Melanie Henriques wants to normalize paralegals as law-firm partners

Labour law firms typically do not make paralegals Partners. Should this be a practice more firms consider? Are there advantages to giving a voice to paralegals? Melanie Henriques, paralegal and Partner at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP believes this could benefit firms.

“I want this to be the norm for paralegals. I want them to have more of an advantage and more of a say in a lot of things that we do. I want to help lead the way to having them being taken more seriously in the profession,” says Henriques when speaking to Law Times.

Starting as a part-time paralegal at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP in 2011, Henriques eventually became full-time and immersed herself in all aspects of the firm. Finally, in 2021, Henriques discussed with the founding Partners what role she could take to have more of a voice at the firm, which led to a partnership.

“It’s kind of what I wanted, but it’s just not heard of. I don’t know of any other paralegals that are a partner at a firm that is not their own,” says Henriques. She goes on to explain that in Ontario, paralegals are underutilized in the practice.

“What we do is valuable,” Henriques states. “It’s a huge, valuable resource to the public. And as the jurisdiction, specifically in small claims court, continues to rise, they’re going to be utilized even more.”

Henriques goes on to explain that the pandemic has created more work for paralegals and that the smaller dollar amount cases are still important.