Not everyone has heard of the term “imposter syndrome”, but the chances are that, at some point in your career, you have experienced it. It’s the feeling that you don’t deserve the position you are in, that the faith others have in you to do a good job is unsubstantiated or that any success you have is mere luck.

Imposter syndrome can be summed up as believing you are not as competent as others perceive you to be.

Everybody knows that one of the first things you need to do when you are looking for work is to write a professional, accurate and impressive CV. However, a CV is only half of the application. It does not matter how good your CV is if you do not include an equally impressive covering letter. The role of the covering letter is to entice the recruiter to go on and read your CV. In situations where recruiters are inundated with applications, a bad covering letter – or worse yet, no covering letter at all – could very well be the reason why your CV ends up in the rejected pile.

The March 2021 edition of our journal included the exciting announcement that our partner, Simply Law, was undergoing the biggest transformation in its 18-year history. It is with great pleasure that we can now tell you the next phase of this relaunch is live. As well as having a brand-new look, the site is jam-packed with new and exciting features as well as old favourites that have been updated or revamped – all perfectly designed to make your job search a whole lot easier. 

Since the Covid-19 lockdowns, many employees across the UK have become accustomed to remote working – one of the most popular forms of flexible working arrangements offered by employers. However, with offices and workplaces beginning to open back up, flexible working arrangements will not necessarily remain in place in the long term. This could create some problems down the line, with employees being dissatisfied at losing the flexibility they once had and employers having to deal with unhappy staff members.

In this blog, we will provide all the advice and information you need if you are thinking of making a request for a flexible working arrangement, and explain to you your legal rights if you decide to go down this route.

What do we mean by “flexible working”?

The Queen’s Speech this year was delivered on 11 May. It is normally an annual event, but this has not been the case in recent years. The previous Queen’s Speech was in November 2019, when we reported on the government’s proposal to get 26 bills passed into law. This year, there are 31 bills that ministers intend to pass. Some of these bills are carried over from the last session of Parliament, but against the backdrop of Brexit and the pandemic, this is not all that surprising.

What were the government’s priorities in 2019?

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

Legal Secretary – Larbey Evans Ltd

Location: Bristol

Salary: Up to £30,000 + Fantastic Benefits

National law firm is looking to hire a new Legal Secretary/PA to join their busy Professional & Financial Risks Group.

Applicants require previous Legal PA experience, must have excellent client care and organisation skills, as well as a proactive attitude.

View the full job description here:           

https://www.institutelegalsecretaries.com/jobs/candidate/job/175056/

The art of concentration is an important skill to master. Whether for studying, working or managing your home life, being able to concentrate and focus when you need to is often essential. This is especially true in roles such as that of a Legal Secretary, where attention to detail and fine-tuned organisation are paramount. There is so much advice out there on how to improve concentration. You may already be familiar with tips such as taking breaks, removing distractions and creating a designated work/study environment. These things often seem like common sense, and many people try their hardest to implement them, but are they enough?

For those seeking employment in the legal sector, there are few destinations more prestigious than the “Magic Circle” and “Silver Circle” law firms. These organisations are famous around the world, with hard-earned reputations for excellence.

This select group of legal firms have become widely known for their commitment to the very highest standards of performance and success. As such, obtaining a role with these companies can be seen as a real marker of accomplishment for the UK’s most skilled legal professionals.

Here, we explore the firms that comprise the Magic Circle and Silver Circle, looking at what differentiates these organisations and what is expected of those chosen to represent these firms.

What is the Magic Circle?

Good writing skills are fundamental for any Legal Secretary. Most jobs in the legal sector will have some reference in the job description to “excellent communication skills” and this will include written communication. Even if writing skills are not specified, a high standard will still be expected.

We would like to give you some tips to help you spot good legal writing, as well as provide suggestions on how you can improve your own and the standard of others’ written communication.

Keep errers in cheque?

ILSPA has partnered up with LegalEx as it makes its much-anticipated return as a live event this year.

LegalEx 2021, taking place on July 7 & 8 at ExCeL London, is the must-attend event to meet industry thought leaders, regulators at the forefront of legislation and code of conduct changes, and experts in client success, technology and business development.