You are here : Home » Careers » Becoming a Paralegal » Career Path

Career Path

The Route to Qualification

The Institute offers a recognised career path for professional paralegals: the Route to Qualification. Its purpose is to provide paralegals and their employers with a simple and consistent paralegal career path based upon standards, proven competency, experience and training.

Why the Route to Qualification was introduced

• Too many paralegals still only have a job, not a career
• Employers do not have the time/resources to create career paths for paralegals
• To provide consistent professional designations to allow recognition of expertise
• The paralegal training market is under-developed
• Development and recognition of the paralegal profession has reached a plateau
• There is insignificant recognition of paralegal expertise
• Recruiters need to have consistent competency benchmarks to work to
• Paralegals need professional designations which are linked to ability
• Professional indemnity insurers need to be able to assess the risk factor
• Clients need to know their paralegal advisers have proven competency

What is the Route to Qualification?

There are four stages in the Route to Qualification:

1. Affiliate Member

Effectively the student grade, but open to all aspiring to become paralegals

2. Associate Paralegal

Effectively the apprenticeship/trainee stage

3. Certified Paralegal (M.Inst.Pa)

Recognition of ‘flying hours'/experience but not proof of competency

4. Qualified Paralegal (F.Inst.Pa)

Recognition of proven competency and experience

Professional Titles for Members

• Affiliate Members do not receive a professional title
• Associate Paralegal members can call themselves Associate Paralegals in correspondence, documentation, etc and (in Hong Kong only) use the letters A.Inst.Pa (HK) after their names (Hong Kong Associate Member of the Institute of Paralegals)
• Certified Paralegals can call themselves Certified Paralegals in correspondence, documentation, etc and use the letters M.Inst.Pa after their names (Member of the Institute of Paralegals)
• Qualified Paralegals can call themselves Qualified Paralegals in correspondence, documentation, etc and use the letters F.Inst.Pa after their names (Fellow of the Institute of Paralegals)

More Information

For more information about the Route to Qualification, please download the explanatory leaflet here (in .PDF format)

If you do not have a PDF reader, please download one for free here

To find out more about the different levels of Institute membership and how to apply, please click here.

The Route to Qualification

Competency Standards for paralegals and legal secretaries

Regulation and Professional Conduct

© Copyright 2008. Institute of Paralegals   DATA PROTECTION | DISABILITY POLICY | SITE MAP