As a student with The Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs, it is always a good idea to acquire a clear appreciation of exactly how the English legal system works. From the conventions of Parliament that have accrued over many centuries to how evidence may be given in court in light of the fact that we now live in an advanced technological age. It is this latter dimension of our judicial system that we will turn our attention to in this article.

Good old-fashioned methods

A few years ago I wrote a really detailed blog about dealing with confidential electronic documents and paperwork. This is obviously an important subject for assistants because we have to, have to, have to keep our Executive’s confidence. We must be trustworthy and, as hard as it is, keep all confidential matters to ourselves.

Today I thought I would write an update on my blog from a few years ago and concentrate on electronic documents. With cloud technology, the increased use of email and other electronic forms of communication (Slack, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, etc.), we have to be even more aware of how we deal with confidential and information that is discussed and communicated through technological channels. Here are my ten top tips on dealing with confidential electronic documents.

In England and Wales mediation has become a common feature of many types of litigation. Sir Rupert Jackson’s 2009 report on civil litigation recommended that the courts can and should in appropriate cases encourage mediation. This may be limited to simply pointing out its benefits or requiring an explanation from parties when they are not willing to meet and/or discuss mediation. However, where a party is found to have unreasonably refused to mediate, they can be penalised in costs by the court.

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

Receptionist/ Administrator – Dewar Hogan
Location: City of London
Salary: TBC

Dewar Hogan, a niche property firm based in the City of London, is looking for a full time Receptionist/Administrator to start as soon as possible. 

The ideal candidate will have an excellent command of English, a smart telephone manner and excellent Microsoft Word and Excel skills.

View the full job description here: 
https://www.institutelegalsecretaries.com/jobs/candidate/job/102304/

Legal Secretaries are a crucial but sometimes overlooked part of the conveyancing process, as they perform a number of different roles which contribute towards the smooth running and ultimate success of the project.

The main role of a Legal Secretary in this context is to provide Conveyancers or Property Solicitors/Fee Earners with support in the legal aspects of a property purchase process. Depending on the complexity of the purchase, the structure of the firm, the checks that are required, and the skills and/ or experience of the Legal Secretary, their role can vary from providing basic office or administrative support to offering more in-depth co-ordination role acting as the “right-hand man” to the Conveyancer. Sometimes the Legal Secretary is even the first point of contact for the clients involved in the process. 

During the job-seeking process, it is crucial that candidates understand the importance of taking advantage of every opportunity available to them to show their value to the prospective employer. Writing a covering letter is an essential part of this process.

A covering letter is a vital piece of personal professional marketing that should accompany every CV application. Its function is to give candidates the chance not only to introduce themselves but also to expand upon and strengthen their CV. By following our guide to the dos and don’ts of covering letters, you can ensure that you have made every effort to guarantee that your next job application results in obtaining that much-coveted interview.

Dos

• Explain why you have applied for the job

On 1 October 2017 we saw the long-awaited pre-action protocol for debt claims come into force. A pre-action protocol is a set of steps contained in the Civil Procedural Rules that parties must follow before a claim is made. The idea behind having a protocol is to promote early settlement of claims and reduce legal costs. If a party ignores a protocol, then he or she may be subject to a penalty in legal costs allowed by the Court.

Do you ever feel you should be further along on your goals and projects, given how much time you’ve been spending in your workspace?

To enter a state of high productivity, we know that it’s important to avoid distractions and really concentrate deeply on a task or project. You want to enter the state that Cal Newport refers to as “deep work”, and it’s best if you can maintain this state for at least a few hours at a stretch. If you can do three to five sessions of deep work per week, you’ll often achieve stronger results than you would with 40-plus hours of busywork. You’ve probably observed this pattern in your own life already. But of course the challenge is to enter this flow state consistently and to stick with it for extended periods.

Sometimes life can be overwhelming with work, family, friends and the activities we are involved in. Many of us can feel disorganised, stressed and not in control of our lives. We never seem to have the time to do everything we want.

The first step to avoid being overwhelmed is to understand that it would be impossible to do everything we would like to do and to accept the fact that we may never be able to do everything we wish. It is important, therefore, to prioritise the things that are most important to us. We need to regularly reassess our values, goals and tasks. 

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

Legal Secretary – Bowers
Location: Golders Green, London
Salary: Competitive

Bowers is a niche law firm in Golders Green which specializes in, amongst other things, Disability and Equality Law. 

They are looking for a full-time secretary to assist their expanding Disability Law department.

View the full job description here: 
https://www.institutelegalsecretaries.com/jobs/candidate/job/98970

Property Legal Secretary – Owen Reed
Location: Canary Wharf, London
Salary: £26,200 - £28,000