Many office support professionals in the early stages of their careers are actively seeking mentors to help them develop and advance in the world of work. However, these professional relationships are by no means one-sided, often offering a range of benefits to mentors and mentees alike.

Despite the gradual easing of lockdown restrictions, many Personal Assistants (PAs), Executive Assistants (EAs) and office support professionals are still working from home, meaning they may have a little more time on their hands than they’re used to. If you’re an experienced PA or EA with knowledge to pass on, advice to give and stories to tell, why not invest a few hours each week in the learning and development of an aspiring professional?

Legal Secretaries and Paralegals are essential additions to any law firm. Both roles provide support for lawyers with preparing cases and general administrative work. But what’s the difference between a Paralegal and a Legal Secretary? This article will tackle that question and also provide you with insight into the similarities between a Legal Secretary and a Paralegal.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Legal Secretary

Legal Secretaries work in law firms to provide administrative support to lawyers. Daily tasks include producing legal documents, performing research, transcribing interviews, preparing legal forms, organising diaries and generally keeping the office running smoothly. Sometimes they also attend court, which can be interesting.

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

Family Legal Secretary – Clayton Legal  

Location: Finchley

Salary: £25,000 - £38,000

The ideal Family Legal Secretary will be responsible for; Dealing with incoming client queries, meeting and greeting clients, undertaking audio and copy typing on behalf of the Fee Earners and attending client meetings to provide secretarial support alongside reception duties.

The successful applicant will possess previous legal secretarial experience within Family Law, able to demonstrate excellent typing speed & accuracy, excellent communication skills and a friendly, bubbly, and approachable demeanour.

View the full job description here:           

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

Junior Secretary – Donohoe & Co Solicitors  

Location: Marylebone

Salary: £16,000

Donohoe & Co Solicitors is a niche divorce and family law practice based near Marylebone High Street. We are looking to recruit a permanent, full-time junior legal secretary to assist with copy and audio typing (using digital dictation), filing, answering the phone and such other administrative duties as may be required by the firm from time to time.

View the full job description here:          

https://www.institutelegalsecretaries.com/jobs/candidate/job/173487/

With businesses reopening and an end date fixed for the furlough scheme, some employers are starting a phased return of their staff. Here’s TotallyLegal’s advice for returning to work after furlough.

According to the results of Business Live’s recent Great Big Business Survey, over half of the businesses polled had taken advantage of the government’s furlough scheme since it came into effect in March, with 28.5% reporting that they had furloughed more than 75% of their workforce.

It has recently been reported that the River Thames has a higher level of microplastics than any other river in Europe. Larger items such as wet wipes are even accumulating on the shore and creating wet wipe reefs! Scientists are baffled as to why the problem is particularly bad in London and they are calling for stricter regulations on the labelling and disposal of products that contain plastic.

Microplastics can come in the form of glitter and microbeads in cosmetics. These enter the water when we wash them off in the sink or shower after use. However, the majority of microplastics come from the breakdown of larger items, such as food packaging and single-use water bottles.

Telephone interviews continue to grow in popularity within the recruitment process, particularly for urgent roles that need filling fast or first-stage interviews. However, these can be daunting for candidates who may not have experienced one before.

During a telephone interview an employer can efficiently gain a technical understanding of your experience without having to set up a lot of time-consuming formal interviews. Thus, the employer can shorten the hiring cycle. It is therefore crucial that you make a strong first impression to ensure you are shortlisted for a formal interview and make it through to the next stage of the hiring process.

A key feature of ILSPA’s Legal Secretaries Diploma course is the exposure that it gives Students to different areas of legal practice. Each unit integrates the teaching of legal concepts (sometimes referred to as black letter law) with their application in the real world. This approach has employability at its heart and this month we will give you the lowdown about what it is really like to work in some key areas of legal practice. Because there are so many areas of specialisation there is not enough time to consider them all, but we will illustrate some of the close links that exist between legal specialisms. 

One of the great things about ILSPA’s Legal Secretaries Diploma is that it is not assessed through closed book exams. The focus is put on your understanding of the course material, rather than how well you can memorise it. Law and procedure can require in-depth study and a lot of concentration. Students who are able to train their brains to retain information will find it easier to process and move through the learning material with confidence.

Here are eight quick and easy tips to help you retain information: 

1. Repetition

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

Legal Secretary – Heathcare – Owen Reed

Location: Greater London

Salary: £34,000-£36,000

The Legal Secretary will provide support with all administrative tasks including management of client files, management of billing and financial activities, client relationship and business development coordination, diary and travel management.

View the full job description here:           

https://www.institutelegalsecretaries.com/jobs/candidate/job/173375/

Legal PA - 4 Days a Week – Law Choice

Location: Guildford

Salary: £25,000 + Excellent Benefits