I’m Sam, a paralegal officer. I’ve always been passionate about law and wanted to pursue it when I was younger, but I didn’t think it would be possible as a young mum. I began my career as an usher in the magistrates’ court in the early 2000s, in that role I worked front of house and really enjoyed the court environment. So, in 2020 I joined the Crown Prosecution Service as a paralegal assistant which allowed me to continue working in court, and I gained a promotion to paralegal officer in 2025.

As a paralegal officer, I work in court for most of the week. My role centres around effective case management, complying with court directions and managing custody time limits. I can be building case files, chasing police, referring cases to reviewing lawyers, checking in with witness care about victims and witnesses attending court. I also provide support to victims and witnesses in court and administrative support to counsel in trials. In my role I’m helping victims and witnesses understand the court process, making sure they’re aware of what’s going to happen and give them reassurance too. I get to meet lots of different stakeholders, from the ushers and court clerks to lawyers and judges. 

The role is really varied and has lots of different elements from managing cases to administrative work, to meeting people in court. I’ve got to be really organised, but it’s so rewarding helping to support and progress cases through the criminal justice system.  

You just feel that you’re doing your part for society. It really is a community spirit at the Crown Prosecution Service, that’s the only way I can describe it. And you don’t have to be legally qualified to be a paralegal officer. Just apply, apply, apply, I never thought in a million years I’d ever get this role. It took me a few tries to get through to interview, but I kept getting better examples to use, had help from people to look over my applications and kept believing in myself.