Lawyer Monthly Magazine August 2020 Edition

51 AUG 2020 | WWW.LAWYER-MONTHLY.COM GETTING YOUR BUSINESS BACK ON TRACK AFTER THE PANDEMIC solicitor. As many have their own paralegal practice, it’s possible either to outsource or sub-contract the work to them, while keeping the management (and profits) in-house. Over the next few months, there is likely to be a rush of small low-end legal matters, such as small claims, contractual disputes and tribunal matters. Access to legal advice and help may be too costly via conventional routes, i.e. paying a fee to a solicitor for matters such as general contractual advice, matrimonial assistance, hiring and firing staff (employment contracts), renting or leasing private accommodation or commercial units, collection of debts or minor civil disputes. All of these can be dealt with, at a much lower rate, by a NALP Licenced Paralegal Practitioner. It, therefore, makes sense to utilise the services of a NALP paralegal, as by offering these services at an affordable rate and then outsourcing to a paralegal, you can increase your profits without the risk of taking on more staff or making a long-term commitment. The rest of your team can then continue to earn the bigger fees while the smaller jobs tick along and pay the bills. In addition, these new lower paying clients today may well be tomorrow’s higher paying business. As a law firm, if you’re looking to use the services of a paralegal there are a few things to look out for: 1) Are they a member of a professional body? 2) Do they have a NALP Licence to practise and professional indemnity insurance (PII)? The latter is not necessary if you are employing them as in-house staff within your practice. 3) Ensure that the activity you need help with is something that a paralegal is allowed to deal with. Essentially, paralegals can do almost everything a solicitor can do, but certain activities are reserved and cannot be performed by a paralegal. 4) It is important to check the training and qualifications of such paralegals which will be dependent on the type of work you require them to do. So, entry level (basic work and assistance) may only require a Level 3 qualification (such as the NALP Level 3 Certificate or Diploma.) Alternatively, work that requires a level of expertise and skill may require an applicant to have either a minimum Level 4 (such as the NALP Level Diploma) or a law degree or above. Amanda Hamilton is Chief Executive of the National Association of Licenced Paralegals (NALP), a non-profit Membership Body and the only Paralegal body that is recognised as an awarding organisation by Ofqual (the regulator of qualifications in England). Through its Centres, accredited recognised professional paralegal qualifications are offered for a career as a paralegal professional. www.nationalparalegals.co.uk Twitter: @NALP_UK Facebook.com/ NationalAssocationsofLicensedParalegals Linkedin.com/in/ amanda-hamilton-llb-hons-840a6a16 Amanda Hamilton Chief Executive National Association of Licenced Paralegals (NALP) THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT PARALEGALS CAN PLAY A BIG PART IN GETTING THE LEGAL SECTOR BACK ON ITS FEET QUICKLY AND HELPING TO ENSURE IT’S IN A POSITION WHERE THEY CAN THRIVE ONCE MORE.