The Institute of Paralegals (IoP) has pledged its support for a new study commissioned by The Law Society into the provision of a qualification for paralegals.
Former senior civil servant within the Ministry of Justice Nick Smedley has been commissioned to undertake a study into whether the Law Society should develop or endorse qualifications for paralegals.
IoP’s chief executive James O’Connell said: “This a very positive step for the future of paralegals in this country. They are often undertrained and underrecognised and being recognised by such a big player as the Law Society is just the type of backing the profession needs.”
Bob Heslett, the former Law Society President who commissioned the study, said the review was particularly important because there were more paralegals in the market than ever before.
“Given the Milburn agenda, people are looking for recognised ways of entering the profession. We want to see whether there’s a demand for this among solicitors,” he added.
The news comes after the IoP launched one of the first-ever national training frameworks for paralegals last year in a bid to turn the “occupation into a profession (6 October 2009).
The new career path, called the Route to Qualification (RTQ), was set up by the institution to give paralegals a nationally recognised status of ‘qualified paralegal’ upon completion.
Readers' comments (14)
Anonymous | 29-Jul-2010 1:16 pm
ILEX is the professional body representing around 22,000 qualified and trainee Legal Executives, and is recognised by the Ministry of Justice as one of the three core routes to becoming a qualified lawyer.
Why the need for a paralegal qualification?
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Anonymous | 29-Jul-2010 3:39 pm
What about the CLT, which offers Specialist Paralegal Qualifications in association with the University of the West of England?
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Anonymous | 29-Jul-2010 4:15 pm
The CLT "qualification" has no status at all. Just a money making con. If you start giving recognition to unqualified staff then before you know it you have the equivalent of licensed conveyancers. keep them all out. ILEX is bad enough without polluting the professional well any further.
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Anonymous | 30-Jul-2010 11:33 am
Fair comment, perhaps, what is needed is proper regulation by the Law Society on all legal providers (commercial and academic)?
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Anonymous | 30-Jul-2010 12:56 pm
Does anyone know the difference between the national institute of paralegals (nips?), the licensed instutute of paralegals, the national paralegal institute and the association of national paralegals? I'm getting really confused. Do they have many members? I suppose ILEx has been around for a long while and appears to be credible, so maybe they're the people whose view should be sought.
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Anonymous | 2-Aug-2010 9:14 am
Paralegals do twice the work of a trainee, yet they are paid half the amount.
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Anonymous | 2-Aug-2010 1:25 pm
I find the the comment "ILEX is bad enough" most offensive. I have been a Filex for a number of years and have recently undertaken the Advocacy Training. I consider myself as qualfiied and as capable as any other legal professional, whether that be solicitor or barrister, that I find myself opposite in court; in fact, on occasions, more capable!
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Anonymous | 2-Aug-2010 1:28 pm
Legal Executives are not paralegals!
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Amanda Hamilton Chief Executive, NALP | 2-Aug-2010 1:30 pm
Referring to 'Anonymous' (30th July 12.56pm), we would like to point out that there are no such organisations as 'The Licensed Institute of Paralegals', 'The National Paralegal Institute' or the 'Association of National Paralegals'.
There are only two professional bodies for paralegals: The NALP (The National Association of Licensed Paralegals) is the leading body and has been established for 23 years. The other is The Institute of Paralegals (IoP) formerly known as The Paralegal Association and formed around 2004.
We would also like to point out that the IOP’s 'national framework' is not the first ever framework for a paralegal career. The NALP has run one since 1989. It has been the forerunner for paralegal career development and its foundation qualification, the Higher Diploma in Paralegal Studies, has been (in the recent past) nationally accredited and recognised by The National Open College Network from 1995- 2002 and has been run by Further Education Colleges up and down the country.
More importantly NALP has recently gained Awarding Body accreditation and status from the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator (OfQUAL), the watchdog for qualifications in England. Furthermore the NALP's Post Graduate Diploma in Paralegal Practice (the PPC), is specifically designed for Law Graduates to enable them to obtain the necessary understanding of legal practice (because a Law Degree does not cover any of it), has been successfully running for ten years and the NALP Higher Diploma (procedural law content) been incorporated (as an option) in Sunderland University's Law Degree Programme for the past six years. NALP will of course be working closely with The Law Society in connection with its proposed study and is already working with Skills For Justice in a similar vain. Those persons who have responded negatively, above, to the need for Paralegals to be qualified are either not in the profession or do not want to improve their careers. Qualifications are very necessary as the majority of Paralegals do virtually the same work as Solicitors. The 'pen pushing office fodder’ referred to by some are not Paralegals but merely administrative clerks.
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Anonymous | 2-Aug-2010 5:07 pm
I think CLT as the leading provider of post qualification training for solicitors throughout the UK is ideally placed to provide paralegal qualifications through it's academic partner, the Bristol Law School, The university of The West of England.
The qualifications are highly practical and comprehensive and rated at the highest level currently available by The Institute of Paralegals.
The Law Society of Scotland have recently recognised the equivalent qualifications provided by CLT in Scotland as satisfying the academic standards for their new registered paralegal scheme which is overseen by the Society. A similar scheme in England can only improve consumer confidence and credibility in the legal profession overall
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