By Amanda Hamilton, Patron, National Association of Licensed Paralegals (NALP)
Paralegals are an integral part of any law firm or large business. Their contributions to your organisation, whether it is within the legal sector or outside of it, should be recognised and applauded. They may not be qualified solicitors, but paralegals are trained and educated in a similar way; paralegals have either studied law and/or have a vast amount of experiential knowledge which makes them experts in their chosen area of law.
Paralegals work in a variety of sectors from probate research to the fashion industry, from the defence sector to premiership football clubs, as well as within solicitors’ practices. The opportunities are plentiful, and if you fail to recognise your paralegal employees’ full potential, you are unlikely to enjoy the benefits of their skills for very long.
So how can you show your paralegals that you care?
The basics
Providing an opportunity for a good work-life balance is important for any employee, and paralegals are no exception. By ensuring team members have regular breaks, and reasonable working hours, you show that you genuinely care about the people within your business. Put an end of presenteeism, and reward people for the work they do – whatever their level within the company.
Memberships
Connecting your paralegal staff to a membership body can be a positive step toward becoming an excellent paralegal employer. A membership body such as NALP, can offer support, introduce them to other members, offer valuable benefits such as regular webinars on useful subject areas and issues, and even offer free career consultations about progression and what they can and cannot do as a paralegal. Why not offer to pay for their membership?
Encourage, and perhaps pay for them to attend, ‘National Paralegal Day’. This is an annual event that celebrates the role of paralegals and ensures they know they are recognised and appreciated. It’s a fun evening, with food and drink, awards and lots of networking. Perhaps it can be a teambuilding social event for your paralegal team.
Qualifications
Sponsoring your paralegal employees to gain NALP Ofqual recognised paralegal qualifications or paying for them as part of their continuous professional development (CPD) will also show that you care about their work today and in the future. Additional training, qualifications and CPD is good for your business and good for your paralegals who will have a greater breadth of knowledge, as well as boosting their confidence and morale. This in turn increases their loyalty and reduces staff turnover.
Recognition
Recognise the contribution paralegals make to the work of the company by proactively and clearly thanking them and pointing out where they contributed. Everyone likes to feel noticed and valued, so ensure our paralegals are not forgotten in favour of the more highly qualified colleagues.
Offering regular feedback on their performance and a clear pathway to possible progression within the organisation is another way to recognise the contribution that paralegals make. Some may be interested in specialising, others may prefer a more general remit, and some may have decided they wish to qualify as a solicitor. Whatever their goals, helping them reach them is good for business.
Rewards
Competitive pay structures are also important, and paralegals should be paid a fair salary for the work they do. But not everything is about the money; great working conditions, social events, flexible working, sabbaticals, etc., all help to make people feel good about the company they work for.
Nurturing your employees always brings dividends; productivity and motivation increases, while absenteeism and staff turnover decreases. You’ll attract and retain the best talent and gain a reputation as a great company to work for.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Amanda Hamilton is the Patron of 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.
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