DEDICATED The Legal Secretary Journal

This New Year’s honours list brought with it an inspiring and encouraging tale for our Members and for all those starting out in the legal field. Janet Cooper, partner and co-founder of the Yorkshire-based niche law firm Tapestry Compliance LLP, who began her career as a secretary before graduating in law, has been appointed Officer of the British Empire (OBE).

This month we are focusing on a survival guide for how couples can reach a financial settlement on their own when divorcing or ending a civil partnership. We will highlight key principles that should be considered and how the courts reach their decisions if a court order is needed. 

Overview of the law

Good communication skills are a key part of being successful. Being able to effectively communicate as an individual or in a team will help you to generate good relationships between individuals, better understand objectives and resolve problems more easily. We are all capable of communicating effectively and use a range of different skills to achieve this every day. 

Different types of communication

When some people think of the legal profession, they often think of criminal law. This is not surprising, as there are many popular television programmes about criminals and the criminal justice system. Civil law is often less dramatic and very much a part of our normal lives, and so it is often overlooked. However, civil law is a vitally important part of our society, even if people are unaware of how it affects them.

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

Full-Time Legal Secretary – JSP Law

Location: St Albans

Salary: Up to £23,000

Imagine that you are an employer with one vacancy to fill and an array of hopeful candidates’ CVs. What attributes would a CV have to possess to separate it from the pile? What would intrigue you about a candidate enough for you to take the next step to invite them for an interview?

As part of our regular practice updates, this month we will be considering the latest proposals for expanding ‘e-justice’ in the civil court system. The Civil Justice Council has called for the creation of an online court within the next two years. This would be a radical overhaul of the current UK court system. Key features would include virtual courtrooms, a lawyer-free environment and the possibility of services similar to the eBay disagreement negotiating procedure.

The Institute has a great team of people who help our Students achieve their goals. Maria Richards has been assisting Students with their queries and marking coursework for nearly eight years now. Her role within the company is of great value, and you can learn more about her here.

How did you become a Course Assessor with the Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs?