Family Law Practitioners Association

“Family Law Practitioners association (FLPA) is Queensland’s leading professional body representing almost 1000 family law practitioners (FLPA n.d, para 2).” FLPA is a professional, organised, voluntary, non-profit association committed to providing members credible opportunities to promote their professional qualifications to other members and potential clients. View link for member benefits. 

To be a member of FLPA, you need to be currently working in the area of family law. The following professions qualify FLPA membership: “Solicitor, Barrister, Social worker, Psychologist, Member of Judiciary or associated field, law student, financial professional or another related family law profession” (FLPA, Join Us n.d, para 2). In the future, I aim to work as a family law paralegal which would then qualify me for FLPA membership. In the meantime, I must gain the knowledge and skills of a successful paralegal.

As stated by Robert Walters (n.d,) depending on the firm or organisation, paralegal duties may include:

• Case planning, development, and management
• Legal research, fact gathering and information retrieval
• Drafting correspondence
• Drafting pleadings, document responses and discoveries
• Contacting and conferencing with clients
• Analysing and summarising documents
• Fact checking
• Preparing for and assisting at trial
• Locating and interviewing witnesses

Kane (2019) lists the eight skills that are necessary for a successful paralegal include:

1. Communication
2. Writing
3. Research and Investigative
4. Technology
5. Organisation 
6. Multi-Tasking
7. Teamwork
8. Attention to detail

To counteract my disadvantage of inexperience, I’m studying a Diploma of Legal Services. The Diploma will enable me to attain credible knowledge of the legal foundations. Additionally, I’m focusing on improving my skills relevant to the paralegal profession. The most important aspect of my quest to becoming a paralegal is gaining practical experience in the legal sector. Whether I work as a volunteer or a legal secretary (as oppose to a paralegal), any legal experience is valuable.

Thanks for reading! Please comment any feedback.

Reference List

FLPA n.d, Family Law Practitioners Association, viewed 25 January 2020 < https://www.flpa.org.au>

FPLA n.d, Member Benefits, viewed 25 January 2020 < https://www.flpa.org.au/member-benefits/>

FLPA n.d, Join Us, viewed 25 January 2020 < https://www.flpa.org.au/join-us/>

Robert Walters n.d, The role of a paralegal, viewed 26 January 2020 < https://www.robertwalters.com.au/career-advice/legal-articles/the-role-of-a-paralegal.html>

Kane, S 2019, 8 skills you need to succeed as a paralegal, The Balance Careers, viewed 27 January 2020 <https://www.thebalancecareers.com/successful-paralegal-skill-2164711>

Collins J 2016, A Little Paralegal Humour-Profanity Edition, viewed 29 January 2020 <https://theparalegalsociety.wordpress.com/2016/08/18/a-little-paralegal-humor-the-profanity-edition/&gt;

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