The Law Society at 75: Tracking the impact of paralegals

In celebration of the Law Society of Scotland’s 75^th anniversary we sit down with two members of the Accredited Paralegal Committee, Laura McLaren and Sandra Reid, and Bruce Battersby, solicitor at BTO solicitors, to track the influence of paralegals over the past 75 years and what they hope to see change going forward.

Sandra Reid: The role of a paralegal has changed enormously over the last 20 years. Paralegals historically covered secretarial/administrative duties and basic legal tasks, now paralegals cover many more practice areas which allows them to train in different areas and perhaps pursue a career associated with their own personal interests.  The range of duties covered by a paralegal has also increased with most paralegals covering their transactions from start to finish.

Laura McLaren: When I started my career, paralegals were often seen as support staff, a backbone to the legal process but not necessarily at the forefront of legal innovation or critical case management. However, I have observed a significant industry-wide shift of this perception, during my career.

In private practice, the utilisation of paralegals to undertake fee-earning work, which had historically been reserved for junior solicitors, has elevated the status of paralegals within firms and highlighted their indispensable role in the legal ecosystem. The line between an experienced paralegal and a newly-qualified solicitor has blurred, because of the depth of expertise and capability paralegals bring to the table.

The legal profession, particularly in recent years, has grown more complex and has faced rapidly evolving challenges. Meeting these challenges and addressing these complexities requires a skilled workforce which is proficient in legal process, with strong legal knowledge, and capable of operating with efficiency and precision. Paralegals have risen to these challenges, offering crucial support in areas such as innovation, risk, governance, and compliance across a multitude of sectors.

The paralegals evolution from support staff to key players in the legal field is a testament to their value and the dynamic nature of the legal profession. The future of legal practice will undoubtedly continue to be shaped by the contributions of paralegals, as they adapt to and navigate the ever-changing legal landscape.

Bruce Battersby: Paralegals are the bedrock on which a lot of firms are built. The value that paralegals bring is enormous. In my time in practice I have found the vast majority of paralegals to have a very practical ‘can do’ attitude. Most wish to make a positive impact to their firm and to the wider community.

Bruce Battersby: It is great to see the growth in the number of areas in which paralegals can now achieve accreditation in and I hope this continues. This specialist knowledge should be recognised and is extremely valuable to the firms that paralegals work in.

It would be wrong to assume that every paralegal wants to be a solicitor and nor should they. That being said, it would be of benefit if there were a clearer path for those paralegals who do wish to become solicitors. I would suggest that a paralegal with a number of years or practical experience has at least as good an idea, if not better, that they wish to pursue a career as a solicitor than a recent graduate who may have no practical experience

Sandra Reid: Personally, I think that the accredited status should be mandatory and a grading structure for paralegals added.  That way all paralegals would have defined career progression and have something to aim for rather than stop at accreditation. Paralegals are here to stay and they are not a threat to solicitors. Some paralegals may wish to qualify as a solicitor but not all do and it would be good to add another couple of stages onto the accreditedstatus – for example, Senior Accredited Paralegal, Associate Accredited Paralegal.  Some firms  already have a structure in place for their paralegals, so it makes sense that the status does too. The legal sector is changing and we must not forget that paralegals play a big part in that sector.

Laura McLaren: The past decades have seen the paralegal profession evolve remarkably, driven by technological advancements and shifting client expectations. For the next 75 years, here's what I hope will change for paralegals:

I envision a future where paralegals are at the forefront of adopting and innovating with new technologies, such as artificial intelligence and blockchain, to enhance legal services and efficiency.

The demand for paralegals proficient in data analysis, compliance management, reporting skills and visualization is on the rise. I hope to see a future where paralegals are equipped with these skills, enabling them to translate complex data into actionable insights and narratives, differentiating their capabilities and adaptability of new trends and market demand.

That the next 75 years bring greater recognition, professional advancement opportunities, and a clear career progression path for paralegals.

In essence, the future I envision for paralegals is one of growth, recognition, and innovation driving paralegals towards becoming indispensable strategic partners and delivering exceptional legal services.