NALP is committed to ensuring both the highest standards of conduct from its members and the protection of consumers who use paralegal services.
We believe that transparency is imperative to ensure public confidence in the paralegal sector generally and in NALP members in particular. To this end, we have in place an Investigations and Sanctions Policy which is followed when there are concerns raised about any of our members.
As part of this policy, it has been agreed by the Board of Directors of NALP that we will publish the names of any members who have had their membership revoked from NALP for a serious breach of our Codes of Conduct and Ethics, particularly where their actions may bring the paralegal sector, or wider legal sector, into disrepute or pose a potential threat to public interests.Â
Craig Johnson
Membership revoked April 2021
Breach of the following Codes of Conduct and Ethics:
- 3 – Mr Johnson’s clients were of the impression that he could undertake certain services that could potentially have fallen within the scope of ‘Reserved Activities’ which are only permitted to be conducted by statutorily authorised and regulated individuals, such as solicitors or barristers.
- 4 & 5 – Mr Johnson’s clients have claimed, and provided evidence of, Mr Johnson’s failure to be fully transparent in his dealings with them and has not consistently worked diligently and efficiently.
- 5 – Mr Johnson has shared information to third parties, including NALP, regarding his client’s cases without their prior authorisation and beyond that which was necessary for the investigations which were being conducted into his conduct.
- 8 – Mr Johnson demanded monies up-front from his clients without having the regulatory authority to hold client money
- 9 – Mr Johnson failed to keep his clients informed of the true progress of the matters he was undertaking on their behalf.
- 12 – Mr Johnson’s actions were found to not being conducive to actively assisting in maintaining the integrity of the legal profession in general and the paralegal profession in particular.
Anthony O’Braonain
Membership Revoked July 2025
Breach of the following Codes of Conduct and Ethics:
- 4, 12 & 13 – Mr O’Braonain failed to disclose previous convictions between 2020 and 2024 in his application for membership to NALP. He also described himself as being a ‘senior level member’ of NALP when he held an Affiliate membership which is generally used for those new to legal practice and law students.
Maria Vonan
(aka Maria Elena/Maria Aya Vonan/Aya Maria Elena Awa Vonan) – Carpe Diem Paralegals, Canterbury (Carpe Diem Legal Ltd)
Despite Ms Vonan not being a member of NALP since 2022, we are aware that she includes the claim that she is currently a NALP member on the website of her company, Carpe Diem Paralegals. We have requested a number of times that she remove these claims, but she has consistently failed to do so. As she is not a member, she is not bound by the NALP Code of Conduct and Ethics. However, continuing to claim to be a member when this is not the case is clearly misleading and we feel it is in the public interest to clarify that she is not a member of NALP.
