The rise and rise of the paralegal
updated on 15 March 2011
According to a report in the Law Gazette, former Bar chairman Nick Green QC has claimed that the rise in paralegals is bringing down the cost of legal advice, as clients realise that paralegals can do many of the same tasks as solicitors and barristers for a fraction of the cost. He said that the oversupply of lawyers has led to a "burgeoning body of paralegals" which is becoming one of the biggest challenges to face the legal profession. "[It] is already affecting the structure of the profession and will do so increasingly in the near future," he said.
In related news, the Legal Services Board (LSB) has revealed that the forthcoming major review of education and training (see “Legal regulators combine on education review”) will consider paralegals' role and the disparity between the number of training contracts and the number of LPC graduates.
In its draft business plan for 2011-12, the LSB said: "Issues concerning capacity and supply will be examined, including the current mismatch between the number of students completing the vocational stage of training (LPC/BPTC) and the number of training contracts and pupillages available across the market. Continuing the focus on entry, we will explore the expanding role played by paralegals in providing services (with or without supervision from a qualified lawyer) without regulatory requirements regarding competency standards and training."
