Paralegal holding certificates

Exeter Paralegal is finalist in national legal awards

Sue Cade
Authored by Sue Cade
Posted Tuesday, August 17, 2021 - 8:54am

Paralegal Becka Coombes from The Family Law Company has been shortlisted in the National Paralegal Awards, in two categories, Best Family Law Paralegal and Best Newcomer of the Year.

A rising star in the firm’s Exeter team, she joined in 2017 and quickly progressed from office assistant to legal secretary before joining the Child Abduction Team as a Paralegal. Becka recently completed her CILEx Level 3 Paralegal Apprenticeship.

Becka said: “I’m really thrilled to have been selected as a finalist for two awards, not least because I love my job.

“We know we are helping clients with life-changing situations, so what we do really does matter. This recognition goes a long way towards making the hard work seem worth it.”

Paralegals are sometimes the unsung heroes of law. While not a qualified lawyer, they have an extensive knowledge of the law and legal matters, and support lawyers with a legal and administrative tasks.

Some paralegals, like Becka, opt to work in a specialised area of law. As a paralegal in the Child Abduction team, she has assisted in many complex international cases, including seeking the return of children from across Europe and South Africa, and emergency orders to stop children being removed from the jurisdiction of England and Wales without the other parent’s knowledge or agreement.

Director Jane Chanot who is Head of the Domestic Violence/Private Children and Child Abduction Team, said: “We are so pleased and proud of Becka. To receive two nominations is a fantastic achievement and truly reflects how well respected she is for her commitment and hard work.”

Becka will find out if she has been successful at the virtual awards event on September 23.

The National Paralegal Awards are organised by the overarching voluntary regulator for Paralegals, the Professional Paralegal Register, champions and rewards the fantastic work being done by the great Paralegals in the UK. The judging panel is made up of sponsors and other highly regarded legal and business professionals.

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