| Institute
Projects
As appropriate given our not-for-profit status, we are involved
in a variety of non-commercial projects designed to improve the
regulation, education, standards and status of paralegals.
The following
are some examples of the projects and matters that we are/have been
involved in:
Bar
Council of England & Wales
The Council
supported our application to government for Institute status in
2005, and also recommended us for membership of the Race for the
Professions project run by the Commission for Racial Equality
British
Institute for Learning & Development
Advising/supporting
the BILD in their application for institute status. During
2006-2007 our representative sat on the Editorial Board of their
in-house journal
Carter
Reform Group
Working
with, and supporting, this umbrella organisation campaigning for
changes to Lord Carter's legal aid reform proposals
The
Children's Society
This major
charity is the Institute's charity of choice
Child
Support Agency
we were
asked to advise them on issues relating to the professionalisation
of paralegal case workers
Citizens
Advice
National pro-bono
partner (which made us a Short-Listed Finalist in the pro bono
section of the 2005 Lawyer Awards)
Supported the Institute's application to government for Institute
status in 2005
Supported and endorsed the Institute's 2006 poster campaign to
university law schools and FE colleges trying to encourage young
people and people from BME communities to become magistrates
Sponsor of the 2006 Paralegal Awards
The City Law School
(Inns of Court School of Law)
The City Law School has
been accredited by the Institute for CPD purposes
Commission
for Racial Equality
Partnering
with the CRE in running the annual Paralegal Awards
Supports the Institute's BTEC in Law & Legal Work qualification
Sponsored the Institute's poster campaign to university law schools
and FE colleges trying to encourage young people and people from
BME communities to become magistrates
Member of the CRE's Race for the Professionals programme
Companies
Registry
We are members
of the Legal Users Focus Group
Commonwealth
Legal Education Association
Invited
to present a paper at their 2007 conference on paralegal education
Connexions
(government's national careers service for 13-19 year olds)
Advised
on the paralegal element of Connexions' legal careers brochure
Advised
on their web-site content re paralegal careers
Council
for Administration (the UK's leading standards setting
body for business and administration)
Member of a CFA review panel
Member of the CfA (i.e. akin to a shareholder, but with a monitoring
function rather than ownership)
Partner in the production of the Institute's paralegal/legal secretary
national competency standards
Crown
Prosecution Service
Assisted with paralegal caseworker development
Supported the Institute's application for institute status to
government in 2005
Sponsor of the 2006 Paralegal Awards
DeMontfort
University
Member of
the academic accreditation panel for DMU's postgraduate diploma
for paralegals
Department
for Constitutional Affairs
DCA Minister spoke at Institute's House of Commons reception
Discussions with the DCA re the regulation of paralegals and diversity
in the profession
Supporter
of the Institute's 2006 Paralegal Awards
Partner in 2006 national poster campaign to help persuade young
people, especially those from black and minority ethnic groups,
to become magistrates
The
Institute convened and hosted a closed meeting of various diversity
related legal groups for the DCA
Has a watching brief on the Institute's paralegal/legal secretary
competency standards project
Department
for Education & Skills
Worked with
them to promote/publicise the career paralegal option, and helped
edit their careers literature on paralegals
Department
for Work & Pensions
Advised
the DWP benefit fraud group on paralegal career developments
Department
of Trade & Industry
Member of
the Small Firms Consultations Database for new laws/regulations
Edexcel
(UK's largest national awarding body)
Partnered
Edexcel to produce a nationally recognised professional legal
qualification: the BTEC in Law and Legal Work
Worked together
to create the national Paralegal Training Framework
Edexcel was
a sponsor of the 2006 Paralegal Awards
Partner in
the production of the Institute's paralegal/legal secretary
competency standards project
Financial
Services Skills Council
Member of the FSSC
working party creating the financial services sector 14 – 19
Diploma (a government initiative)
Member of the above 14 – 19 Diploma legal sub-group
Foundation
Degree Forward
Worked to
see if there was demand for a government-funded foundation degree
for paralegals
Home
Office
Advised
Home Office caseworkers with regard to work visa applications involving
paralegals
HR
in Law
The leading
organisation for law firm HR Managers. They have a watching brief
on the Institute's National Competency Standards project
Independent
Police Complaints Commission
Advised
on issues relating to the professionalisation of paralegal caseworkers
Land
Registry
The Land
Registry has been accredited by the Institute for CPD purposes
The
Law Society of England & Wales
Liaison on a number of matters including paralegal standards,
the Lexcel quality kite-mark and diversity
The Society supported the Institute's application for institute
status in 2005
The Society sponsored the 2006 Paralegal Awards
Invited to participate in the Society's series of 2006/2007 diversity
careers fairs
Has a watching brief on the Institute's paralegal/legal secretary
competency standards project
Law
South
Law South
has been accredited by the Institute for CPD purposes
Legal
Education Training Group
Members of the LETG (the organisation for law firm Training Managers)
Has a watching brief on the Institute's paralegal/legal secretary
competency standards project
Legal
Services Commission: Has a watching brief on the Institute's
paralegal/legal secretary competency standards project
Legal
Services Ombudsman:
Ongoing dialogue about paralegal and legal support staff standards
Supported the 2006 Paralegal Awards
Has a watching brief on the Institute's paralegal/legal secretary
competency standards project
London
Borough of Camden
We advised
the Benefits Fraud Group on paralegal representation during interviews
with suspects under caution
Office
of the Commissioner for Public Appointments
We advised
on establishing an accreditation procedure for government assessors
Police
National Database
Partnering
PNDL to bring their criminal law database to the attention of the
legal profession and paralegals
Qualifications
& Curriculum Authority
Members
of the review group helping the QCA review its strategy for approving
courses and course providers with regards to business administration
Resolution
(formerly Solicitors Family Law Association)
Member of working party considering paralegal qualifications
Sponsor of the Institute's 2006 Paralegal Awards
Royal
Academy of Dramatic Art
Partnered to publicise/offer their courses
Supported the Institute's application for institute status in
2005
Scottish
Paralegal Association
In regular communication on matters of mutual relevance
•
Reciprocal membership arrangement
Shadow
Attorney General
Tabled our
suggested amendments to Legal Services Bill on our behalf in Parliament
Solicitors
Regulatory Authority: Assisting the SRA with the paralegal
elements of its revision of training contracts
United
Kingdom Trade & Industry (part of the DTI)
Presented
twice at UKTI/DTI conferences on accreditation as a competitive
advantage for British firms wishing to export training expertise
University
of Lincoln Law School
Sponsor of the 2006 Paralegal Awards
Liaising on students' career options
Has a watching brief on the Institute's paralegal/legal secretary
competency standards project
|
