Case & Management Information
- Claims
- Business/Commercial
- Commercial Disputes
- Debt Recovery
- Employment
- Family/Divorce
- Lender Services
- Property Commercial
- Property Residential
- Tax Returns/Planning
- Wills/Trusts/Estates
What are paralegals?
Paralegals are legal practitioners who work for solicitors in their offices handling client files. The work involves daily client contact and caseload responsibility under the supervision and direction of solicitors.
Do all solicitors employ paralegals?
No. Solicitors firms are however increasingly starting to employ paralegals. Wilson Nesbitt employ over 80 paralegals who work in all practice areas.
What do Wilson Nesbitt paralegals do?
Wilson Nesbitt paralegals have caseload and direct client contact responsibilities in the areas of residential conveyancing, remortgaging, personal injury, family law, estate administration, will writing, property repossession, debt recovery and employment law.
What qualifications do you need to have to be a paralegal?
Wilson Nesbitt's minimum requirement for paralegal staff are good A levels or equivalent or failing that years of accumulated experience in the firm. Almost all Wilson Nesbitt paralegals have degrees and some have law degrees.
Can paralegals become solicitors?
The Law Society of Northern Ireland has a discretion to accept on application a paralegal who has over seven years experience in a solicitor's firms to become a student of the Society and thus qualify as a solicitor. Wilson Nesbitt currently has such a senior paralegal undergoing this qualification route.
What career opportunities are there for paralegals?
Wilson Nesbitt have over 20 paralegals who hold management positions in the firm. The firm's IT Case Management Systems Development Manager, Marketing Manager and heads of department in five practice areas started with Wilson Nesbitt as para legals. In addition fifteen supervisors currently manage teams of at least three paralegals each. Wilson Nesbitt have only been recruiting paralegals since 1998. Wilson Nesbitt are continuing to evolve the career opportunities and reward structures for their experienced and capable paralegals.
Would being a paralegal help me with future Institute exams?
Each year a significant number of Wilson Nesbitt paralegals who have law degrees succeed in obtaining places at the Institute of Professional Legal Studies. On average over the last number of years the percentage of Wilson Nesbitt paralegals who have entered the Institute entrance exam and succeeded has out performed the straight percentage statistical chances of success.
Do Wilson Nesbitt offer training contracts to paralegals?
Wilson Nesbitt generally offer four training contracts per annum to those who are successful in the Institute entrance examinations. Those Wilson Nesbitt paralegals who succeed in the Institute exams but fail to secure a Wilson Nesbitt training contract almost always succeed in obtaining training contracts with other firms. It is understood and accepted that Wilson Nesbitt paralegals will have had considerable hands on experience.
When do Wilson Nesbitt recruit paralegals?
With over 80 paralegals employed and many areas of practice expanding Wilson Nesbitt are constantly recruiting paralegals either to replace existing staff or cope with planned expansion. Wilson Nesbitt recruit at least one or two paralegals every month and in certain summer months often more than ten per month. Each recruited paralegal will be trained and specialise in a designated practice area and will relatively quickly become very proficient in that area of law with a significant personal caseload. Visit the 'Current Vacancies' section to see our current recruitment requirements.
