Head of the Professional Paralegal Register is shortlisted in the National Business Women Awards
Managing Director of the voluntary regulator for paralegals, Rita Leat, is a finalist in the third sector category of the National Business Women Awards for her pro-bono role with the Professional Paralegal Register (PPR).
Rita who co-founded the not for profit scheme, the PPR works tirelessly to promote professional paralegals as a recognised fourth arm of the legal profession and to enhance consumer choice and protection.
Speaking about her recent shortlisting “I am honoured to be shortlisted as a Finalist in these prestigious awards. Awards such as these play a vital role in promoting the hard work of female leaders”.
This is the second business women award that Rita has been shortlisted for in recent months.
Finalists will gather at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel in Kensington, London on Thursday 12 December to find out who has won.
To find out more about the Professional Paralegal Register please visit www.ppr.org.uk
3,500 LEGAL PROFESSIONALS ALL UNDER ONE ROOF
After the huge success of our last show held in March 2019, LegalEx will be back for another edition! On the 18th & 19th of March, 2020, London’s ExCeL will again play host to Europe’s most comprehensive and all-encompassing trade show for legal professionals.
LegalEx 2020 is set to be the biggest & best edition to date. It will host 200 cutting- edge exhibitors and 150 educational seminars from some of the world’s top legal experts, innovators and forward-thinking speakers. In association with The Solicitors Regulation Authority and HM Courts & Tribunal Services, LegalEx 2020 is an event that anyone within the legal profession looking for business growth, professional development and cyber security can not afford to miss.
Designed to help the business behind the solicitor, attending the event is one of the most effective ways to increase the profit of legal practices, to step up marketing efforts, to increase client retention, and increase billable hours. With a focus on the innovations in Artificial Intelligence for legal firms, how the implementation of GDPR is affecting the efficiency of solicitors, the rise in Cyber Terrorism and how the Conveyancing sectors are expanding, there will be more than enough for the modern law professional to benefit from. With the relevance and expected expansion of these topics further into the heart of the law industry, LegalEx 2020 will keep visitors well ahead of the curve.
Last March 3,300 professionals within the Legal sector came together to explore the latest tools, products, services, resources and innovations that are changing the game in legal business growth and data security. The next edition of LegalEx is planned to be bigger and better and tickets are already available on its website and are completely free. The website will also be giving all the latest updates about next year’s LegalEx.
With exhibitors from across the many legal sectors all coming together under one roof, it is hard to find a reason not to attend. This approach creates an efficient solution to your legal problems. Instead of spending hours looking at companies on the internet, speak to the people behind the solution face to face and choose what you can be sure is the best option for your specific firm and needs. As well as this, you can learn where the trends are by getting immediate feedback, keeping your finger well and truly on the pulse and further preparing you for success in the following months.
For full details and to register for your free ticket to attend please visit www.legalex.co.uk
PPR's Managing Director, Rita Leat shortlisted as Finalist in Best Business Women Awards
The Best Business Women Awards have announced their finalists for 2019. The business world is full of talented and dedicated female entrepreneurs who not only run successful businesses but, in many cases, also juggle the needs of their families. The Best Business Women Awards are designed to recognise the achievement of those women across a wide range of business categories from women across the UK.
Rita Leat from the Professional Paralegal Register has been shortlisted as a finalist in the legal services categories. The Professional Paralegal Register (PPR) is the overarching independent voluntary regulator for paralegals. Its aims are to promote professional paralegals as the recognised fourth arm of the legal profession and to enhance consumer choice and protection.
Debbie Gilbert, organiser of The Best Business Women Awards said “This is the 5th year of these prestigious awards. We were delighted with the number of entries this year, which came in from all over the UK. This is a tough competition judged by business experts. To be a finalist is a major achievement. Finalists have been selected for their business acumen, determination, creativity and tenacity. Well over 80% of start-ups fail in the first 3 years and all our finalists are all shining examples of being successful entrepreneurs who have proved their success to our judges.”
Rita Leat, who is the Managing Director of the PPR said “I am honoured to be a Finalist for the legal sector category in this year’s Best Business Women Awards. Having achieved my Law Degree as a mature student with three children in 1994 I entered my legal career that has now spanned 27 years”. She continued “The Awards are a fantastic opportunity to recognise and celebrate not only women in business but for this particular category, women in law”.
The gala final of The Best Business Women Awards will be held on 11th October 2019 at The Tower Hotel in London when the winners will be announced.
The search is on to find the Best Paralegals 2020 NATIONAL PARALEGALS AWARDS
Following the overwhelming success of the inaugural awards, The National Paralegal Awards are back, and the search is on to find the Best Paralegals in the UK and businesses that support the industry.
This year there are 14 categories comprising of 10 awards for individuals including Best Civil Litigation Paralegal, Best Patent Paralegal, Probate Researcher of the Year, Will Writer of the Year and Best Mediator and Arbitration Paralegal. There are four categories for businesses to enter including Best Recruitment Organisation for Paralegals and Best Law Firm – Paralegal Development.
Entries are now open, and close on 13 December 2019 at 5pm.
Finalists and sponsors will gather together on 27 March 2020 for a black-tie gala final held in the Grand Hall, Connaught Rooms in Covent Garden to celebrate achievements and announce the winners of each category.
Rita Leat, Managing Director of The Professional Paralegal Register who host the awards said: “We are delighted to host these annual awards to showcase and reward the work of Paralegals across the UK. These are professional awards with strict criteria to ensure that our Finalists and Winners are the best the UK has to offer”.
This year’s headline sponsor is international genealogists and probate researchers, Fraser and Fraser, who were awarded ‘Paralegal Business of the Year 2019’.
Neil Fraser, Partner said “Fraser and Fraser celebrate its 50th anniversary this year and we are delighted to be the headline sponsor of this year’s National Paralegal Awards. As a firm we understand the crucial role paralegals play across the sector and these awards provide well-deserved recognition to the individuals and organisations that have achieved great things.”
Amir Ali, Chairman of the CCUA will be heading up the independent judging panel, which is made highly regarded business and legal professionals. Amir said “I was honoured to be asked to return to this year’s Judging Panel and to Chair the panel. The PPR’s National Paralegal Awards is now very much a firm fixture within the legal calendar. Paralegals, in all their forms, are the backbone of the industry, often working in the shadows and these awards shine a much-needed light on the vital role they play in the delivery of Legal Services in the marketplace”.
For the second year, the events charity partner will support The Young Citizens, who work to help young people become active, engaged and motivated citizens, who are able to contribute positively to their communities.
For further information and to enter the awards visit www.nationalparalegalawards.com
Enter the British Wills & Probate Awards
Would you like to win an industry accolade for high achievement in the sector?
Following the overwhelming success of last year’s event, The British Wills & Probate Awards are back – bigger and better.
Taking place on the 17th October 2019, the prestigious awards are being held at the Belfry Hotel and Resort in Birmingham. The 2019 attendee list is double the size of last year, reaching just shy of 300.
The awards will again be hosted by broadcaster and journalist Jennie Bond, who appears regularly on a wide range of television and radio programmes – from light entertainment to documentaries.
Why not highlight your achievement and successes in the Wills and Probate sector by entering the awards?
Not only will you have the chance of winning an award, you will also receive the following benefits:
- Full coverage on leading news publication Today’s Wills & Probate
- Content to use for your marketing purposes
- Use of the British Wills & Probate Awards logo
- Enhanced brand profile and recognition
- Networking opportunities
With more choice of categories to choose from than ever before, you and your firm will be sure to find plenty to apply for, especially as you can enter up to three categories for the cost of £145 plus VAT – which is less than the cost of writing a Will for most of us, and of course, the more categories you enter, the more chance you have of being shortlisted and maybe even winning.
To find out more about this year’s new categories and which ones best represent your business please click here. The closing date for submissions is 14th June, so don’t wait, get your nominations in now!
Furthermore, bookings for this key event are now open here where you will find information and pricing for individual tickets and whole tables of twelve.
If you would like more information about how the awards work and how to go about entering please call Josh Hall on 01829 307 505 or email [email protected]
A time of change in the world of probate
Guest blog from one of the recognised bodies of the Professional Paralegal Register, The Association of Probate Researchers (APR) on the proposed changes within the probate sector.
These are interesting times for the probate sector, with the government looking to push through its much-publicised fee changes while at the same time introducing a new online application process that has been dogged by controversy virtually from the day it was first mooted.
Proposed reforms will bring an end to the current flat rate of probate fees of £215 (£155 if estates are settled through a solicitor) and the implementation of a six-band sliding scale.
The new system will see people whose estates are valued at between £50,000 and £300,000 pay £250, with fees rising to £750 for estates valued between £300,000 and £500,000, and £2,500 for those worth between £500,000 and £1m. A maximum fee of £6,000 will be levied on those with estates worth more than £2m.
Fees will be capped at no more than 0.5 per cent of the value of an estate and the government suggests that around 80% of estates will pay no more than £750. In addition, the threshold below which no fees are payable will rise from £5,000 to £50,000.
The Ministry of Justice has stressed that additional funds raised will be spent on the courts and tribunal service.
In a written statement it noted: ‘The new banded fee model represents a fair and more progressive way to pay for probate services compared to the current flat fee.’
However, many in the media have not agreed with this assessment and the proposals have come in for considerable criticism, especially as they coincide with the introduction of a controversial online application process.
Rolled out by Her Majesty’s Court and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) in 2017 as part of a £1 billion reform programme, the latter’s stated aim is to make probate simpler and more convenient, remove the need for people to attend a probate registry and swear an oath in person, and make the justice system easier to navigate for all.
Government sources say that take up of the new system has been relatively rapid and point to advantages of security and ease of use.
Under the proposals, “bulk scanning and printing services” will replace work that has traditionally been carried out by people – in this case civil servants – who check whether wills are original before issuing probate.
The Public and Commercial Services Union, some of whose members are now facing an uncertain future, has however reacted with alarm at the plan.
“Thousands of years of experience are being lost,” a union spokesperson commented in March, “We are concerned that the current model of probate is having to change to fit HMCTS proposals for a paperless system, a system that they have not consulted upon, our members maintain is not fit for purpose and threatens the integrity of the grant.”
Neil Fraser, partner at genealogists and international probate researchers Fraser and Fraser, said: “In principle, automating the system makes sense and will make the process simpler for many people. However, it’s important there is a system of checks in place that allows individual cases to be scrutinised.”
“The digitisation process should be extended to cover the entire probate period, with estate accounts being required to be filed at the end of the process.
“Complex estates by their very nature can be challenging to administer and we would strongly advise these are dealt with by a professional. Many members of the public will be unaware that if they make mistakes they could be at risk of facing prosecution for fraud.”
Recognised Body of the Professional Paralegal Register: The Association of Probate Researchers
The Association of Probate Researchers
In the context of the current changes faced by the sector, the Association of Probate Researchers (APR) has an important role to play.
The organisation brings regulation to the professional probate research industry, guards against the fraudulent or misguided and ensures beneficiaries receive the best advice at a time of changing realities and regulations.
For more information about the organisation’s activities visit www.a-p-r.org
PPR applauds the Independent Review of Legal Services Regulation
Rita Leat, Managing Director of the Professional Paralegal Register (PPR) has given praise to Professor Stephen Mason for undertaking the Independent Review of Legal Services Regulation.
The current system of regulation via the approved regulators under the Legal Services Board is at best confusing and at worst detrimental for consumers to enable them to understand where to turn for redress when things go wrong.
There has been a strong argument to suggest that one super regulator such as the LSB should be formed that would help consumers to access redress quicker and more simply, with one set of regulations that cover all providers of Legal Services. This of course is not something that has been received well by individual regulators who wish to keep their set of regulations as being specific to job titles. But is this the right approach?
Regulation of the services (where needed) makes better sense to ensure that only those high-risk matters are indeed regulated. This would better enable professional bodies to regulate conduct only with no overlap with the regulation applied to certain services.
From the unregulated sector, the PPR has risen to provide an overarching voluntary regulatory scheme for all those who would otherwise remain unregulated. Regulation here covers all job titles as there are no real differences in the requirements for professional practice no matter what your job title is.
The PPR, similar to Cilex, operate a two-tier approach to regulation. Recognised Bodies of the PPR handle first Tier complaints which can then be escalated to the PPR as an independent regulator operating an arbitration scheme.
As the leading authority and regulatory scheme for Paralegals we enable individuals to practice specific services only which makes it transparent for consumers.
The PPR who recently held the first National Paralegal Awards with 200 attending across the sector, are determined to rid the legal services market of self-regulatory schemes that offer no protection for consumers who are left to pick up the pieces of an unsatisfactory service.
Kate Hoey, MP recently said ‘regulation by membership bodies is not regulation at all as it does not offer real redress for consumers’. Kate Hoey is a Patron of the PPR and advocates that all Paralegals should join the PPR. No other form of ‘self-regulation’ is recognised by the PPR.
The PPR welcomes the report next year and continues to strive to ensure that consumers are put at the heart of all regulatory decisions.
Outstanding Achievement Award Baroness Dianne Hayter of Kentish Town
The inaugural National Paralegal Awards Gala Final was attended by 200 finalists, 
judges and sponsors on Friday at the prestigious May Fair Hotel.
These brand-new awards, hosted by the Professional Paralegal Register, who is the overarching voluntary regulator for Paralegals in England and Wales, were specifically aimed at recognising the achievements of Paralegals across the UK, law firms that develop Paralegals and recruitment companies who recruit Paralegals.
Kate Hoey MP, gave the opening address as Patron of the PPR, telling the attendees “that regulation via membership bodies is not regulation at all as it does not protect the consumer. The PPR is the only independent regulator for Paralegals and those working in the unregulated legal services market”.
Rita Leat, Managing Director of PPR presented an Award for Outstanding Achievement to Baroness Dianne Hayter of Kentish Town, stating that the Baroness was being honoured for her long career in championing consumer protection and for supporting the PPR in all of its efforts to ensure there is a voluntary regulator who puts the interests of consumers at the centre of all it does.
In accepting the Award, Baroness Hayter, who could not attend the event due to her duties regarding Brexit, spoke via a video stating that she “was honoured to receive such an award on behalf of consumer protection and fully supported the efforts of the PPR”.
The awards were also sponsored by The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Heslewood and Grant Solicitors, Institute of Paralegals, Clerks Room Direct, Central Law Training, Lawyer Checker, Golden Leaves, Which Legal, F-Lex, Stephen James Partnership and Auscript.
Winners of National Paralegal Awards 2019 Announced!
On 29th March 2019 200 people gathered together at The May Fair Hotel in London for a glamorous gala dinner to celebrate the achievements of Paralegals from across the UK. This is the first awards to take place in the UK which focuses on rewarding the Paralegal Sector. The event started with a champagne reception sponsored by Orion Legal Marketing.
The winners from the 12 categories, covering a variety of legal sectors were announced [see list below] and an Outstanding Achievement Award was presented to Baroness Diane Hayter by the Professional Paralegal Register for her support to the paralegal sector.
Rita Leat, Managing Director of The Professional Paralegal Register, the host of these awards, said “The night could not have gone better. We were delighted with the response to these awards. Celebrating the achievements of Paralegals has been long overdue, they are the back bone of the legal sector. The event was a sell out and we are already looking for a bigger venue for 2020. Recognising both winners and finalists was important to us. We had all the finalists on stage as well as the winners which created an atmosphere of true celebration and recognition”.
The judging panel shared their comments when announcing winners relaying the reasons why they had chosen the winner. On the night judge Amir Ali, Chairman of the CCUA said “The event has been amazing, and I was delighted to have been able to judge these awards. The talent was exceptional, and it is great to see Paralegals being recognised”.
Mark Solon, solicitor and Chairman of Wilmington Legal said: “The paralegals are coming! Paralegals specialising in particular fields can do the work of traditional lawyers but need the right training and experience to do as good a job. The Awards rewarded the best of the best and provided a place to celebrate paralegals who have done what it takes and more.”
The evening raised £1800 for the Young Citizens, a charity which specialises in helping young people become active, engaged and motivated citizens, who are able to contribute positively to their communities.
Treethorpe were the headline sponsor of the event, Michelle Aldous, Head of Operations and General Manager said “We wanted to be the headline sponsor the minute these awards were announced as this is very aligned with our values as a business and it has been fantastic to be able to show our support”.
The awards were also sponsored by The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Heslewood and Grant Solicitors, Institute of Paralegals, Clerks Room Direct, Central Law Training, Lawyer Checker, Golden Leaves, Which Legal, F-Lex, Stephen James Partnership and Auscript.
2019 Winners
Best Family Law Paralegal – Dawn Gore, Trethowans LLP
Best Trademark Paralegal – Rebecca McBride, Pinset Masons
Best ADR Paralegal – Maria Arpa
Best Employment/HR Paralegal – Michael Coe, Dimensions 888
Best Conveyancing Paralegal – Kay Liddle, PM Property Lawyers
Best Pro Bono Paralegal – Ashleah Skinner
Best Probate Research Paralegal – Lauren Geary, Treethorpe
Will Writing Organisation of the Year – Heritage Will Writers
Paralegal Recruitment Organisation of the Year – EJ Group
Best Law Firm – Paralegal Development – Dentons UK and Middle East LLP
Paralegal Business of the Year – Fraser and Fraser
Paralegal of the Year – Leah Caprani, Winckworth Sherwood LLP
2019 Highly Commended
- Best Pro Bono Paralegal – Lyn Berry
- Best Probate Research Paralegal – Neil Fraser – Fraser & Fraser
- Paralegal of the Year – Gerald Murphy, Philip Nam, Jonathan Dattani, Ashleah Skinner and Caroline Spencer Boulton
Celebrating the Successes of Finalists!
Finalists of the first National Paralegal Awards, and industry leaders and supporters, will be coming together on Friday 29 March for the inaugural awards event, which is being held in the The May Fair Hotel London’s prestigious Crystal Room, showcasing and celebrating Paralegal talent from across the UK.
The evening commences with a champagne reception and dinner, which will be followed by the main awards ceremony. Here are the Finalists who were selected by an independent judging panel from hundreds of entries.
Best Family Law Paralegal
Alison Collier- Nowell Meller
Dawn Gore – Trethowans LLP
Iselin Jones- Corbett Le Quesne
Kaya Suleyman – Morrison Solicitors LLP
Nicola Phipps – Wikivorce
Will Writing Organisation of the Year
Bill Hogg – Attorney Wills
Nick Ash – Will and Probate Services
Heritage Will Writers
Best Law Firm – Paralegal Development
Dentons UK and Middle East LLP
Eric Robinson Solicitors
Mayo Wynne Baxter
PM Property Lawyers
Shakespeare Martineau
Shoosmiths
Which Legal
Paralegal Recruitment Organisation of the Year
EJ Group
F Lex
Law Staff Legal Recruitment
The Stephen James Partnership
Simply Law Jobs
Best Trademark Paralegal
Peter Fisher -CP Law Associates
Rebecca McBride
Roy Scott – Keltie LLP
Best ADR Paralegal
Clive Lewis- Globis Mediation Group
Maria Arpa
Qaiser Bari
Best Employment/HR Paralegal
Bina Briggs – Plain Talking HR
Joe Milner – Loch Associates
Leah Caprani – Winckworth Sherwood LLP
Michael Coe-Dimension Eighty Eight
Best Conveyancing Paralegal
Kay Liddle- PM Property Lawyers
Kelvin Cooper-Birketts
Laura Kate Morley- PM Property Lawyers
Rachel Lawrence – Dentons UK
Best Pro Bono Paralegal
Ashleah Skinner
Lyn Berry
Nisar Afsar -BCADS
Best Probate Research Paralegal
Alex Horrod -Anglia Research
Katie Lowe- Estate Research
Lauren Geary – Treethorpe
Lorna Gallacher- Treethorpe
Neil Fraser – Fraser and Fraser
Paralegal Business of the Year
Champion Law
Construction Legal
Divorce Online
Estate Research
Derby Legal Assistance
Fraser and Fraser
Lender & Court
Problem Percy
White Collar Legal
Paralegal of the Year
Ashleah Skinner
Caroline Spencer- Boulton
Gerald Murphy
Ian Lobb
Jonathan Dattani
Julie Herbert
Katie Lowe
Leah Caprani
Michael Coe
Nick Ash
Paige George
Peter Fisher
Philip Nam
Sharon Baker
This year’s headline sponsor is Treethorpes and individual awards have been sponsored by Which Legal, The Institute of Paralegals, Lawyer checker, Heslewood and Grant, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, The Stephen James Partnership, Golden Leaves, Clerksroom, Central Law Training and F-Lex.
Other sponsors include Orion Legal Marketing, Legal Futures and Auscript.