1. Background

We are:

- the oldest incorporated paralegal representative body in the United Kingdom (Scotland excepted)

- the oldest not-for-profit paralegal professional body in the UK (Scotland excepted)

- the only body representing professional paralegals in the whole of the UK to have been granted Institute status by the UK government

- the only paralegal body to have had its application for institute status supported by the Bar Council, Law Society, Crown Prosecution Service and Citizens Advice

- the only body for professional paralegals in the UK to have received state funding to help develop the paralegal profession

- the organisation which publishes the Paralegal Code of Conduct

- the only professional body for paralegals in the UK to have worked in partnership with the Ministry of Justice

- the only paralegal body to have been cited by legislators during Parliamentary legal debates (see Hansard)

- the first ever paralegal body to be accepted for membership by LawCare

- the organisation which publishes the National Competency Standards for the paralegal profession (drafted with the assistance of scores of law firms and (in part) by Her Majesty's Land Registry and vetted for professional conduct requirements by the Solicitors Regulation Authority) 

2. Our remit

Assist people to join the legal profession as non-lawyer legal professionals

Assist non-lawyers working in and with the law to reach professional standards of knowledge and service 

Provide paralegals another professional non-lawyer groups with recognition and regulation, support, training and career development

Assist paralegal employers to attract, retain and motivate the best paralegal and non-lawyer legal staff

To create national competency standards

To encourage the provision of affordable training

To offer accreditation of quality courses of interest and relevance to paralegals

To offer expert advice and information on all matters relating to paralegals and non-lawyer legal professionals

To create nationally recognised quality-mark professional designations (i.e. Certified Paralegal)

Work with employers to help them professionalise and refocus their legal support staff

Offer corporate membership to employers and other organisations working with paralegals and other non-lawyer legal professionals

Lobby government, the Legal Services Ombudsman and other relevant parties to improve recognition, standards and status for paralegals

3. Join Us

Membership is open to all individuals and organisations, whether here in the UK or overseas.

However the three practice grades of membership (Associate Paralegal, Certified Paralegal and Qualified Paralegal) are only available to individuals who regularly do some form of legal work. 

Individual Members

For information on individual memberships, the cost and the application forms please click here.

For more information email: office@ theiop.org (Note break in link)