We sat down with Bethan Buckley, a family paralegal in our Stourbridge Office to talk all about what a Family Paralegal does and what someone can expect from a career in family law.
“Well for starters, what is a Paralegal?”
A Paralegal is a member of a legal team, with some level of legal training, but who is not a qualified Lawyer. Paralegals work to support Lawyers in their team with a variety of both legal and administrative work.
“And why do I want to become a Lawyer?”
I was not one who knew what I wanted to do from a young age. I was working as a receptionist/file room assistant, and was given the opportunity to transfer into the Family department as a Legal Assistant. From there, my love for Family Law grew, and I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to begin my training with CILEx Law School.
Family Law is not an area for everyone, as you are dealing with such an important and personal area of someone’s life. Working as a Paralegal has given me the opportunity to gain invaluable experience that will assist me massively in my goal to become a Lawyer, especially when it comes to managing clients’ expectations and dealing with their emotions in a delicate and respectful manner, something that you cannot learn from a textbook. The sense of appreciation received from a client when assisting them in what can be a very difficult time in their life, is what makes me want to become a Family Lawyer.
“What qualifications have you earned to get to this point and what are you working towards?”
- Level 2 Diploma in Legal Studies
- Level 3 Certificate in Law and Practice (Family Practice)
- Level 3 Certificate in Law and Practice (Conveyancing)
- Level 3 Diploma in Law and Practice (Qualified Paralegal and ACILEX)
- I am currently studying with CILEX Law School to complete the CILEx Professional Qualification (“CPQ”) at the Advanced level. I will then complete CPQ Professional to enable me to become a CILEx Lawyer.
“So what does a general day in your life look like?”
Whilst no day as a Paralegal is the same, there are some general jobs that I am responsible for daily such as:
- Drafting applications to Court.
- Drafting Orders.
- Preparing Briefs to Counsel.
- Preparing Court bundles where our client is the applicant, or where the other party is a litigant in person, including preliminary documents such as ES1, ES2, Chronology, Statement of Issues and Position Statements.
- Attending client meetings with Lawyers and taking a note.
- Attending on conferences with Counsel and taking a note.
- Attending at Court hearings to support our client and Counsel, and take a note.
- Drafting letters of advice to clients.
- Drafting statements.
- Preparing Form E.
- Exchanging documentation with other parties and filing documentation with the Court.
- Contacting clients to arrange appointments.
- Diary management.
- Attending seminars to keep up to date with the latest developments in the Law.
- And last, but certainly not least… RESEARCH.
“What does a day in court look like for you?”
Where parties have been unable to reach an agreement, and Court proceedings have been issued, I will attend Court where we have instructed a Barrister. Below is how a general day at Court will go:
- Travel to Court.
- Arrive at Court and go through security checks.
- I normally plan to meet the client outside in advance. I will then locate the area of the Court in which the hearing is due to take place from the listings board in the Court foyer, and we will make our way to the waiting area in readiness.
- Check in at the Usher’s desk and advise the Usher that I am attending with the client to sit behind Counsel.
- Meet with Counsel and locate a quiet corner or a room where one is available to have pre-hearing discussions/conference.
- Keep a note of discussions going on between the client and Counsel, assist Counsel where necessary.
- Enter the Court room and take a seat behind Counsel and take a detailed note of the hearing.
- Break for lunch if it is an all-day hearing – I usually stay in the Court building with Counsel and the client continuing to take a note and return to the Court room after lunch.
- Once the hearing is finished, I will head outside the Court room with Counsel and our client for post-hearing discussions and take a note.
“And how does life look away from work?”
It really is a remarkably busy role being a Family Paralegal and I immerse myself in it as it’s something I love, so this is how I balance it in my personal time:
- I play tennis at my local tennis club; however, I am definitely what you would call a “fair-weather” player!
- I love a trip to London and enjoy spending time visiting the different villages. My favourite so far is Greenwich; although you would be most likely to find me in the Liberty department store, as my two biggest passions are fashion and visiting historic buildings, which Liberty holds both of!
- I also enjoy hosting friends and family at my house for dinner, barbeques and the odd cocktail or two!
If you’d like to learn more about starting a career here at Talbots, visit our careers page by clicking here.