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Paralegal Career
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