THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PARALEGAL PROFESSION IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

Abstract

This article tracks the development of a new legal profession in the United Kingdom: career paralegals. It considers the commercial, socio‐economic, political and historical factors influencing the development of the paralegal profession and also hindering and warping aspects of its development. The article further considers how blinkered attitudes within the traditional legal profession have led to the growth of a half‐million strong body of legal practitioners without many in the traditional legal profession even noticing. Finally, the article considers some of the lessons learned from the UK experience to date and how they may be of assistance to other jurisdictions.