Only authorised individuals can officially conduct litigation

The recent High Court ruling in Mazur v Charles Russell Speechlys has made one thing very clear: only authorised individuals can officially conduct litigation.

And it’s not just a technical detail. It means paralegals, trainees, support staff and anyone else without the right authorisation can’t step into roles that legally count as “conducting litigation,” even if they’re supervised.

For firms (and for those of us in recruitment), this is a moment to step back and review how teams are set up. Non-authorised staff can still draft, support and prep cases, but the formal litigation work has to sit with qualified solicitors or others who are authorised to do it.

For candidates working in litigation support or hoping to build a career in that space, this ruling might change how firms view progression. Having the right authorisation could become an even bigger factor in long-term career development.

👉 Worth reading the updated guidance from The Law Society:

https://heyor.ca/xFOtpm

#LegalRecruitment #LitigationJobs #LawFirms #UKLegalMarket