A paralegal is a varied and interesting career within the legal profession. Finding work as a paralegal is competitive, however – with those keen to use it as a stepping stone to qualifying as a lawyer, as well as those interested by its mix of legal research and administration, vying to pursue it as a career.
In this guide, we’ll discuss how to become a paralegal – including what they actually do and how much they make; the qualifications, skills, and experience you need; and where to look for jobs.
What Is a Paralegal?
Paralegals support lawyers, especially solicitors, by performing assistant or administrative duties. The role of a paralegal is varied, but they will commonly carry out legal research, prepare documents, provide quotes to clients, interview clients and witnesses, and provide legal information and advice.
There is a significant degree of overlap between the role of a paralegal and a solicitor, though there are some services which a paralegal cannot perform as these are reserved for solicitors, barristers, and other regulated legal professionals. These include litigation, probate, advocacy and mediation, and conveyancing.
Paralegals typically work for law firms. However, there are a variety of other settings in which they working, including other private, public sector, and non-profit organisations and charities.
They can provide legal assistance in areas such as:
- writing a will
- housing
- marriage and divorce
- welfare
- representation at a police station (for minor offences only)
- taking action against an employer through a tribunal
- explaining the process of taking someone to court
As such, the work of a paralegal provides a wide-ranging experience of many areas in the legal system. Paralegals are vital to the working of a legal team, and some use their experience to help them qualify as solicitors.
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What Does a Paralegal Do?
Paralegals have a varied and interesting workload. Their duties typically involve supporting solicitors with administration and research. Your exact role as a paralegal will depend on the level of experience you have, your specialism, and the organisation in which you work. For example, a non-graduate paralegal in a local government office will be doing very different work from a senior one in a law firm.
However, a general answer to the question ‘what does a paralegal do?’ might include:
- Conduct legal research
Research case law, legislation, and legal precedents.
- Draft and prepare legal documents
Create contracts, pleadings, reports, and legal correspondence.
- Manage case files and evidence
Organise litigation bundles, maintain records, and ensure documentation is accurate and court-ready.
- Assist with client communication
Meet with clients to take instructions, keep them informed, and handle enquiries.
- Interview clients and witnesses
Take statements, prepare summaries, and gather relevant case information.
- Support court proceedings
Attend court hearings, inquests, and tribunals; file documents with the court.
- Analyse and input legal data
Maintain databases and ensure accurate recording of legal information.
- Provide legal information or advice (where permitted)
Offer legal guidance in specific, regulated contexts.
- Attend meetings and liaise with legal professionals
Work alongside solicitors, barristers, and other legal personnel.
- Handle administrative and billing tasks
Schedule meetings, organise diaries, manage billing, and process payments.
How to Become a Paralegal
Unlike becoming a lawyer, there are no official routes to becoming a paralegal. However, there are still a number of common requirements which employers have, and various things which you can do to improve your chances of landing a job.
Competition for jobs can be intense, so getting some of the following qualifications and experience will make you a more attractive candidate.
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Qualifications for a Paralegal
There’s no single qualification for aspiring paralegals to take. On the other hand, there are a variety of academic and vocational qualifications which employers typically look for.
University Qualifications
On the academic side, many paralegals have an LLB or BA in Law from university. This degree does not qualify you as a lawyer but it is taken by many solicitors and barristers, as well as paralegals, before their more advanced qualifications. However, you don’t necessarily need a degree to become a paralegal.
Vocational Qualifications
For vocational qualifications, there are a wider range of options. In the UK, a Level 3 Paralegal Apprenticeship is available, which combines paid work with part-time study, meaning you can train on the job. There are also plans to create a new advanced Level 5 paralegal apprenticeship.
You can also get a qualification from and become a member of a professional body such as the National Association of Licensed Paralegals (NALP) or CILEX (the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives). This demonstrates your commitment to the law and is a marker of expertise for employers and clients alike.
The NALP offers certified paralegal qualifications at a range of different levels:
| Level | For | Description |
| Level 3 Certificate | Paralegal Technicians | Entry-level for those starting out |
| Level 4 Certificate | Associate Paralegals | Qualification for those with previous law experience |
| Level 5 Diploma | Senior Associate Paralegals | Designed for senior paralegals |
| Level 7 Diploma | Paralegal Practice | Aimed at those with an LLB/BA in Law intending to become a paralegal |
You can find an NALP training centre here.
Another pathway to becoming a paralegal is the CILEX Professional Qualification (CPQ) route.
There are three stages to the CPQ (Foundation, Advanced, and Professional). You can take the Foundation stage without a degree and once you complete it (plus some work experience), you will qualify as a paralegal.
At this point, you can either stop your studies or progress to the Advanced stage to qualify as an advanced paralegal.
If you already have a law degree, you can join CILEX as a paralegal – and then choose to take further qualifications to become a lawyer if you wish.
Finally, remember that you can find work as a paralegal without any qualifications at all. If you have experience as a legal secretary or assistant, you may be able to apply for paralegal roles – depending on each employer’s specific criteria.
Paralegal Work Experience
To boost your application further, finding relevant paralegal work experience is vital. Most employers – whether they’re law firms, in-house legal teams at companies, or public sector and charitable organisations – are looking for candidates who can demonstrate practical knowledge and an understanding of the legal profession and the paralegal role.
Fortunately, there are opportunities to secure this experience. Employers offer paid paralegal internships and work experience placements, which over a few weeks or months can help you get your foot in the door of the profession. Some students doing a law degree also take a year out to work as a paralegal, with some degrees integrating this as a year-in-industry into their curriculum.
Don’t overlook volunteering roles, either. Your university law society might offer the opportunity to do pro bono client-facing work. If you’re not at university, then charities like the Citizens Advice Bureau are often looking for volunteers. You might field client enquiries, conduct research, and assist with preparing legal documents – exactly the kind of experience you need as a budding paralegal.
Finally, as we mentioned earlier, many paralegals have previously worked in other roles in the legal industry. If you can’t find work as a paralegal straight away, consider applying for jobs like legal assistant, legal secretary, contracts administrator, or compliance officer. You can build up your skills and experience in these roles before trying your luck again with paralegal applications.
Our full guide to law work experience contains more advice and suggestions.
Skills
A paralegal is a demanding role with potentially high stakes – missing something key in your research or making an error when drafting a document could have serious ramifications. The key skills needed to become a paralegal reflect the requirements of the profession:
- Excellent attention to detail for analysing case files, reviewing contracts, and ensuring your admin is accurate
- Communication skills – including both written English and verbal – to draft accurate documents and speak with clients
- Time management to manage multiple tasks and caseloads to tight deadlines
- Admin and organisational skills to manage case files, correspondence, and legal documentation
- Legal research skills and a desire to develop your knowledge of the law, precedent, legislation, and legal processes
- Client management skills
- Commercial understanding, including awareness of the business context of legal work
Finding a Job
Once you’ve put all the hard work into getting the right qualifications and developing your skills and experience, it’s time to find a job as a paralegal! We’ve touched on the type of organisations which employ paralegals earlier in this guide, but we’ll go into a bit more detail here.
You can find work as a paralegal throughout the UK. The most obvious type of employer would be a firm of solicitors, but there are also other options – including working in the in-house legal team at a company.
Here’s a fuller list of employers to consider:
- law firms
- barristers’ chambers
- chartered legal executives
- licensed conveyancers
- trade mark attorneys
- cost lawyers
- the court system
- public sector organisations
- local and national government
- the NHS
- commercial companies
- industry
- not-for-profit organisations
- charities
Once you’ve built up your experience, you can also become a freelance paralegal or set up your own paralegal practice.
Here are some places to look for paralegal jobs:
Legal recruitment agencies may also be able to help you find a role. Some examples include:
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Paralegal Salary
Naturally, before you consider how to become a paralegal, you also want to know whether you should – and a key part of that decision will be the salary you can expect.
As with many professions, your earning potential will depend on your experience and qualifications. The average paralegal salary in the UK is about £26,000, though this masks a range from £18,000 at the bottom end to £70,000 at the top (think a paralegal of many years’ standing at a Magic Circle firm).
The table below should be a useful guide to paralegal salaries.
| Level | Salary (outside London) | Salary (inside London) |
| Junior (non-graduate) | £18,000 – £22,000 | £22,000 – £24,000 |
| Junior (graduate) | £21,000 – £25,000 | £28,000 – £30,000 |
| Senior | £30,000 – £40,000 | £35,000 – £70,000 |
In fact, salaries at the top end of the range can be even higher, as paralegals can now become partners or company secretaries in law firms.
As a self-employed paralegal, you can usually charge between £20 and £50 per hour, depending on your level of experience.
Progression from Paralegal to Lawyer
It is possible to progress from being a paralegal to being a qualified lawyer. In fact, some graduates work as paralegals, as this counts as Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) which is needed for the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) you take to become a solicitor.
You need two years of experience to fulfil the QWE requirements for the SQE. You must be a university graduate to take the SQE, though your degree does not need to be in law.
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FAQs
No, though it can help you find work. There are no official qualification requirements to become a paralegal as it is not a regulated role. However, employers will have their own criteria when hiring paralegals. A law degree may be an advantage, but other qualifications, including vocational qualifications such as an apprenticeship or NALP qualification, or practical experience working as a legal secretary or assistant, are likely also to be acceptable.
The average salary of a paralegal in the UK is around £26,000, though this varies by location and experience. A non-graduate junior paralegal working outside of London might earn as little as £18,000, while a senior paralegal at a London firm could make £70,000 or more.
There are no official qualifications required to be a paralegal. There are certified qualifications available, however, which might make it easier for you to find work as a paralegal. These include:
- LLB / BA in Law
- National Association of Licensed Paralegals (NALP) qualification
- CILEX (the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives) Foundation qualification
Experience working as a legal secretary or assistant, or in similar roles, could also be beneficial.
Yes, it is possible for a paralegal to become a lawyer. Many aspiring solicitors use working as a paralegal as part of their two years’ work experience required for the SQE. You do need a degree to take the SQE, though it doesn’t have to be in law.