December is here and Christmas and the new year are just around the corner. Hopefully, you are all looking forward to a well-earned rest over the holiday period, but there are still a few weeks left to work through before we can put our feet up. The end of the year can be a busy and rather hectic time for law firms. It can be hard to think about the little things that may need doing.
The Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs is delighted to be offering new online webinar classes, which start on Tuesday 7 January 2020. Webinars have become a very popular form of learning due to the growth of virtual communication.
ILSPA now provides three study method options for our Legal Secretaries Diploma course. You can study through evening classes in London, online webinar classes or online via distance learning.
Here is a selection of vacancies from our Legal Secretary Jobs Board this month:
Legal Secretary – Property and Litigation – Sherrards
Location: St Albans
Salary: £22,000 - £30,000
A fantastic opportunity has arisen for a full-time Legal Float Secretary within a leading law firm in the beautiful city of St Albans. The individual will be providing legal secretarial support for both the Property and Litigation departments.
One of ILSPA’s aims is to provide affordable training to Students and Members. We are delighted to work in partnership with Prodigy Learning to provide you with a fantastic 50% discount on Microsoft Office courses.
On November 7th, the UK’s most talented PAs, EAs and Office Managers gathered at London’s Ivy restaurant for the PA of the Year Awards 2019.
Event host SecsintheCity caught up with Legal PA of the Year finalist Eleanor Lawson to find out more about her role at DWF Law LLP, her experience of the Awards and her advice to aspiring Legal PAs.
How did you become a Legal PA?
On occasion, a solicitor’s firm may find itself in dispute with its own client. This can happen, say, in a case where there is a disagreement over the legal bill or when a client wishes to change advisors. In these types of situations, a firm may find a client demanding that “their” file be released but the firm is reluctant to do so immediately (particularly where a legal bill is in dispute).
Membership Level
ILSPA offers four levels of Membership dependent on your qualifications and experience. If you have recently qualified with ILSPA or you have been working as a Legal Secretary for a few years since you first applied for Membership, you can upgrade your Membership level.
We don’t always get to choose who our boss/executive is, much less their leadership style, in fact, when you interviewed for the role, they might not have even be involved. So, you walk in on your first day with no clue what to expect, its potluck if both your styles of working are going to gel. Maybe that is not the most efficient way to recruit a PA or EA but is it often the case.
Here is a selection of vacancies from our Legal Secretary Jobs Board this month:
Legal Secretary – Darton Law Ltd
Location: Ashford, Middlesex
Salary: £18,000 - £24,000 DOE
It will come as no surprise to those reading this article that Legal Secretaries need to be good with technology. A Legal Secretary’s role is primarily computer-based. It is automatically expected that they will have skills such as fast and accurate typing, a good understanding of commonly used computer programs and knowledge of how to use standard office equipment.
