Coronavirus: Managing Director Message

Rita Leat, PPR's Managing DirectorIt has been a very difficult time for all of us since Covid-19 came unwanted into our lives. Here at the PPR it is business as usual albeit we are working from different locations.

Our RRC Committee will function as normal and so there are no changes to the rules, procedures or policies at this time.

The most important thing is that you keep physically and mentally safe and follow the government guidelines.

Keep communicating with friends, family, clients and us by any distant medium you have available to you.   If you have any concerns about your registration or Paralegal Practising Certificate then please do contact us as we are here to help.

The Institute of Paralegals, one of our Recognised Bodies has published two articles in the last few days which may be useful 5 Tips on Taking Instructions Remotely and Paralegal Business: A Guide to Business Continuity and we are reminding paralegals that they have access to LawCare should they need to talk about anything that is worrying them.

Keep Safe,

Rita Leat

Managing Director, The PPR.

March 26, 2020 Recognised Body, Member News, Regulation, Coronavirus, Unregulated Legal Sector 0

PPR’s response to the Independent Review of Legal Services Regulation Report

Professional Paralegal Register’s response to the Independent Review of Legal Services Regulation Report.

The centre for Ethics and Law, University College London, have published the final report on the review of legal services regulation, undertaken by Professor Stephen Mason. The review entitled, ‘Reforming Legal Services – Regulation Beyond The Echo Chambers’ has been welcomed by the Professional Paralegal Register (PPR).

The PPR’s Managing Director, Rita Leat agrees with Professor Mason on the need to further separate the roles of representation and regulation from organisations that purport to ‘self-regulate’, which is insult on both their members and consumers common-sense that it is not possible to regulate yourself.

Regulatory independence as offered by the PPR for all those working in the unregulated sector is readily available to those who seek to promote the professional offering of legal services.

Activity-based as opposed to title-based regulation has been championed by the PPR for many years, consumers need to know that their legal service provider is competent, not that they have gained a certain job title. The Paralegal sector is evidence to this, with the most diverse set of job titles.

The PPR rejects the protectionist attitudes of some regulators and applauds this report for putting consumers at its heart.

The PPR agree the urgent need to regulate technology in the legal services arena to enable consumers to access legal services in an affordable and transparent way.

The PPR is ready to increase its position as the regulator for current unauthorised providers and offers its services to support the regulatory framework in England and Wales. A detailed analysis is underway and a further insight to the report will be published by the PPR in due course.

The PPR looks forward to continuing to work with Professor Mason, the Legal Services Board, the Legal Ombudsman, and government to assist with the development and adoption of regulatory change that will benefit the sector and consumers.

June 19, 2020 Regulation 0

Professional Paralegal Register appoints new board member to join the Register’s Regulatory Committee

PRESS RELEASE

The Professional Paralegal Register (PPR) announces that the Board has appointed a new board member Stephen Rippingale-Peters to join the Register’s Regulatory Committee (RRC).

Stephen joins the RRC with over 28 years of experience working in the legal sector and is a professional Paralegal who runs his own businesses specialising in complex investigation on a variety of subject matters both in the UK and overseas. He was the first investigator in a scheme to assist victims of fraud, being piloted by the Home Office and Police, and was engaged over an extended period in the identification of personal assets of a Director following the collapse of a major listed company. Most recently Stephen was responsible for compliance planning and strategy in his role as COFA at a Law Firm.

He is a Fellow of the Institute of Paralegals and is Registered in Tier 4 on the Professional Paralegal Register.

On his appointment Stephen said “I am delighted to have the opportunity to join the Board of the RRC and I look forward to contributing to the important work of the Board in promoting professional paralegals and building trust and consumer confidence in line with the aims of the Professional Paralegal Register”.

Amanda Lee, Chair of the RRC, commented:
“I am delighted to welcome Stephen to the RRC. His knowledge and experience will allow him to make a valuable contribution from the outset. I look forward to working with him as we continue to uphold the high standards set by the PPR to protect consumers.”

The focus of the RRC is to ensure that as the voluntary register and regulator for Paralegals the PPR operates within good practice principles, ensuring a robust framework of proportionate regulation to maintain the high standards that Paralegals must abide by. The RRC comprises of a non-executive Chair and board members who hear complaints and appeals of paralegals on the register.

Contact

Rita Leat, Managing Director +44 (0) 1442 253183

Abby Dennis, Head of Memberships & Events +44 (0) 7511 306379

Notes for Editor

The Professional Paralegal Register (PPR) was developed in direct response to the Legal Education and Training Review (LETR) that recommended a body should come forward to regulate paralegals who are working outside of the regulated sector.

The PPR is the independent voluntary register and regulator for Paralegals in England and Wales.

The PPR has two aims, to provide greater consumer choice and protection and to recognise professionals Paralegals as the fourth arm of the legal profession.

The PPR is a voluntary scheme for Paralegals who do not work in solicitors’ firms and is not governed by the legal services regulator, The Legal Services Board.

The PPR defines Paralegals into four tiers so that Paralegals can be clearly identified and valued for the professionals that they are.

Paralegals on the register must be a member of one of the PPR’s recognised bodies.

The PPR’s Register Regulatory Committee (RRC) can hear complaints relating to conduct only in respect of Registered Paralegals.

Professional Paralegal Practitioners who hold a Paralegal Practising Certificate (PPC) are fully regulated for their conduct and services and clients can utilise a compensation fund when things go wrong.

For further information visit www.ppr.org.uk

June 4, 2020 News, Regulation, Press Release, Paralegal, Paralegals, PPR, Register Regulatory Committee 0

Review of Legal Services Regulation – Will you be left out in the cold?

In May, this year the Ministry of Justice confirmed that it was not intending to change the structure of legal services regulation. Justice minister Alex Chalk MP said in a parliamentary paper there were ‘no plans’ to review the framework which is built around the Legal Services Act 2007.

This statement was made in spite of the fact that Professor Stephen Mason, UCL, had yet to publish the final report on The Independent Review of Legal Services Regulation. After almost two years of research, three working papers and numerous consultations, it would appear that the MoJ had jumped the gun.

Indeed, the interim report, published in September last year, indicated quite strongly that the regulatory landscape was not fit for purpose and needed a major overhaul.

The Legal Services Act was not intended for today’s innovation within the legal sector and leaves little room to enable new technology to be taken under the regulatory wing. Statutory restrictions have prevented the regulatory framework to adapt to a more diverse legal service provision.

The final report that was published in June this year and sets out a series of proposals, which could provide both short term and long- term reform.

Currently we are in a state of ‘all’ or ‘nothing’, with some legal service providers being left out in the cold, whilst others suffer the burden of ‘Title Based’ regulation opposed to ‘Activity Based’ regulation, which it could  be argued to be eminently more sensible.

The key points for the unregulated providers to take note, is that reform is inevitable, and there is a new call to bring the unregulated into the framework in the short-term.

If the framework is developed in relation to ‘activities’ then will writers and paralegals should think very carefully about being left out, if they do not adjust to new criteria that will undoubtedly be forthcoming in relation to (a) categorising the risk of certain activities (will writing has already been muted to be ‘high risk’) and (b) ensuring that providers of ‘activities’, meet the new standards of competency whatever they may be.

The report does however highlight and more importantly recognise that there is an independent regulator, the Professional Paralegal Register (PPR), who acts as a regulator (non-statutory) for all those offering legal services outside the regulated professions.

The way forward for the unregulated sector is to provide a united front. Organisations, membership bodies, paralegal firms and businesses who are interested in protecting the unregulated sector and ultimately their livelihoods are advised to contact the PPR and become regulated by an independent body. Self-regulation is not likely to meet the standard of external scrutiny that will be needed going forwards.

For more information on becoming a Recognised Membership Body or to be registered on the Professional Paralegal Register please email [email protected]

December 4, 2020 Regulation 0