This month we are considering a further push by the government to make the conveyancing process quicker and cheaper. Currently the home buying process takes, on average, between three and four months from the date an offer is accepted until the transaction is completed. Part of the reason it takes this amount of time is because buyers and sellers can struggle to communicate basic initial information.

The new year is traditionally a time for reflection and resolutions. Many of us will be looking back at the previous year and thinking about which areas of our personal and professional lives we would like to improve in the coming one. And why not? The new year can be a fantastic excuse to revaluate our goals and consider how we would like to work on our skillset.

Whether you are currently studying with ILSPA, or are considering taking one of our courses, we would like to draw your attention to the help and support available to our students.

ILSPA has been working with aspiring Legal Secretaries since 1990 and one of our main aims is to provide recognised and affordable training to Students. As such, ILSPA's Legal Secretaries Diploma course is one of the most comprehensive and best value courses on the market.

There are many avenues you can go down to secure a job as a Legal Secretary. You can register on a jobs website such as ILSPA’s Legal Secretary Jobs Board and apply for positions, you can register with a recruitment agency to find a suitable role, or you can contact law firms and send a speculative application.

Here is a selection of vacancies from our Legal Secretary Jobs Board this month:

Immigration Law Legal Secretary – Chapman Legal Recruitment Ltd   

Location: Blackburn

Salary: £18,000  

It’s December and for many professionals an office party or get-together is on the cards. Whether this fills you with dread or excitement, it would be fair to say that company parties can sometimes be a complicated night to navigate. If you are unsure what to expect or what is expected of you, then ILSPA’s list of advice on Christmas party etiquette is here to help.

This month we are returning to the topic of no-fault divorce. When we last wrote about this, we examined the sad case of Mrs Tini Owens who was not given permission to divorce her husband despite it being an entirely loveless marriage.

This month ILSPA has the pleasure of catching up with a former student of ours, Melinda Toth. Melinda enrolled for our Legal Secretaries Diploma course last year and after successfully completing her qualification in early 2018, went on to secure her very first Legal Secretary role not long after with MW Solicitors.

On 8 November, the 7th annual PA of the Year awards took place at the prestigious Ivy Restaurant in London. Hosted by SecsintheCity – the UK’s only job site dedicated to Personal and Executive Assistants – the ceremony recognises and champions the very best talent and achievements in the industry.