BCL Legal Recruitment

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Paralegal FAQ’s

Can you get me a training contract?

Most firms deal with their graduate recruitment i.e. training contract applications separately to their fee earner recruitment. When offering paralegal jobs, firms will expect to interview candidates who wish to join the firm for that particular role. If there are training contracts available, many firms will offer a percentage to their existing non qualified employees (as well as to external applicants) if they are strong performers, get on well with everyone in their team and are good client facing individuals. Most paralegals will have to prove themselves for at least 12 months before being considered.

What salary can I expect as a Paralegal?

Salary does depend on experience. As a rough guide:
Starting salaries without experience – From £12,000
6 – 12 months experience – From 14,000 - £16,000
12 months plus - From £16,000+
2 years plus – From £18,000+
3 years plus – From £20,000+
5 years plus – From £25,000+
7 years plus – From £35000+

Can I apply for defendant jobs when I only have claimant paralegal experience and vice versa?

Yes, firms are happy to take candidates from either background if they have technical experience within that particular area of law

Can I apply for family and crime jobs if I only have Personal Injury experience?

Most firms will only wish to see applications from individuals who have experience in the particular area of law that they are recruiting for. For example if there is a Family Paralegal vacancy, candidates without specific family experience will be competing against a wide range of candidates who have 12 months to 3 years family experience so applications will not be successful.

Do I need litigation experience to become a fee earner?

No, some of the opportunities we deal with do not require litigation experience as you will required to settle claims outside of court proceedings. There are however some roles which do require post litigation experience, however we will always be clear if litigation experience is required.

Does my Citizens Advice Bureau voluntary experience count?

Unfortunately experienced gained at the CAB, though useful in building customer relationship skills is not counted as relevant legal experience to work within private practice. Work experience must be gained either at a law firm, insurance company, accident management company, Investigations Company, the Metropolitan Police, costs companies or in any house legal teams.

Do I need to have done the LPC to work as a Paralegal?

No the LPC or further legal qualifications are not required for all roles, however many law firms do prefer Paralegal do have done the LPC as it provides them with useful transferable skills.

I have done the BVC can I still qualify as a Solicitor?

Yes you can complete the QLTT under certain circumstances and cross qualify as a Solicitor.

What is the difference between a claims handler, paralegal and fee earner?

These terms are interchangeable. Most non qualified people at law firms where in your role you are expected to handle cases are called Paralegals. Roles which involve you billing the client, or you working on matters which generate legal fees for the firm, tend to be under the Fee Earner name, therefore you can be a non qualified or a qualified fee earner. Roles where you handle claims, especially at the early stages and never really enter into litigation as it is the file that is then passed onto another team, sometimes fall under the Claims Handler category.

What is a legal executive?

A legal executive is another form of qualified lawyer. The term ‘legal executive’ should only really be used by Fellows of the Institute of Legal Executives (FILEX), who have completed one of the prescribed routes to qualification. As a legal executive is a qualified lawyer and are regulated by a professional body, they have rights to partnerships in law firms and to judicial appointment. The main difference between FILEXs and Solicitors is that the training to become a legal executive is narrower than the training route to become a solicitor. This means that legal executives study to the same level as solicitors, but they study fewer subjects overall. (For more information please visit: http://www.ilex-tutorial.ac.uk/home