Contributors

We would like to provide you with an insight to the people who contribute articles for our Journal, together with their experience and expertise.

Seamus Ryan has been working in the legal industry for over ten years.  He is a is a qualified Solicitor, Law society accredited Lexcel consultant, Member of the Institute for learning and experienced law lecturer.  Seamus is a tutor for the Institute and our students enjoy his classes very much as he has a friendly approach to teaching. Previously, he taught the Higher Certificate in Paralegal Studies for the National Association of Licensed Paralegals.

Quin Hoskins is a professional writer and legal scholar who is accustomed to the intricacies that are involved in conducting good research. Quin is currently studying towards a Law Degree and has qualifications in housing law and legal studies. Apart from law, Quin has studied contemporary science. He has been to 25 different countries and is a professional travel writer.

Emma Stacey has been the Senior Executive of the Institute since 2004 and has a varied role in the company.  She makes important decisions about how the company operates, helps to manage courses and provides career guidance to Students and Members.  Emma has been involved in the legal profession for over 15 years, having previously worked for the National Association of Licensed Paralegals. She also worked as a Legal Secretary for a well-known firm of Solicitors.

Michael Hall is the IT Manager and Web Developer for the Institute. He makes sure that the Institute’s information infrastructure is keeping up with the rest of the world and helps to develop the Institute’s online presence. Mike has been using computers since the days of the Commodore 64 and has been interested in the Internet since 1995. He has worked in various IT roles from technical support consultant to WAN Admin for an international internet service provider.

Des Whitehorn is the training principal for Zee Associates. The firm offers consultancy and skills development courses. Des has many years' experience within the legal sector and has worked with many of the country's top law firms. She is a well-known adviser to many leading professional service firms and has written a number of articles for professional journals including the Law Society Magazine and the Business Law Review.

Judith Di-Castri is the Professional Communication Skills Consultant Trainer with Zee Associates. Judith has 20 years' experience as a trainer. As part of her consultancy role, she reviews and assesses courses for Europe's largest training provider. Judith specialises in Business Writing, and was commissioned by the Law Society magazine to write a series of articles for them on writing plain English.

Sarah Jeffrey-Gray works as a counsellor and psychotherapist in private practice in Bristol. A law graduate, she started her professional life as a commercial lawyer in 1986. Sarah has had a keen interest in psychology for many years before qualifying as a counsellor and has recently been awarded a distinction in a post graduate diploma accredited by the European Therapy Studies Institute. She specialises in treating anxiety and teaching coping skills using a solution-focused brief therapy approach.

Efoli Ekot is a Public Administrator and Personal Assistant with over nine years experience. He began his secretarial career with a law firm but currently works as PA to the Group Deputy Managing Director of a leading bank in Africa. He is a prolific writer, qualified Legal Secretary and Legal PA as well as Certified Secretary and Reporter.  He is currently studying to qualify as a Chartered Secretary and Administrator.  Efoli is a dedicated Member of the Institute.

Members of the Institute are encouraged to share their experiences and they support us with their dedication and enthusiasm. They are situated throughout the UK and overseas and have varying levels of experience. We offer four levels of Membership, which are Student, Affiliate, Associate and Fellowship.

If you are interested in becoming a contributor for our online journal, please contact us.