Outstanding achievement award for Millicent Grant at National Paralegal Awards

6 September 2024

The National Paralegal Awards, which celebrates the epitome of paralegal talent, has this year honoured Millicent Grant KC (Hon) with an outstanding achievement award, paying homage to her continuous plight to make the legal profession accessible to all.

Now in its sixth year and hosted by CILEX, the awards which recognised 12 individuals and three businesses, took place in Birmingham on Thursday evening.

Prior to becoming the first non-white President of a legal professional membership organisation in the UK, in 2007, Millie has spent over thirty years as a legal executive (qualifying as a Fellow before the Institute was chartered) starting her legal career as a secretary straight from school. She was admitted as a Fellow in 1991. In 2020 she became the first chartered legal executive to be appointed as an Honorary Queens Counsel.

Her appointment as the first black CILEX president in 2017 epitomised her desire to make a legal career accessible for the many, not the few.

Other winners on the night included Hannah Grinsted, who was awarded National Paralegal of the Year. Charting a stellar career climb from no legal qualifications or experience to eight years working as a senior paralegal in Tozers’ medical negligence team, where she provides extensive training and support to junior paralegals.

National Paralegal Business of the Year has been awarded to Fraser and Fraser marking their position as thought leaders in genealogy and probate research.

Other award winners were:

• Best Conveyancing/ Real Estate Paralegal: Stephanie Dion- Jones, Pinsent Masons Vario
• Best Family Law Paralegal: Rebecca Headley, Stowe Family Law
• Best Intellectual Property Paralegal: Kristobel Black, Mewburn Ellis
• Best Newcomer/Young Practitioner: Holly Goss, Met Office
• Best Probate Research Paralegal: Claire Larkin Miller, Langton Genealogy
• Best Will Writing Paralegal: Sharon Baker, Mowll & Mowll
• Community Champion: John Paul Stothard, self-employed
• Paralegal of the Year – South: Jasmine Collier, Pinsent Masons Vario
• Paralegal of the Year – Midlands and North: John Paul Stothard, self-employed
• Best Paralegal Apprentice: Temiloluwa Kila, Pinsent Masons Vario
• Best Law Firm Paralegal Development Award: Right Legal Group
• Best Legal Profession Supplier Award: Anglia Research Services Ltd

This year marks the first year as patron of the awards for Rita Leat, who won last year’s outstanding achievement award for her commitment to advancing the paralegal profession and enhancing professional standards. Rita founded the Professional Paralegal Register (PPR) and is former chief executive of the Institute of Paralegals (IoP). She said: “The competition has been extremely high this year. I am incredibly proud to be the patron of such a wonderful and calendar-defining event, highlighting the best in the business.

Craig Hamer, CEO of CILEX, said: “Paralegals are unequivocally a key pillar of the legal industry, demonstrated by the surge in demand for their services over the last year, so it’s wonderful to be able to shine a light, for a sixth year, on the outstanding talent and provide the recognition they truly deserve.

“I want to pay special tribute to lifetime achievement winner, Millie Grant, who has been a torchbearer for those who traditionally have been locked out of the legal industry due to their background or heritage. Her continuous work via the Millicent Grant Scholarship and multiple supporting roles continue to unlock that door and define the future of our sector.”

Millie Grant KC (Hon) said: “I am deeply honoured to be bestowed this accolade and stand among my fellow decorated colleagues. It is my ambition to continue publicly demonstrating why paralegals should not be overlooked and why they should be championed as an asset to the legal sector.

“I broke the glass ceiling when I became the first black president of CILEX and I hope I will see the wonderfully talented individuals that celebrate alongside me today celebrating more career-defining moments which they so truly deserve.”

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Notes to editors:

CILEX (The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives) is one of the three main professional bodies covering the legal profession in England and Wales. The approximately 18,000 -strong membership is made up of CILEX Lawyers, Chartered Legal Executives, paralegals and other legal professionals.

CILEX pioneered the non-university route into law and recently launched the CILEX Professional Qualification (CPQ), a new approach to on-the-job training that marries legal knowledge with the practical skills, behaviours and commercial awareness needed by lawyers in the 2020s.

The CPQ is a progressive qualification framework that creates a workforce of specialist legal professionals, providing a career ladder from Paralegal through to Advanced Paralegal and ultimately full qualification as a CILEX Lawyer. CILEX Lawyers can become partners in law firms, coroners, judges or advocates in open court.

CILEX members come from more diverse backgrounds than other parts of the legal profession:

• 77% of its lawyers are women
• 16% are from ethnic minority backgrounds
  • 8% are Asian or Asian British
  • 5% are Black or Black British
  • 3% are from a mixed ethnic background
• 85% attended state schools
• 33% are the first generation in their family to attend university
• Only 3% of its members have a parent who is a lawyer.

CILEX members are regulated through an independent body, CILEx Regulation. It is the only regulator covering paralegals.