Following a long consultation that started in 2019, several changes to the Civil Procedural Rules (CPR) came into force on 1 October 2023. 

One of the most significant changes was the reform of the rules on how cases are managed by the Court. Since the introduction of the CPR in 2001, cases have been allocated into 3 tracks:

•    The small claims track - for cases with a value of not more than £10,000;
•    The fast track - for claims between £10,000 to £25,000; and
•    The multi-track - for cases over £25,000.

There will now be a new track called the ‘intermediate track’ for claims of more than £25,000, but less than £100,000. 

Previously, we wrote an article for our Students about applying the hierarchy of needs to their studies. In this article, we would like to explain how those needs can be applied to your work too.

For those of you who haven’t heard of this theory before, the hierarchy of needs was developed by Abraham Maslow who was famous for his work in positive psychology. He believed that our needs form a pyramid, where basic physiological factors must be met first so we can then satisfy other needs such as safety, belonging and self-esteem. When we have our needs met at each level, we have the confidence and motivation to progress to the next. The highest level is self-actualisation.

This month, ILSPA had the pleasure of speaking to former Student, Ellie Braddick. Ellie studied with ILSPA a couple of years ago and it was wonderful to speak to her about how her career has progressed since completing her Legal Secretaries Diploma. Now a Legal PA in Central London, Ellie balances her busy job supporting 6 fee-earners with studying for a Law Degree.

Find out how Ellie juggles work and studying, why she thinks ILSPA gave her a behind-the-scenes insight into her role and what her plans are for when she graduates. 

Can you tell us a bit about your background and your current role?

Inheritance tax is a proportional payment of a person's assets paid back to the government once they have passed away. It’s a complicated topic, as there are exemptions and varying rates according to personal circumstances. For law students and legal secretaries, there’s a number of factors that you must take into account when advising an individual on their inheritance tax requirements.

Many people want to try and reduce their tax liability as much as possible. Providing accurate advice during a client’s will-writing process and advice to relatives after a death can help with this. To help you begin to grasp the ins and outs, we’ve created a short guide to how inheritance tax (IHT) works.

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.

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.