The National Association of Licensed Paralegals hosted a celebration of this years’ National Paralegal Day (Wednesday 9th November) at the Palace of Westminster.
National Paralegal Day celebrates the work that Paralegals do and the contribution they make to the legal profession. Whether they are working within a solicitor’s practice, in-house at a large organisation or independently in their own practice – Paralegals fill a void that has been created by the reduction in legal aid and the increase in the costs of training to be a solicitor or barrister.
The event was MC’d by comedienne Caroline Bernstein who entertained attendees with stand-up comedy and spot-on political impersonations. Plus, there were talks by both Steve Reed MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Justice and Shadow Lord Chancellor, and Fabian Hamilton MP, Shadow Secretary for Peace and Disarmament.
Steve Reed MP talked about how paralegals are often the unsung, unrecognised members of the legal profession – and yet, each year, they help thousands of people who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford legal representation. Each year they support solicitors and their teams and help them deliver high quality services to clients, and they work hard within organisations as diverse as local authorities and FTSE100 companies.
Amanda Hamilton, former CEO of NALP introduced her new role as Patron, and new CEO Jane Robson gave members an indication of some of the exciting developments happening within NALP in the coming year. As Jane said, ‘Watch this space’!
National Paralegal Day is a way to say thank you to the paralegal sector and the contribution it makes. Due to the pandemic, in-person celebrations weren’t possible for the last two years, but this year the event was able to take place in the beautiful Jubilee Room at the Palace of Westminster.
Momenta, and the National Paralegal College sponsored the event, which was an opportunity to celebrate, to network, to meet old friends and new, and to learn more about the role of paralegals within the legal profession.
ABOUT NALP
The National Association of Licensed Paralegals (NALP), a non-profit membership body and the only paralegal body that is recognised as an awarding organisation by Ofqual (the regulator of qualifications in England). Through its Centres around the country, accredited and recognised professional paralegal qualifications are offered for those looking for a career as a paralegal professional.
