Paralegal Recruitment - Ryder Reid Legal

[Eviekennett]

Hi Evie, thank you for your time today.

My question is: having completed the PGDL, would you recommend sitting SQE1 before applying for paralegal roles? Would it strengthen an application in a competitive market, or is the PGDL sufficient on its own?

Many thanks!

PGDL is enough on its own and isn't essential for the majority of firms we work with

 

[Eviekennett]

Hi Evie,

Thank you for helping us!

I am a recent silver circle TC offer holder, with just over 6 months before I start the SQE.

I'm about to start applying to paralegal roles in Scotland.

Should I mention that I have a TC with a silver circle firm when applying, or will that reduce my chances if they know I'll be gone in less than a year?

yes absoloutely add this to your CV and mention it when applying. I'm sure to a lot of firms this is an added advantage, and hopefully there are 6 month contract roles available that you'd be right for.

 

[Eviekennett]

Hi Evie, thanks so much for your time. I have been applying for permanent paralegal positions for 2+ months now, without any luck. I'm afraid my application is not being seen by recruiters due to filtering for experience or ATS scanning. Would you recommend reaching out to law firms or recruiters on LinkedIn after applying? Would also love to hear any insights you could share on this!

For reference, I have graduated from university this month and am currently in a temporary document review paralegal role.

Thanks!!

Hi Mannat, sorry to hear you've not had much luck so far. It is a very competitive market, so keep going and I'm sure you will find something! Yes I would suggest following up with a DM to the hiring manager on LinkedIn after applying, but try and avoid using AI for these messages, as most of the time these will get ignored - keep it succinct and personal, and re-attach your CV to the message for ease.

 

[legallyshy]

Hi everyone, I'm Evie Kennett from Ryder Reid Legal.

I wanted to introduce myself and Ryder Reid to the TCLA community. For those who may not know us, Ryder Reid is a specialist legal recruitment agency and we work closely with many of the UK's leading US, international and City law firms.

I head up our Paralegal team here, and my team & I specialise in recruiting the following;

• Law graduates looking to gain a foot in the door at a corporate law firm
• Future trainees looking for 6-12 months paralegal experience before their TC or SQE commences
• Experienced paralegals seeking their next opportunity, whether that's a new practice area, greater responsibility or a change in firm

We recruit for both temporary and permanent paralegal positions across a wide range of practice areas, with a particular focus on opportunities within the US law firm market.

TCLA has a fantastic network of aspiring and future lawyers, so I'm looking forward to connecting with you all, and hopefully helping where I can.

I'm always happy to offer advice on:

• Paralegal applications
• CV and interview tips
• The current legal recruitment market
• Moving between firms or practice areas

Our service is completely free to candidates, so please feel free to get in touch if you'd like to discuss opportunities or have any questions about the paralegal market.

Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evie-kennett-a246b0b4/

Looking forward to connecting and contributing to the community!

Evie

Head of Paralegal Recruitment
Ryder Reid Legal

Hi Evie!
I have been applying for paralegal roles for about a year now, and although I have had a few interviews, I haven't had the best time applying since every role is looking for paralegals with 1+ years of experience. I have also taken up some volunteering roles to boost my CV, but it seems that this is getting me nowhere. My question is how am I meant to get the experience firms are looking for if everyone wants years of experience?

 

[scarlettzhao]

Hello Evie! Thanks for visiting the forum.
I graduated with an LLM in 2024 and have struggled with my career since then. I have only stayed shortly in 2 paralegal jobs since then (apart from some volunteering), and find it even more difficult to secure a paralegal role with my current experience. Is it possible that I connect with you on LinkedIn and send over my CV for some advice? Thanks!