Would you be happy to deal with me?

[tartanbunnet]

This is not really an AIBU just interested in views. I am a conveyancing paralegal - have been for many years and did the qualification at Uni, although to be fair it wasn't that useful as I knew most of the stuff already. I live in Scotland and due to recent legislation changes the job seems to be getting harder and harder, however, I am up to speed with all this and if I am not sure of anything I always ask my boss or I get him to phone clients. I am very good at my job (not a boast) and my boss has told me that I'm actually better than an awful lot of solicitors. I see transactions through from beginning to end with minimal supervisions and always do my best. My question is, would you be happy to deal with me or would you prefer always to speak to a solicitor. I basically got shouted at by a client the other day before things were not going the way he wanted (nothing to do with me and in actual fact I managed to sort the issue by doing the other solicitor's work from him and resolved the issue. No thanks for client and he was unwilling to speak to me and only wanted to speak to his lawyer, which I kind of understand but I basically got accused of messing about and holding things up (not true) and have kept him up to date all always and told him I wasn't sure thing could be resolved if the other solicitor didn't pull him finger out. Thoughts would be appreciated.

Sorry - you do sound great but you aren't qualified and I haven't a Scooby about anything legal so I'd be too nervous that you'd drop me in it.

Don't mean to be harsh

I don't think there's any particular magic about the solicitors' qualification: I've known seriously incompetent solicitors and extremely competent paralegals. Clients are understandably wary of having their cases dealt with by paralegals, but sensible firms deal with that by charging less and demonstrating that they have a rock-solid system in place for supervising paralegals.

I think the main issue is that you are not signing your correspondence in yiur own name and that it is being signed by the solicitor so this gives the wring type of signal to the client.

To the poster who said they wouldn’t see a physicians associate - why? As a med student I’ve been training along side them on placement and they seem to be doing 5 years of medicine crammed into 2/3! They wouldn’t be doing anything they’re not allowed to do.

Dealing with a paralegal is perfectly fine if you've paid a fixed fee for a job and just need it done. Not ok if you're paying hourly for a solicitor IMHO, so I wouldn't have an issue in this case.

OP, in this case it sounds more like he was annoyed at the situation so wanted to talk to the next person up, nothing to do with your qualification. No different in any service role.

To the poster who said they wouldn’t see a physicians associate - why?

Because when I go to a doctor, I want to see a doctor. Not an assistant who then has to have a discussion with the doctor about me, at which point the doctor comes in and has to do it all again.

I've done all these things. I've given them all a chance. And with people in training I've given them 30 years, but I'm at the point where I am no longer willing to do any of that.

If I see a sollicitor, I want to deal with a sollicitor. If I need an architect, I want to deal with an architect. If I need my garden done, I want to deal with a gardener, etc. ad infinitum.

You're trained, qualified and experienced in what you do. I really don't understand the issue.

If you were the secretary, without much of a clue, I'd be annoyed, but that isn't the case here.

I would be happy to deal with you.

People do not seem to realise just how much paralegals do - the system would grind to a halt otherwise, especially in a comparatively small legal jurisdiction.

Clients can be real dicks when things don't go their way, and angels when they do!

Given my experience of solicitors and conveyancing I would be happy to use whoever knows what they are doing and is efficient and able to do the job. Conveyancing is a pain in the *rse and solicitors generally hate doing it anyway. The last lot we used were so slow, kept losing documents and generally very inefficient and bad at communicating.

@champagnecommunist you say:

No, paralegals aren't as respected as qualified individuals (of which I am one) in decent firms everyone is respected. If you mean they will not be considered to have the equivalent expertise as "qualified individuals", "qualified individuals" range from the NQ who will not have much experience, through to experienced associates through to partners, so there is quite a range of expertise there; and

Yes, they are used a lot by the big conveyancing firms, that's because they are cheap to hire, not because of their skills some of the legal assistants have very high salaries in the large firms; and
Yes, if your clients knew they were paying a unqualified person to do the job they have hired a qualified person to do, they'd be pissed off a paralegal in charge of a transaction will have client management skills, but otherwise, it is down to the lawyer who is supervising to make sure the client is happy and knows who is doing what and when.

I’ve never ever known a dr to have to do it all again with a PA or a trainee dr each to their own I suppose but you’re not the only person who’s been doing it for 30 years.

Having had the pleasure of a pompous arse of a conveyancing solicitor recently, I'd rather have a paralegal who'll get the job done than a condescending knobhead who thinks it's all a bit beneath him.

Six months ago I'd have said I'd prefer to deal with a solicitor but DH is handling his granny's estate and the solicitor is an absolute clown. He has given information that we've discovered is incorrect (just by googling!), he bungled the first round of paperwork by trying to appoint FIL as administrator (after DH said he didn't think he'd be allowed to) and only imparts any sort of information if we arrange a meeting from our side.

Ted from Scrubs would be a better choice than this arsehole!

Yes I’d happily deal with you

you’re not the only person who’s been doing it for 30 years

Neither here nor there.