a chosen employer, not least of all you’re a specialist but also you are career driven and ambitious to go forward.

A Diploma in Paralegal Studies is not specifically for just paralegals it is in fact for any person who wishes to advance there administrative skills and long term career in the legal field in the UK. Additionally, if one is a Paralegal or legal executive already, a Diploma will help you reach far more senior roles in a shorter period of time.

Click here to download the Paralegal guide for levels 2 and 3

Level 4 Diploma

This is again in the field of Paralegal studies and covers general law and building your career generally. An ideal stepping stone for the paraprofessional.

It covers – amongst other areas:

• Criminal Law
• Law of Contract
• Law of Tort
• Wills  and Family Law

The Requirements for Diploma Entry.Just one of the items listed is needed, either :

2 levels, an A Level in Law, ILEX level 2 or 3 qualification. ILSPA

More information from SC London – Tel: 0208 519 7362

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Graduate Diploma In Paralegal Studies

So the employment roles open to a Paralegal:

Criminal Law Paralegal:

A criminal law paralegal routinely will organize and prepare a solicitors notes and briefs within a court of law.More so, a criminal law paralegal will carry out all forms of research, evidence and data compilation relating to a case and prepare, set out these findings then present them to a solicitor for action etc. In addition to these tasks, the criminal law paralegal may carry out interviews, collate information, and obtain all the relevant court records, gathering all materials including exhibits for the solicitor upon the trial commencing.

A criminal law paralegal may also work freelance for other private organizations including but not limited to charities, legal aid organizations and governments being paid a fee in the region of £100 per day.

Debt Recovery Paralegal:

This work is routinely carried out in the field of bankruptcy. This is highly skilled work again the collation of records of the bankrupt company, investigation (as required) of financial affairs, assisting an official receiver for the purpose of bankruptcy declaration and preparation of notices for the newspapers and other official media outputs. This role can attract a rewarding salary.

HR Paralegal

This role covers the area of human resources in companies throughout the UK. It involves any and all legal points raised against a company and the paralegal would prepare all notes, data on the case in question and ultimately prepare the case for a solicitor to then take appropriate action.

Property Paralegal:

Working in the area of property in the UK and either working as a freelancer or via a law company. Assisting a solicitor to form a case regarding property disputes and related property matters. It’s notable that potential earnings are high for this type of work.

Personal injury Paralegal

With the growing culture in the UK of compensation claims and claiming for accidents etc this is a booming industry. This paralegals role deals with legal claims against companies using initiated from the general public, to prepare a case in accordance with the law and forward all the relevant data including witness statements, photographs and all related notes to the solicitor for action. This is very much a hands on job but can be extremely rewarding.

The Role of a Paralegal is varied and below are other jobs available in the field of law.

Engineering Paralegal:

In this sector, one would have considerable experience in the field of engineering. This is more of a specialized role but there is plenty of work to be found here.

Industrial Law Paralegal:

This role of the paralegal covers the area of unions, manpower laws and related areas. It involves representation of workers of workforce with regards to grievances warranting legal action.

Paralegal Consultant:

On the basis you have graduated strongly and reached a high level of competency, you can take on the role of a paralegal consultant which can reap big financial rewards. This are of work requires particular research and association of a law company for it to be truly workable so one can refer cases to a solicitor for action accordingly. Consultancy services can attract a big salary.

There are other roles for paralegals and on this post we have covered what would be deemed to be some of the most popular areas of work. Do your research in the area you feel comfortable in and reap the rewards of being an expert paralegal.

Role Of The Paralegal

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What is a Paralegal Salary in the UK ?

To become a paralegal, it’s going to take a lot of preparation and determination on your part, but it will be worth it judging by the paralegal salaries avialable in the UK.  Once you’ve done the work, the task at hand would be to find a good place to work as a paralegal.  You have the choice between becoming a paralegal for a corporate institution or organization or you can become a paralegal working for the government.  Part of the work you have to do being a legal assistant with great paralegal salaries is to get enough experience.  In a typical scenario, for someone fresh out of paralegal certification that doesn’t have any experience, the pay may be a bit meager.

But paralegal salaries do get higher as you progress in the career path. The lowest income a paralegal got for a year is about £14,000- £20,000.  You’ll already be doing quite well with a salary that’s near £20,000.  If however, you have gained a lot of experience and are a highly skilled paralegal, you can be looking at paralegal salaries  up to the £30,000.

Paralegal Salaries

If you look at the salary range in this field , work in the local government can provide you with compensation in the amount of £33,000 for a paralegal job.  For the UK government, it’s going to be less than £40,000 as an average salary. Law firms  tend to offer  an annual salary review for paralegal people on the whole, this is off course performance related.  You can find job sites as a sort of salary survey to find out what each field pays per year.  Working as a paralegal in the private legal services industry, you can be making up to £42,000.

Pay

By far, the highest salary for paralegals can be received from the government and this amounts to almost £40,000.  The beauty of the paralegal career is that you’ll always have enough challenges and tasks that will surely hone your skills and knowledge in the field, however further paralegal training is a must for progression in your paralegal careers.Education is the key to improvement.  The more you know and the more experience you have, the higher your paralegal salaries will be.  Based on statistic, you can earn more if you’re working as a legal assistant for a judge. Paralegal Salaries.

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When it comes to UK law, there definitely is the need for many different aspects to work on the same page, all towards a common goal. While no system is perfect, there assuredly are some very qualified people, namely paralegals in both the private and public sector, all performing admirably for various companies, corporations, and government agencies. Law in the United Kingdom wouldn’t run nearly as smoothly as it does without the help of paralegals, as they are the largest sector in the legal field, and everyone benefits from their work.

From government agencies to solicitor offices around the country, paralegals are usually considered to be the driving force behind it all, and that’s exactly what keeps drawing more into the fold, all hoping to be a part of something substantial. In addition to being a wealth of knowledge, they are considered to be pretty versatile to the people they’ve been assigned to help. The paralegal field is essentially meant for assistance, and in any given office, there are a team of them dedicated to efficiency.

When it comes to the government, specifically law, efficiency is paramount and is respected. With the right team of paralegals, everyone looks good. For one thing, it assures future business success in either public or private sectors. In the private, it allows for the solicitors to maintain the level of professionalism and reliability that constitutes their reputation, and that also may be true of the public, depending on nature. In the public sector, it allows the courts or agencies to expediently handle their claims, as there are many different incidents that are filed each day.

Regardless of what law may be practiced, paralegals are integral in their success, and are generally considered to be the unsung heroes of the legal world.

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Although you do not ultimately have to have reached paralegal certification stage, when you looking for work it is a distinct advantage. When you arrive at your interview, if you then show you have certification, this gives your potential employer more confidence in you immediately. You stand a better chance of job success over someone who has no paralegal certificate so off course if you have this you stand a far greater chance of starting as a paralegal in your respective field.

Paralegal Certification

Research, Research , Research!

More about paralegal certification
You need to get all the information you can from legal bodies in the UK including The Institute of Paralegals, National Association of Licensed Paralegals, Paralegal association for Scotland (we will list there phone numbers for you at the end of this article.) the key thing here is that each body has its own expected standards of education so it`s worth checking whats needed for each legal body prior to application to save your time and theirs. There are also online paralegal schools across the UK.

Search in net for groups in your area who you can join and study with. As paralegals are becoming more widespread across the UK you will find a group in your area. As with any group you can expect lots of feedback, help and encouragement making the study of your materials a lot easier. You can also contact the NALP  regarding your paralegal certification, who can provide further help and guidance and answer any questions you may have as you study. If you find it difficult to find a group, you can always study on line with an online paralegal school which is generally affordable.

Paralegal Certification

It would be a good idea to get through a mock exam maybe 2 or 3 times to help you brush up and restudy if required prior to your official exam. As with anything considered stressful, if you feel down or tired the best remedy is take a walk. As you walk notice things, keep walking until you feel better then you will find things will come together and you will feel refreshed.Phone Numbers: NLPA : Call: 0203 176 0900 IOP: Call: 0207 099 9122 Scotland PA: Contact: karen.leslie@stronachs.com who can assist you with regards to your online Paralegal certificate.

Paralegal Certification.

There are some choices when you are looking to obtain an online paralegal certificate. Working from the comfort of your own home makes sense providing you do make time to complete each module. There are a number of online schools to choose from including the open university , learn4good and many more but lets take a look at what this involves.

It goes without saying, the training for any paralegal can seem somewhat daunting however for online certification it becomes less strenuous as you work at your own pace and in your own time. The motivation to get through the course is not only satisfaction, its a forward road into a career in law. So, without further delay lets take a look firstly at the online companies offering paralegal certification in the UK.
1. Learn 4 Good: This site boasts a wide range of courses and not least of all courses in law. There site has recorded videos for you to watch along with set modules for you to work too at your own pace. With this company you can work online or alternatively offline.
- Study structure: to qualify for this program you would have the following: 3 GCSEs – IT, English Language plus Maths is preferred, mature students can qualify based on their office experience subject to it being relevant. They offer a 12 week course which is pretty comprehensive covering a wide area of law from criminal to matrimonial and there quoted course module times are around 12 weeks in length split into 2×6 week modules and additional training. paralegal certification

2. OTC courses. This is another online company who provide paralegal training leading to an online paralegal certificate. Students are taught online in a online classroom with support staff available.. They specialize in distance learning and are based in the UK.OTC are also accredited by the institute of paralegals in the UK. You can call them directly and speak to one of there advisers on telephone number:0207 558 8262 a great name in Paralegal Certification.

Summary:

Paralegal certification.

(C)2011  Become a Paralegal | Accredited Paralegal Schools

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Paralegal Certification

Making the jump from Legal Assistant to Paralegal is quite a step and requires a considerable amount of study as we know. However, there are lots of companies offering Paralegal Courses in the United Kingdom and all at various prices.There are a considerable amount of companies from the Open University to the NALP and off course companies offering Legal Assistant jobs directly, the question we often get asked by the legal assistant is which Institute runs the best course ?

One we would recommend is the NALP, the reason for this is they are known as a leading body for Paralegals, established since 1986 and off course recognized in paralegal law ideal for those looking for a career in law. There are many paralegal courses to choose from, it all starts with an inquiry.

NALP provides truly affordable accredited qualification for school leavers plus also legal support staff and graduates. There is no VAT on Law courses at this time.

Legal Assistant

Whatever your status from graduate to licensed Paralegal, NALP has a choice of memberships to suit all budgets. In addition they also feature paralegal courses and assistant jobs sections throughout the UK. Legal Assistants deal with various clients, some seeking legal aid to progress there case others looking for legal assistance on a matter or just legal services which are varied, the legal assistant may deal with these type of inquiries depending on the law firm you work with.

When we talk about a paralegal, we are referring to a person who covers many and varied legal tasks. To look at a career in law, one starts out training to become a paralegal. There is no rule of thumb regarding educational qualifications, the information below is a guideline to paralegal courses.Generally speaking, to embark in this career, one would require at least 3 GCSes or A levels as a minimum. I say minimum as a guide, this can vary for example if you have been a legal secretary in your present employ or in a previous employment.

Legal Assistant

As you start your path on a career in Law, there are many obstacles that may fall in your way. Certainly money is a factor but in addition finding the right paralegal course for you. There is a considerable choice of courses depending on the area you wish to specialise in. Choices include : Law, Matrimonial, Personal injury and criminal law. Its an ideal ladder for those seeking a job in law, one which is varied and needed by law firms across the UK.

To become a Legal assistant is an ideal route on the road to a career in law. Legal Assistant guide from BAP.

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(c)2010 Becoming a Paralegal

Legal Assistant

A career in criminal law is probably the most worthwhile profession of them all. It assuredly warrants the person to feel as if they are making a difference in the world, in both prosecuting those that are in the wrong and protecting those who are in the most need. It’s very important that our streets are clean, and without the people who practice and execute criminal law – this can’t happen. Paralegals are assuredly a great help in criminal law, and the need for these people have been rising exponentially in the past few decades. It’s that reason that so many people are looking to a paralegal career, as they assuredly want to make a difference in the world, as well as the opportunity for advancement, and that’s something that the person in any industry is one the lookout for. A Career in Criminal Law.

A Career in Criminal Law

The paralegal in the criminal law landscape is pretty invaluable, especially considering the different agencies that need paralegals. In many major cities in the UK, there’s sufficient need for paralegals, and there’s the chance for anyone licensed to procure one of these jobs, granted that they are willing to look. In most cases, there are no bounds, as various courts, tribunal staff offices, and local authorities that may need some help with their caseloads, and they are easily allocated to qualified paralegals. What’s great about the opportunities in the United Kingdom  and a career in criminal law, would have to be the opportunity for paralegals to further themselves into positions, such as a lawyer or even a judge in the criminal sector of law.A Career in

A Career in Criminal Law

Of all of the benefits of being a paralegal, there are none that are greater than the possibilities of being staffed at a facility where criminal law is practiced, as they may be the most prevalent and fulfilling opportunities available.

A Career in Criminal Law.

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