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

Legal PA – Larbey Evans LTD

Location: London

Salary: £45,000-55,000

One of the best things about having a Legal Secretary or PA career is that it is a varied and exciting role. It requires a range of skills and attributes and because of this, the role suits a variety of different people. Knowledge of law and legal procedures, being computer literate and an understanding of law firm procedures are all excellent skills to have, but what are the foundations of a good Legal Secretary? What natural attributes and skills can someone bring to the role that haven’t been gained through work experience?

Discretion

Microsoft Office is an essential program in a Legal Secretary's repertoire. Whether it’s formulating documents in Word, tracking hours in Excel or fine-tuning an office presentation in PowerPoint, you would be hard-pressed to find a Legal Secretary or PA who does not use a Microsoft Office program daily. Microsoft Office skills are highly sought after and often mandatory with recruiters when they are looking to fill their next Legal Secretary vacancy. For these reasons, it is clear that Microsoft Office certifications are both sensible investments and hugely beneficial additions to your skill-set.

This year’s PA of the Year Awards is fast approaching. Achieving a PA of the Year Award is the ultimate recognition of your hard work, dedication, and accomplishments as a business support professional. With a special category for Legal PAs, the awards champion both PAs, EAs, and Office Managers, alongside those working in the legal niche.

In this article, SecsintheCity interviewed Jamie Ricks - 2022 finalist at the esteemed PA of the Year awards. Within this interview, Jamie discusses his development as a Legal PA, his role at Baker McKenzie, and his advice for those entering the PA of the Year awards.

How did you become a Legal PA?

The role of Legal PAs is varied and requires them to have a wide and diverse skill set. One skill that is essential and very in demand is that of diary management. Diary management is sometimes overlooked as a specific skill, but nothing could be further from the truth.

SecsintheCity found in their most recent salary survey that diary management was listed as one of the most in-demand skills for professionals across the board, being stated by 21% of their audience. In collaboration with ILSPA, they have created this guide for Legal PAs to help them become experts in the field.    

Calendar organisation:

Work stress can contribute to mental health problems for people working in any industry, but some job roles can be more stressful than others. Jobs in the legal sector can involve long hours during busy periods, and sometimes the work environment can put you under high pressure when dealing with strict deadlines.

Here are three reasons why it's so important to take care of your mental health as a Legal Secretary or PA.

1. Stress can lead to additional mental health problems 

If you have been a Legal Secretary for some time, you may be wondering where to take your career next. Setting up your own Paralegal practice may be a venture worth considering, especially if it turns out you’ve been fulfilling the role of a Paralegal already without realising.

Your job title may not be Paralegal, but if your work involves any sort of legality, you are likely a paralegal. For example, are you involved in drafting or reviewing commercial contracts or employment contracts? Do you do legal research to assist someone in your department? Are you involved in compliance or regulation ensuring that statutory criteria are met and adhered to? Are you involved in reviewing documents in relation to childcare proceedings? This list of examples is not exhaustive.

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

Legal Secretary – Alfred Newton

Location: Wilmslow

Salary: Dependent on experience

Alfred Newton Solicitors are seeking a full time Legal secretary for their busy Wilmslow office. The role will involve a mixture of Conveyancing, Family, Private Client & Mental Health work.

Corporate EA – Armstrong Teasdale

Location: London

Salary: £35,000

When you work as a Legal Secretary or PA, it can feel like a rather female oriented profession. This is not necessarily the case though. It was great to speak with Dan Self, a successful Legal PA working in employment law who feels that being a man is a real bonus in this role.

Can you tell us about your background and how you came to be a Legal PA?

I was working in hospitality and was undecided on what I wanted to do in life. I attended a local college day and chatted with the tutor about the likelihood of being successful as a Legal Secretary as a man. They assured me that being a male Legal Secretary would only be a bonus. I then joined the college on a full-time basis for two years in my late twenties. The rest, as they say, is history.

The Royal Courts of Justice has offered our Students and Members a 30% discount on its tours. Visiting the RCJ is a wonderful experience where Students’ course material comes to life and they can get an inside look at a real-life working courtroom. Students and Members will also have the opportunity to join the RCJ’s new Half-Day Legal London tour when places are offered to us. This is a legal walking tour which combines a tour of inside the fabulous Royal Courts of Justice with a walk through some of London’s beautiful Inns of Court. Please keep an eye on our Legal Secretary Blog for available dates over the coming months.