A Day in the Life of a Family Law Paralegal

Written by Anelia Stalinkevicius

I work in the Family Law team at BBS Law as a paralegal and trainee solicitor. Alongside my role, I’m currently preparing to sit the SQE2 exam, having successfully passed SQE1 last year.

What I love most about the legal profession is its unpredictability – no two days or cases are ever the same. Each day challenges me intellectually and helps me grow. If you’re considering a career in law or are on your journey to becoming a paralegal or solicitor, I’d love to share what a typical Friday looks like for me.

Morning Routine

I start my workday at 9:30am, though I sometimes log in earlier if there’s a morning meeting and I’m waiting on client documents. Today I’m working from home, which means I can check emails while still enjoying my breakfast and morning coffee. I always make sure that I  read all emails that have come through since the last time I logged in first, and I prioritise emails according to the urgency and importance.

Case Prep & Hearing

Later today, I’m attending a remote hearing to take notes — it’s a case I haven’t worked on before. After clearing urgent tasks, I spend the morning briefing myself on the matter by reading  the barrister’s brief, position statements, and the hearing bundle. At noon, I grab a quick lunch before our 1pm conference call with the barrister.

After the conference, our barrister approaches the other party’s barrister to try and negotiate an agreement. We didn’t have high hopes for this as the matter had been going on for over a year and had been very contentious. But this profession always brings surprises. Just minutes before the hearing, our client receives the good news that an agreement has been reached.

This means we now only need to present the agreed terms to the judge and seek permission to formalise them in an order. The feeling I get on days like this is incredibly rewarding. Knowing that everything your client has been through – financially and more so emotionally, was worth it, and that they’ve achieved the outcome they hoped for, is incomparable. I make sure to quickly call the acting solicitor to update her with the good news.

Afternoon Tasks

After the hearing, I move on to preparing for another hearing scheduled next week. I chase the other party’s solicitor for any outstanding documents, complete the brief to the barrister, and send it out along with all the relevant paperwork. I’ve had much closer involvement in this matter, so I’m able to quickly spot anything that doesn’t seem in order and flag it with the acting solicitor.

A few more emails on cases that I am currently assisting in, handling a couple of new enquiries, and clearing up my notes from the earlier hearing bring me to the end of the workday.

Evening Routine

After I finish work, I take a short breather – just enough time for a quick snack – and then I’m ready to dive back into law. It’s Friday evening, and no, my firm doesn’t expect me to work late evenings or over the weekend. This is my own commitment – the SQE2 preparation. This is what I mostly do in my “spare time.”

Of course, I genuinely enjoy it – I’m highly motivated to qualify as a solicitor, and I find the law endlessly fascinating. But I won’t pretend it’s easy. Right now, I’m revising Civil Litigation, which I find really interesting. That said, studying for the SQE can be tough – trying to remember all the different legal principles, procedural rules, and switching between different areas of law is no small task.

It’s especially challenging balancing Family Law, which isn’t covered in the SQE, with all the core modules that are. Still, everything connects, and different legal areas often overlap. In Family Law, for example, understanding basic principles of wills and intestacy is essential, contractual skills are key for drafting family agreements, and property and trust of land issues come up in almost every divorce case.

Final Thoughts

This is what a regular Friday looks like for me – during and outside of working hours. The legal profession is hard work, and the learning never stops, even after passing exams and qualifying. But staying focused, organised, and finding an environment where you can thrive makes all the difference.

For me, it’s invaluable to have the support of my colleagues at BBS Law. They’re always friendly, approachable, and incredibly knowledgeable. I learn so much from them every single day. They truly inspire me and show me the kind of solicitor I hope to become.

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