Accredited Paralegal Committee profile

Caitlyn Maccabe is an associate solicitor working as part of the Industrial Disease team at Digby Brown in Glasgow. She is also one of two solicitor members of the Law Society of Scotland’s Accredited Paralegal Committee.

What made you pursue a career as a solicitor?

I chose to study an LLB due to the flexibility of the degree, and as it offered the opportunity to combine study of modern languages with a more varied programme of legal subjects. I enjoyed my studies and it seemed a natural progression from there to go on to qualify as a solicitor. It’s fantastic to have a career which is both mentally stimulating and personally rewarding.

Why did you decide to join the committee?

I have been lucky enough to work with a number of talented paralegals throughout my career. I felt that accreditation offered an excellent opportunity for paralegals to gain recognition for their expertise and was keen to lend my support.

What are the main issues you think the committee has to address at the moment?

One of the main issues is increased specialism within legal work. We have to ensure a consistent standard within each practice area, while still allowing the flexibility to cover more specialised roles.

What’s your top tip for accredited paralegals?

A number of paralegals have told me that they perceive their career development opportunities to be limited, particularly within the structure of the traditional law firm. Never underestimate the value of a range of skills and experiences. This is a time of great change for the legal profession and employers value staff who are innovative and adaptable, whatever their background.

If you could change one thing for accredited paralegals, what would it be?

While attaining accreditation involves a huge amount of hard work and is a great achievement, for many paralegals it marks just the start of a new chapter in their career. I would love there to be further opportunities for paralegals to have their continuing development and growing expertise formally recognised after accreditation.

What keeps you busy outside of work?

At the moment I am studying for a part-time LLM. I also enjoy a weekly pub quiz, I am a bit of a foodie and love music.