What to look for in a paralegal role

I explained the benefits (with caveats) of getting a paralegal role in this previous article.

Here are some suggestions when you look for a paralegal opportunity:

• Not all paralegal opportunities are equal - a paralegal is a catch all term for any person carrying out legally related work within a law firm/in-house team who isn’t legally qualified. Someone whose main duties include creating bundles, document indexes and other largely administrative tasks are just as much a paralegal as another person who is carrying out detailed legal research, managing their own caseload and dealing directly with clients. When you’re looking for paralegal roles, look for opportunities which will give you the biggest learning and development opportunities.

• Think about the type of firm you’re interested in training at and ultimately qualifying into - if you’re wanting to be a City lawyer, aim to get a paralegal job at a City firm. Similarly, look to a regional firm if that’s where you see yourself. This will become a valuable experience to draw upon in training contract and vacation scheme applications. You’ll be able to show a competitor firm that you’re not only interested in law but you’ve developed an interest in the type of law that firm specialises in.

• Overtime opportunities - Some firms will allow paralegals to claim overtime. This can make a paralegal role very lucrative, particularly when you’re working for a firm known for longer working hours.