Working as a Paralegal assisting an associate and assistant fee earner (AFE)

Holly Jepson shares her experience working as a paralegal assisting an associate and assistant fee earner (AFE). 

My journey at Minster Law began in August 2022 and since then, I have worked on a variety of different caseloads. In October 2023, I started working alongside an associate solicitor and an assistant fee earner (AFE) as a paralegal on high value cases.

The support I have received to help adapt me to the role has been fantastic. The associate solicitor and AFE I have been working with over the last seven months have helped me develop and build an understanding of the best way to assist our seriously injured clients. There are different ways to run a multi-track case depending on the severity of injury, the client’s personal circumstances and more, which can be a lot to get your head around.

I have been exposed to new and challenging tasks as a paralegal working on a high-value case load. Examples include correctly undertaking legal research, assistance with draft schedule of losses, and attending criminal hearings / inquests for the purposes of securing an early liability admission.

However, as I have the benefit of two people at hand to learn from regarding the different complexities each case brings, and the differences on how each case must be handled, I have felt very supported when taking on new challenges.

We have regular case planning discussions which I find very educational and informative. It ‘keeps me in the loop’ having discussions about what the plan of action is going forward for our cases from a solicitor and file handling perspective. This then improves the services I can provide as a paralegal to my clients. I have gained an incredible amount of awareness in such a short space of time. I am looking forward to continuing to expand my knowledge.

Minster Law’s serious injury team is one of the largest in the UK, with specialists in head and brain injuries, spinal injuries, and injuries resulting in amputation and limb damage. Find out more about working in serious injury and what opportunities are available in the team.