Profile: Laura McBain

Tell us about your career so far?

I started my career in financial services, working as a client services executive for over 10 years. After having my daughter, I felt like I needed a change of direction and joined the Society in 2019. I initially started as a team administrator, then quickly moved on to become a member services coordinator. This is when my involvement with the Accredited Paralegal status began. I was delighted to become secretary to the Accredited Paralegal Committee in April 2022.  

As secretary, how do you support paralegals?

I am lucky enough to engage with paralegals from all over Scotland on a daily basis. Whether this be providing information or advice to potential new members, supporting trainees throughout the Accredited Paralegal traineeship, or helping existing members maintain their membership, I am involved every step of the way.  

What are you most proud of when it comes to your work as secretary?

It’s wonderful to be able to provide paralegals with the formal recognition they deserve. Some of our members have worked in their role for 20+ years before applying for the accreditation, so it’s a proud moment when you can reward their hard work and dedication to the profession. Likewise, I support paralegals at the very early stages of their careers and it’s wonderful to witness their paralegal journey from trainee through to full accreditation. 

Equally, what would you say to someone looking at the accreditation scheme? Do you think any aspect of it may come as a surprise to people?

I think it’s important to highlight that the application process is very straightforward. A common misconception is that applicants need to complete an exam, or some form of coursework, to gain accreditation. This isn’t the case. Paralegals are simply asked to demonstrate that they meet the competencies and standards set by the Society through our online application. It’s a great opportunity for applicants to reflect on the skills and experience they have built up during their paralegal career. Most applicants really surprise themselves when they get their experience down on paper!

Immigration law was recently added to the list of practice competencies. How important is it that this list continues to grow, and what does this addition mean to the profession?

It’s essential that we continue to develop and maintain a diverse range of practice areas for the accreditation so we can support as many paralegals as possible and cater for growing areas of the law. We were delighted to launch our new immigration law practice area back in January as our 14th area of law for accreditation. We’re aware there’s still lots of hard work to do, and there are highly specialised paralegals working in areas of law that we have yet to develop an accreditation for, so we want to hear from you with your suggestions! 

What keeps you busy outside of work? 

Outside of work my main focus is spending time with family and keeping my five-year-old daughter entertained! When I get some precious time to myself, I enjoy catching up with friends, cooking, reading, and going to the theatre. My highlight of last year was seeing ABBA Voyage down in London – if you haven’t seen it, I would highly recommend it. I’m still talking about it five months later!