We have a diverse and inspiring range of members...

Hazel Lobo is a specialist environmental law practitioner, advising and training companies on how environmental law impacts their business and also lectures part-time on the distance learning Masters of Laws (LLM) course at De Montfort University.

Hazel came to law partway through her career, having taken a break to bring up her children. Her background in quality management systems led to opportunities in environmental management systems – both having a ground in legal compliance – and the discovery of a love of, and aptitude for, environmental law. She has run her own business for more than a decade now, and understands the need to achieve a balance between legislative obligations and commercial needs. She is passionate about the role of SMEs in the UK economy and the need for them to have access to reliable, cost effective advice about an area of law that affects many companies, but for which there is little provision in start-up training and information.

She is also a fervent advocate for alternative pathways to legal careers and visits schools to educate young people on the range of routes available to them. A firm believer in the value professional paralegals can add, she was one of the first Institute of Paralegals (IoP) members to gain her practicing certificate from the Professional Paralegal Register (PPR) and is keen to promote and support the work of both the IoP and the PPR. She is happy to be contacted via either organisation to discuss the benefits of membership and to offer support and guidance to fledgling paralegals.

Following the birth of his first son in 2010, Michael sat in his JCB loading truck. He thought that he didn’t want to be doing this for the rest of his life. Operating machinery had already been a big part of his career up to that point, but he felt it was time for a change and set himself a target of a career change by the time he reached 40. This kick-started his drive to re-educate himself, which began with a six-year degree in environment and economics. During this first part of the journey he was still working full-time, and we welcomed twin boys into the world whilst managing his job and studying at the same time. Michael remembers night feeds with 2 bottles in one hand and a book in the other studying at 4am before going to work.

Knowing he wanted to progress into an environment-based role Michael started to make inquiries before his degree was due to finish but with little initial success. But he never gave up! As each avenue closed, he changed direction and eventually found a role as an Environment Advisor.

Michael soon realised how much influence the legal side of the environment would play in the role and relished it. Wanting to know more he found a distance learning course in Environmental Law and Practice. Michael has considered going on to become a solicitor however has decided not to pursue this option.

Michael is currently an Associate member at IoP, who will be a qualified member on graduation from his LLM, specialising in environmental law. He’s looking forward to where his paralegal career will take him in the future.

Mid-way through her GCSE's, Shanice fell pregnant at 16. Although she had always been passionate about law it seemed an almost impossible thing to do at that point in her life. When Shanice’s daughter turned three, she decided it was time to follow her dreams.

Shanice found that the Open University ran an LLB Honours course and started studying part time for two years. She started working for Cuff and Gough solicitors and it soon became clear that it was exactly what she wanted to do.

Shanice spent the next few years balancing working full time and studying whilst juggling motherhood. Shanice joined the IoP to be part of a community for like-minded paralegal professionals. She has now finished her degree and is excited to progress her level to Fellowship of the IoP.

Hard work and dedication has seen a one-time office junior being admitted as a Fellow of the Institute of Paralegals.

Theresa ‘Trish’ Coutts, who has worked at Phillips Solicitors for 21 years, has gained her credentials to become a paralegal.  She started work at Phillips Solicitors when she was 17 and Soon after joining the firm, she did an evening A-level law course at Queen Mary’s College in Basingstoke.

Trish progressed well and eventually became a legal secretary working in the Residential Property team where she found she had a particular aptitude to liaising with clients, while handling administrative tasks in a high-pressure environment.

Reflecting on her time at Phillips, Trish said: “I feel the firm has given me opportunities to progress. The work can be demanding at times, partly because of the high volume of work we deal with in the Residential Property team. The work can be full on while at the same time as dealing with the pressure of deadlines, but I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Virgilio Cervantes studied law at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa in Porto. Virgilio moved to the UK in 2007 with a background in Civil law and started his paralegal career by providing supervised pro-bono advice.  He went on to achieve an LLB (Hons) degree from the Open University and became a Fellow of the IoP in 2018.  Whilst balancing his studies to become a paralegal Virgilio worked at Heathrow Airport as a Ticketing and Reservations Officer and was responsible for ensuring compliance with IATA, CAA, ICAO and EASA regulations, standards, and recommended practices.  This led him to complete a degree in international tourism at the University of West London which later influenced his passion for business compliance management.  This paved the way for his paralegal career specialising in Data Protection law.

Virgilio worked for several organisations in the private, pubic and voluntary sectors specialising in risk and compliance.   He gained a Data Protection Officer Professional Certification at the University of Maastricht and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in law at the University of Reading focusing on EU Data Protection and Privacy law.