I was honoured to be a sponsor at the inaugural National Paralegal Awards last week and as I sat at my table at The Mayfair, surrounded by 200 attendees from all types and sizes of legal practice it occurred to me how paralegals are helping to reshape the legal industry.
When I was a solicitor, classically trained lawyers were the norm but they no longer have the monopoly. The legal marketplace is changing and clients can seek assistance from a growing number of non-lawyer professionals such as paralegals who are legal specialists in their own right. The demand for increased efficiency in the legal industry has led to higher demand for paralegals who give options to firms and clients alike, providing cost-effective and dedicated support across a wide number of practice areas.
Speaking to attendees at the event their qualifications and experience were clearly evident, as was their dedication to the legal sector and their clients. The Awards categories spanned Trademarks, Employment, Probate Research to name a few, with all the nominees exhibiting a great commitment to their discrete areas of expertise.
It is obvious that the paralegal path has become a highly viable route into the legal industry and it can only be good news for the profession as a whole. So, I would like to repeat my congratulations to all of those nominated at the Awards last week for representing paralegals so admirably and their colleagues and peers that support them. Good luck in your legal careers and I look forward to meeting you at the Awards again next year, if not before.
