Top tips on how to develop your paralegal

Paralegals are now an integral support function in any law firm, entrusted with work that often mirrors that of a trainee lawyer. Any employee that is passionate about the business they work for should be given the opportunity to develop their career and progress within their chosen industry. A paralegal is a prime example of a professional that can develop their role into a longer-term career, and thrive whilst doing so. 

Like most jobs, the role of a paralegal has developed throughout the years. With the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI), and smart systems for administrative duties. Gone are the days when paralegals were solely expected to perform administrative tasks like filing and photocopying. The industry has become increasingly competitive for candidates to secure a training contract. This has meant that those candidates who are interested in law, have been seeking paralegal roles to build up legal experience and get their foot in the door.

For aspiring paralegals, the calibre of candidates is very high. Many top academics with an abundance of legal experience, are entrusted with the bigger legal tasks. This has meant that paralegals need to multitask, to manage this additional workload and wider legal responsibilities, as well as execute their administrative tasks alongside these. 

It is important for us as recruiters, to ensure that we are best preparing our candidates for the ever-changing working environment of today. This is very important for a paralegal as this can sometimes be their first role, it may even be a make-or-break position that builds the foundations for their future career in a law firm. 

We can help a paralegal to enhance their CV and bring out the best in their application before applying to these hard-to-get contracts. We will reinforce to all of our paralegal candidates that if they work hard, they could land the experience needed to secure a training contract in their desired law firm, or, utilising the experience they have gained through paralegal work in their next interview and future jobs in order to ensure they are working their way up the ladder.

We know that it is important for law firms to have experienced individuals working for them. We will hand-pick the best candidates for your paralegal roles who, with the right training, can be developed into top lawyers in the future.

It is becoming increasingly important for paralegals to possess digital skills, particularly within larger firms. This is due to the ever-evolving developments in the industry that are promoting smarter working and aiming to increase productivity within the workplace. The paralegal role has been directly affected by these changes in technology. 

E-discovery platforms such as Opus 2, Relativity and Consilio are moving on from the old-fashioned, manual method of reviewing documents. They have eliminated human error and improved the speed of these processes. It is important for firms to develop their business and working ways digitally, to increase productivity and allow more time for the personal and professional development of their employees. 

As the role of a paralegal moves away from administrative duties, firms are freeing up the workload of their paralegals to a point where they are able to get more involved with legal cases.

It is widely accepted that a paralegal must have a sound understanding of legal ethics and procedures. Some might think that due to the advancements of the e-discovery tools mentioned above, that the paralegal role is in danger of becoming automated. However, like many other roles that face digitalisation and automation, it will be a case of working side-by-side with technology and incorporating it into a role in a way that benefits everyone.

Looking forward, paralegal roles will continue to develop and become a much more value-adding position. Whether it be talking to clients or liaising with lawyers to discuss a case, paralegals are needed to organise and structure a law firm. However, we can expect fewer paralegals to be needed in the future, given that technology will be able to absorb many of the administrative tasks. This is why firms should be looking to upskill and develop their staff, so when the time comes, you will have an abundance of well-trained lawyers who know your business model and the way your firm is run.

If you are looking to hire a paralegal to your business, submit a job spec today. Alternatively, get in touch with one of our specialist recruitment consultants today where you can discuss all of your bespoke hiring needs.

Senior Consultant

T: 020 7269 2432

E: [email protected]