The British Legal Awards took place on 27 November 2014 and it was the highlight of the legal calendar. The awards are an annual showcase for the greatest achievements made each year by law firms operating in the United Kingdom. This provides a chance to reward lawyers for their hard work and contribution to the British economy as well as recognition of the innovative and varied work they carry out on a day-to-day basis. 

The winners of the awards reflect the diversity of the legal sector in the UK and prove that the awards really do celebrate the variety of contributions made by British legal teams each year. This year, winners included firms such as Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Allen & Overy, DLA Piper and Berwin Leighton Paisner. The difference in the size and specialties of the winning firms demonstrated the variety within the legal sector in the UK. 

M&C Saatchi’s Stuart Martin was announced as the winner of the 2014 PA of the Year Awards, hosted by SecsintheCity, the UK’s #1 job site for PAs and Executive Assistants.

The announcement was made at a prestigious Awards ceremony, held at the The Ivy Restaurant on Thursday 6 November 2014.

The winners of the PA of the Year Awards 2014 are:

-    PA of the Year – Stuart Martin, M&C Saatchi
-    Social Networking PA of the Year – Katie McEwan, Ann Summers
-    Legal PA of the Year – Rachel Newman, Hogan Lovells International
-    Interim PA of the Year – Rowan Forman, Threadneedle Investments

Stuart Martin is PA to the Group Executive Creative Director at M&C Saatchi.  

Stuart said: “It's an absolute privilege to have won this award and have the opportunity to be representing male Personal Assistants that work in this industry. 

Last month, we highlighted the useful online portal to key legal websites for Students created by the Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs. These were sites that have been identified as some of the most useful in helping you to keep your legal knowledge up to date both when studying and when in practice. 

This month, we are highlighting a dozen more legal websites as further places on the Internet where you can find useful sources of law and information. There are literally hundreds of potential places to find legal resources on the Internet. The sites we have identified are those which we feel contain the right amount of detail and focus on areas of law that you are most likely to come across in legal practice. 

If you are looking for an interesting, varied and fulfilling job, then becoming a Legal Secretary is the career path for you. It’s not just law firms and Barrister’s chambers but also local authorities which need to rely on the skills and services of a good Legal Secretary, and most financial firms and large companies have Secretaries working in their legal department. This gives you great scope to choose the sort of working environment which would best suit you.

There are lots of different reasons to become a Legal Secretary, including the varied working life, the opportunities to advance your career and increase your earning potential, and the chance to learn about our legal system in depth so that you gain a better understanding of how it governs our society.

Variety

Emma Stacey has been working at ILSPA for 10 years and celebrated this wonderful milestone at an organic restaurant near the head office at Dartington Hall at the end of November. She started in November 2004 and has had a big hand in the growth of the Institute over the years, helping it become what it is today. Emma answered some questions so you could find out more.

What was it like taking on the role of Chief Executive at ILSPA?

As a Legal Secretary, you are sometimes called on to take the minutes in a meeting and afterwards transcribe them. The taking and transcribing of minutes is a very valuable skill once perfected. However, it can be daunting if you are inexperienced or lack confidence.

If this is you, then panic not – DeskDemon.com has compiled 15 top tips on the subject. 

1.    Take Diaries to Meetings

Always take your diary (and your manager’s if need be) to meetings so you can ensure that the next dates fixed are suitable.

2.    Be at the Meeting Room Early

Get to the meeting room before the others. Set out papers, glasses, water carafe, stationery, etc. in advance, and be sure to note who is present and who sent apologies for absence.

3.    Use Abbreviations and Symbols

Being able to research in order to update your knowledge is a fundamental skill when studying law. In the Legal Secretaries Diploma course you learn about legal principles and how they relate to one another. To help you extend your knowledge and keep up to date with legal developments, the Institute have created a portal on their website giving you easy access to some key websites. These websites include those for various organisations Students learn about in the Diploma course such as the Houses of Parliament, the Law Commission, and the Law Society. In this article we will explain why the websites on ILSPA’s portal might be useful to you both during your studies and after you have qualified.

Residential conveyancing in England and Wales is about to undergo a change thanks to a new online system called Veyo. The new online conveyancing system will allow for easy access to information and documents for purchasers, mortgage lenders, estate agents, and government agencies such as HM Land Registry and HM Revenue and Customs. This will not only bring conveyancing into the modern age but also give solicitors and licensed conveyancers more control over what information is shared and with whom. Once the system is fully implemented, the entire conveyancing process will be streamlined and made much more secure than under current conveyancing methods.

Conveyancing for the Digital Age

Last month, an article appeared in our journal about how you can gain valuable paralegal skills to advance your career. AH Paralegal Training provide an excellent course which can help you do just that, and it is taught by our wonderful tutor Amanda Hamilton. The AH Paralegal Practical Skills Course can be taken as a four-day intensive training programme or as a distance-learning course.  

Some employers look for Paralegal Secretaries who not only can perform Legal Secretary/PA work but who also have extra paralegal skills that they can utilise. It is also common for Legal Secretaries to advance their careers by acquiring paralegal skills so they can take on more responsibilities.

AH Paralegal Training are offering a special concessionary rate to ILSPA Students or graduates as follows:

Setting continuing professional development goals is one way to ensure that your career keeps moving in a positive direction. Not only does CPD help you keep your skills honed and ready for the workplace, but it can also pave the way for advancement in your career and possibly even a transition to a new and exciting position. We encourage all Members of the Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs to engage in continuing professional development so that they can get the most out of their careers.

Of course, CPD is most effective when you have a clear idea of what you hope to achieve. Setting continuing professional development goals is one way to accomplish this. By taking the time to develop and set goals, you not only define exactly what you wish to achieve but also map out a plan to accomplish it.

Professional Development