As an ILSPA Member, you have the opportunity to be recognised for the professional development that you undertake in your career. One of our aims is to provide our Members with professional recognition for the quality of their knowledge and skills, therefore we actively encourage professional development through our CPD programme and our Legal Secretary Journal. ILSPA believes that it is essential for Legal Secretaries and PAs to develop their professional expertise in order to be successful in their roles.

Lay-offs happen. Executives leave companies and can’t take their admins. Companies reorganise.

All these situations may sound like nightmares to an admin. But they don’t have to be career killers. If you’re in between jobs, companies or even careers, these five things can help you stay relevant to the admin profession.

1. Temp

One of the best things you can do if you’re out of work is to go to a temporary staffing agency. Temping helps you keep your skills active and develop new ones, too. Think of it as a paid job interview – the people you’re working with get to see what your skills are and you get to try out the company to see if it’s a good fit.

2. Take classes

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

Private Client Secretarial Assistant – Neves Solicitors LLP

Location: Harpenden, Hertfordshire

Salary: £24,000-£26,000 (DOE)

Neves Solicitors LLP is looking to recruit a Secretarial Assistant for their Private Client team. It is a busy role providing support and assistance to a team of three Private Client solicitors, so this role requires a highly organised individual with the ability to multi-task, prioritise duties and remain calm under pressure.

View the full job description here:           

https://www.institutelegalsecretaries.com/jobs/candidate/job/181900/

Chances are you know a workaholic. You might even be one yourself. You know the type. They’re the first one in the office each day and the last one to leave each night. It’s not surprising to see them working from home over the weekend or cutting their holiday short to get back to the daily grind – if they allow themselves to go on holiday at all, that is.

Working hard isn’t a bad thing, but there’s a thin line between “hard worker” and “workaholic”. When you cross that line and fail to rest and recharge, you’re putting yourself at risk.

In April, ILSPA announced that top-ranked multidisciplinary law firm Joelson offered exclusive mentoring to a small selection of lucky ILSPA Students. The mentoring scheme, which takes place over a 12-month period, includes a day in the Joelson office each month, Q&A sessions with the secretarial team and other members of the firm, one to one contact with Joelson Legal Secretaries, and much more.

After a rigorous application process, we are pleased to introduce you to the two successful applicants for the scheme, Ashleigh Almeyda and Rachel Hoar.

Expert keynotes. The latest legal tech. Networking with industry insiders. LegalEx is back as an in-person event this November.

LegalEx 2021, taking place on November 10 - 11 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.

Law firms and government departments have been using new technologies to provide legal services for years. It could be argued that anyone working in the profession who does not already recognise themselves as a “technology” lawyer should get comfortable with the idea that he or she will need to become a technology “geek” in the years to come. This article will consider some of the latest IT innovations affecting the profession.

The term “lawtech” is used to describe technologies that aim to support, supplement or replace traditional methods for delivering legal services or administering the operation of justice systems. Lawtech covers a wide range of tools and processes, such as:

• Document drafting

• Automated legal research

• Client/due diligence checking

Temporary work offers you an alternative to committing to a role on a permanent basis whilst still allowing you to gain new skills and develop your career. Candidates temp for a variety of reasons, and whether this is to assist with a career change or to fill a gap in employment, there are many benefits which we discuss below in this article. Do also take a look at our blog, which looks at questions to ask to suss out if a temp position is right for you.

1. Enjoy flexibility

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

Legal Secretary - Conveyancing – Campbell Hooper & Co LLP

Location: Sunningdale, Berkshire

Salary: Competitive

An opportunity has arisen for an experienced legal secretary/legal executive to join a friendly and flexible firm on the Berkshire/Surrey borders.

The part-time position would include supporting and assisting the conveyancing partner, who also undertakes wills and probate work, in all aspects of their property work.

View the full job description here:           

Audio typing is a valuable skill for those wishing to improve their professional abilities as a Legal Secretary. There are a number of jobs that list audio typing as a stipulation, and although it is not a skill that is always required, it may enable you to welcome better job prospects.

We have put together a list of the best online resources for Legal Secretaries looking to improve their audio typing skills.

Typing.com