Self-Regulation

Are legal services better provided by professions that are self-regulatory, that are regulated by the Government, or that fall somewhere in between?

The NALP believes that the profession is better served if paralegals take steps to ensure self-regulation. As a result, the Association has introduced measures to ensure the paralegal profession is properly regulated and it has implemented a code of practice. Licences are also issued to ensure high quality standards of work. Self regulation offers protection for paralegals.

Self-regulation of paralegals helps solicitors

Collectively, paralegals form the largest section of the legal profession and they also exist, across the board, in many areas in commerce, industry and the public sector.

The majority of Paralegals in law firms work with minimum supervision. A large a portion of the legal work undertaken by the legal profession as a whole is, in fact, carried out by paralegals.

With self-regulation, paralegals are able to fulfil their potential. Paralegals enable solicitors to concentrate on more complex cases increasing a firm's efficiency.