You’ve got the job you’ve been working towards for a long time. The sense of achievement is a great feeling and well deserved. But why stop there?

It can be easy to rest on your laurels, especially once years of study, training and experience have come together to get you where you are. But you should always set yourself new goals, so you have a target and something to work towards. Otherwise, things can become a bit stale and the wrong questions start to be asked.

Self-development is important to all of us, and we can work on this in the workplace. But if you really want to fast-track your career, continuing to educate yourself is key for a number of reasons, and here’s why;.

If your studies with The Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs are taking you in the direction of family law, you will appreciate the types of rights that are available to couples who are divorcing and looking to divide their assets. However, if the title of this article has you scratching your head at this point, due to the fact that you feel there may be more to family law than was originally covered in your course, read on to find out just how redundant the term “common law marriage” really is in England and Wales.

Where does the term “common law marriage” come from?

During an interview there will almost inevitably come the time when the interviewer poses the inquiry, “So, do you have any questions?” This can be the point when normal interview nerves peak, while your mind starts to race through all of the information it has been presented with during the interview, searching for those magic questions that will make it evident that you are one of the most worthy candidates for the position. Being prepared for this moment by thinking through beforehand different options for suitable questions will help you to answer with confidence and make the best impression.

A few thousand years ago, around the time we learned to cook with fire, human life was quite different. Still, in the 21st century our priorities are much the same, except that if we want something to eat these days, we go to a supermarket and pick it from a shelf. Back in the Stone Age we would sharpen some poles, step into the cold and walk for days until we found a herd of mammoths. If we didn’t get eaten by sabre-toothed tigers along the way, when we eventually found our dinner we would have to slay the giant beast with our sharp sticks and then be burdened with the task of dragging it home. 

With the heralding of the New Year, many of us will start to consider the fresh start this brings. Once the excitement of the holidays has eased off, some of us may find it difficult to readjust back into work life. This article aims to help guide you through the first week back at work and make the transition as smooth as possible by applying some useful organisational tips and maintaining your New Year’s enthusiasm. 

Maintain your tranquillity
Hopefully the holidays have left you feeling rested. By maintaining this feeling of calm as you transition back into the office, you will set yourself up to succeed in this first week back. If you work through the suggestions below with a feeling of calm, you are more likely to have a productive and enjoyable first week back.

In May last year the Journal reported in an article called “Family Practice: Time for a Change? – No Fault Divorce”, on the Law Commission’s scoping paper “Getting Married”. The Commission’s paper reviewed marriage law in the UK and made several proposals. Despite the paper concluding that the law was badly in need of reform, on 26 October 2017 Justice Minister Dominic Raab wrote to the Commission to say that it was not the right time for a full review of marriage law. Obviously this will be disappointing to those who support the Law Commission’s view that current marriage law is unnecessarily restrictive and outdated. 

The following is a recap on some of the Law Commission’s main findings:

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

Legal Secretary – Moore Blatch
Location: Richmond, London
Salary: Market Rate

Moore Blatch is looking for a Legal Secretary to join its law firm based in Richmond.

If you are an experienced Legal Secretary who enjoys being busy and takes a pride in organising and supporting others then this may be the role for you. 

The successful candidate will have recent experience of supporting a Real Estate team. You will also need an eye for detail and fast, accurate word processing skills, a good knowledge of Microsoft Office and a good standard of numeracy.

In this age of austerity, the court system of England and Wales probably knew that at some point it would be closely scrutinised to ascertain whether efficiency savings could be made. Because every single government body is being examined so carefully nowadays, it was only a matter of time until court opening times were evaluated in order to determine whether there was a more efficient way of doing things. This is why the flexible court hours pilot was conceived in an attempt to streamline the court system.

8am to 8pm justice

ILSPA’s job candidate database is an extremely valuable resource for candidates and recruiters alike. We have created a niche platform specifically designed for Legal Secretaries and recruiters to connect and form mutually beneficial relationships. Our exclusive database enables each party to easily navigate the process of job and candidate seeking, allowing for promotion of both sides, specialised searching and ease of contact. We are passionate about providing a service that encourages the interaction between worthy candidates and recruiters, allowing a better employment experience for all.

Candidates

The SecsintheCity PA of the Year Awards were bigger than ever in 2017 with over 450 nominations and 16 shortlisted PAs and EAs.

The individuals who made the cut were from a variety of sectors and companies, including TSB Bank, Warner Brothers, Arsenal Football Club, The Law Society and Cath Kidston. The shortlisted PAs/EAs were interviewed by a panel of judges and the winners announced at an awards ceremony at the prestigious Ivy restaurant.

This year, there were two Legal PA winners:

Kathleen Riordan – Legal PA of the Year