2022

In last month’s publication of our journal, there was an article on the “Top Three Legal Myths’, which included the myth regarding cohabitation, i.e. of there being no such thing as a ‘common law wife’, or a ‘common law husband’, or indeed a ‘common law marriage’, that is to say a couple who are living together, with or without their children, and are not married or under a civil partnership. As was shown, the conception of such a thing is, in fact, a misconception – and it can be a serious one at that. If that relationship breaks down, such couples have extremely few rights when it comes to aspects such as finances, property and most seriously of all, the children of their relationship,

You’ve probably heard it before: your self-esteem impacts every part of your life. The truth is, if you want to be successful at work, you need to feel confident in yourself and the value that you bring. Building self-esteem isn’t easy, but it is possible!

Ask for feedback

One of the best ways to build your self-esteem at work is to ask for feedback. Whether it’s from your boss or colleagues, asking for constructive criticism will help you improve yourself and grow as an individual.

Here are some tips on how to do this:

It is not unexpected that many people find it difficult to request higher pay. Especially once their job hunt is over and they have an offer. They do not want to risk the opportunity now that they've made it this far.

However, as the UK HR experts point out, hiring in many sectors has surpassed or even reached pre-pandemic levels. On top of that, there is a shortage of skilled professionals, increasing competition for top talent and driving up salaries.

If you do not negotiate a salary offer while having specialised skills and a strong CV, you may lose a huge amount of well-deserved money.

Most recruiting managers will give you time to consider the offer and will not demand a response right away. Here are some pay negotiation techniques to help you politely and confidently request what you want.

Everyone in the legal profession is confronted with a degree of administration duties. As a legal secretary this is an area you are expected to lead on. You may have years of “admin” experience and already consider yourself an expert, but it can be very beneficial to take an assessment of your current skill level from time to time. You may also just be starting in the legal profession, so we will start with the basics before considering what kinds of advanced skills would help you achieve expert status.

Our Legal Secretaries Diploma Course is suitable for a wide variety of individuals, whatever their experience, whatever their schedule and wherever they live in the world.

We were pleased to be able to communicate with Shama Ali, who recently completed our Legal Secretaries Diploma course from Dubai. An experienced Legal Secretary, Shama took a five-year career break to have two children, returning to the legal sector during the pandemic. We asked her what led her to take a qualification at this stage in her career, as well as how she found studying overseas with a busy family.   

What were you doing before you joined ILSPA?

Personal and professional growth comes from acting in ways that support our health, values, and goals. Turning our awareness towards what we really want from life and doing things that make us happy enables us to live more authentically and in alignment with ourselves.

You may have developed unhealthy habits or have responsibilities which are holding you back. A great way to break free of these and develop a more positive way of being is to create a code of conduct for yourself. You can do this by making a list of directives you would like to follow. At first you can brainstorm anything which comes to mind, then you can go through your list and refine it, focusing on the things that really matter.

Here are some examples of directives for you:

When it comes to job hunting, people get overwhelmed by the number of numerous strategies at their disposal. Some may send hundreds of applications to companies hiring employees, while others may reach out to acquaintances within the industry to help secure a job. Nonetheless, it all comes down to one thing – networking. Networking doesn’t mean pestering people with your problems. With limited time on our hands, it is only possible to network with a few people, especially those within your field. 

Partly because of the pandemic and perhaps because of years of chronic under-investment, the UK court system is under pressure. Case numbers are rising and the time taken for claims to reach trial is increasing year on year. More use of alternative dispute resolution is seen as a solution, so there is a proposal to make it compulsory in commercial disputes. We will consider the case for this and compare how compulsory mediation has worked in family matters where it has been a feature for nearly 10 years.

Matrimonial disputes and mediation

‘Quiet Quitting’ is the new buzz phrase, born from lockdown where people have started to re-evaluate their priorities and work/life balance. Gathering speed on social media, it essentially means ‘just staying within the parameters of your job description’ – doing no more, and no less, than what is required by your contract. For example, no more staying late at work, checking emails outside of your contracted work hours, or volunteering to do the ‘nice to have but not really necessary’ jobs, such as organising social events outside of office hours.

Many of us have a basic understanding of some aspects of the law, but there are a few areas where myths seem to persist. For example, is there such a thing as a Common Law wife or husband? Does a Will guarantee your wishes will be followed after your death? And if you break the law unwittingly because you genuinely didn’t know the action you took was illegal, the courts will be lenient. These are three commonly held beliefs – but how accurate are they?

Let’s take a look at each in turn: 

Myth 1: ‘Common Law Wife or Husband’.

Have you ever thought that living with a long-term partner gives you ‘legal’ rights in law similar to that of a married couple?

If so, then you are wrong! There is no such thing as a ‘common law wife or husband’.

Blogs are a fantastic, but often shamefully underrated resource. Think about it, where else can you access free, constantly updated, and tailored information from some of the world’s lead thinkers in their area?

When considering blogs in those terms, many of you may be now thinking “Why don’t I read more blogs?” It could have a lot to do with how many bloggers there are out there- how do you know that you are getting the most accurate and relevant information for your search?

ILSPA has selected some of our favourite blogs to help you navigate the plethora out there:

All Things Admin

Introducing, Dr Avi Bhangal

I am a legal assistant working at TLT LLP, a UK law firm headquartered in Bristol which was named Law Firm of the Year at The Lawyer Awards 2021. Prior to this role I had completed my LLB/LPC/LLM/PhD at the University of Huddersfield, in West Yorkshire.

Whilst studying I had the opportunity to take part in many legal roles including a mini pupillage. 

Working at TLT LLP

In September I started work with TLT LLP working in the Financial Service Disputes and Investigations department. As this was during Covid-19, I was remote working but treated it as a normal working day with normal working hours. 

My day overview

This is the third and final article this year on reforms to civil procedure where we will outline the Court’s expanding use of online case management systems.  

The digitisation of County Court processes has been evolving over several years. While the Damages Claims Portal (the Portal) has been described as a “pilot” since 4 April 2022, it has been mandatory for ‘damages only’ claims to be issued digitally by firms.

The saying "the eyes are the window to the soul" is a popular one. According to hiring experts, an interviewer can tell whether you are telling the truth or lying through eye contact, or lack of. Interviewers can often pay a lot of attention to your eyes and body language during an interview. This means that the importance of eye contact in non-verbal communication holds a great deal of importance.  

Eye contact in non-verbal communication.

Eye contact is a form of non-verbal communication that is particularly significant because most individuals rely on their vision more than any other sense. Your gaze might convey a variety of meanings to the person you are looking at, including attention, affection, hatred, or attraction.

With the cost of living continuing to rise and the colder months on the way, many of us will be worrying about our energy bills over winter and into next year. Those of us who continue to work from home will have the added concern of knowing that we need to ensure we have an efficient and comfortable space to work from during the day, as well as a snug and relaxed place to enjoy in our free time, without sending already high bills even higher.

So, what can we do if we cannot, or do not want, to return to an office to work. ILSPA have compiled our top tips for how to save energy whilst working from home.

1. Location, Location, Location

In a previous article on reforms to civil litigation, we looked at the expanding use of fixed costs. This month, we will consider the Civil Justice Council (CJC) review of pre-action protocols.

If you have studied one of our courses covering this area, you may recall that a protocol sets out what must be done in a claim before any legal proceedings commence. There are currently 17 specific protocols in force that apply to a wide range of claims, including:

• Personal injury
• Professional negligence
• Construction disputes
• Housing disrepair
• Defamation
• Package travel and debt claims

Even when there is no specific protocol for a particular type of claim, you are still expected to follow the Practice Direction on Pre-Action Conduct.

Some people choose a certain career path in life, as they feel that it is their calling. They are naturally gifted in their field and have a passion for what they do. In psychology, this is referred to as self-actualisation. Self-actualised people strive to achieve their highest potential and find meaning in their work. They love what they do and experience great joy in performing their roles. In respect of ILSPA’s Members, they can find their work interesting and rewarding and recognise that they make a significant contribution to their legal departments.

What if you don’t feel like this though? What if your heart is not in it and you don’t know what to do? One solution is to find a new job, of course, but there are ways in which you can change your mindset to feel more positive about your role.

Simple queries can occasionally lead to embarrassing situations if one is not adequately prepared for them. The interview question “Tell me about yourself”, for example, should be a no-brainer. However, this typical interview question continues to baffle candidates of all levels of expertise. It may be claimed that this is partly due to the open-ended nature of the question, as it is not immediately clear if the interviewer is seeking a brief biography, a full CV or a combination of the two. These concerns, like those associated with any difficult interview topic, can be addressed with appropriate preparation and understanding of the interviewer’s rationale for asking the question.

What does the interviewer want to know?

What is a CV? CV is short for curriculum vitae, which is a Latin term meaning course of (one’s) life; it is a summary of a person’s career, education and qualifications in written form. A CV is also referred to as a résumé (French word) at times, but there is a difference. Résumés are usually single-page summaries of your work experience and background information, whereas a CV is usually longer and more comprehensive.

CVs include all the past experiences of a professional worker along with information about the educational background of the person. A CV is what anyone presents when showing up for a job interview; however, résumés are also accepted. Now we return to the question at hand, and that is whether bullet points in a CV can help it look better and more presentable.

Temping is short-term work done by a candidate who is employed through a recruitment agency, is on their payroll and is paid hourly for the work they provide. As a temp candidate, you are not committed to provide notice, and a client can also end the assignment at any time, so there is a huge amount of flexibility for both parties. A temporary candidate is often sourced at the last minute to cover a period of absence, sickness or leave and can be used to assist in a wide variety roles and levels.

In this article we explore what temping is, how temp agencies work and what the benefits of temping are for both a candidate and a client.

What is a temp job?

Checklists help you stay organised, better prioritise your time and see the “big picture.” They reduce the number of things you must remember, freeing up valuable headspace for the things that really matter. And if someone else needs to fill in for you, they have a step-by-step guide to tell them exactly what they need to do.

A checklist can be as simple or as complicated as it needs to be. Some will only have a handful of tasks on them; others might be pages long. All that matters is that they serve their purpose: making sure everything gets done.

In the best of circumstances, striking a healthy work and life balance can be challenging, but it can become even more intimidating, as well as vital, during periods of economic stagnation and uncertainty.

Because of the Great Recession and the resulting cuts and layoffs, many people work longer hours with roles that are more complex than ever before. Workers who fear losing their employment are determined to demonstrate that they are vital team members.

Today's portable electronic devices have blurred the boundaries between work and home, also adding stress. The days are gone when leaving the office meant abandoning our work. As a result, employees can now reach out to their bosses, co-workers, and customers at any time.

An administrative role is a key part of any business. From dealing with office logistics to planning meetings and communicating with all levels of employees, getting your foot in the door can provide a stepping stone to a world of exciting opportunities. These entry-level positions are a great way to build a career. If you’re searching for the perfect entry-level admin role, here we reveal how to get a job in administration with no experience.

Do you need special skills to gain an admin job? Do you have to take a course to work in an office administrative role? Read on to discover what you can do to give yourself the best possible chance of securing your first role.

1. LIST KEY SKILLS ON YOUR CV

You have to be smart and on top of your game when you're about to answer interview questions. When asked a tricky question, you need to be able to answer confidently with something that not only appeals to the interviewers but stays relevant to you and your professional skills.

One of the most common job interview questions is “What is your greatest strength?”.

This question can be difficult to answer because you want to make sure that you are highlighting your strengths in a way that is relevant to the job you are interviewing for. In this blog post, we will discuss how to answer this question and provide some tips on how to stand out from the competition.

This month we will consider some changes to Part 45 of the Civil Procedural Rules (CPR) that will affect how legal costs are recovered in some civil cases. These changes were first suggested in the 2013 Jackson report, which considered whether more proportionate costs could be achieved with changes to procedures. Following consultations in 2019 it is now expected that in October 2022 there will be a significant development in expanding the use of fixed costs making way for the creation of “intermediate” cases. 

We all know the phrases ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’ or ‘it’s good to talk’ but the benefits in talking about how you are feeling go far beyond this. When we are in a difficult situation, we lose our problem-solving abilities. It can be impossible to focus and it can seem overwhelming to choose what action to take. Sometimes a listening ear and a nudge in the right direction is all we need to move on. Social and emotional support and the role of individuals, families and communities in delivering this are vital to managing wellbeing. We all need someone to talk to about personal matters without judgement and in confidence. To listen to us and offer help when things get on top of us.

As an administrative professional, you’re used to working behind the scenes. However, to keep your career moving forward, you need to practice some self-promotion.

There’s a big difference between bragging and subtle self-promotion. Bragging is implying that you’re somehow better than others. For instance, “I was just promoted to team lead and got a big raise because I’m the best admin ever!”

Self-promotion can be just simply stating a fact. For example, “After five years with my company, I finally got the promotion I’ve been working towards. It feels rewarding to have accomplished my goal.”

Why You Should Share Your Accomplishments

Sharing your accomplishments is a necessary part of your career development. Here’s why:

Before we start, we need to understand what a job interview is. It’s not to be taken lightly, especially if you want to land the job you are striving for. A job interview is a formal meeting between you and your potential employer.

You are asked questions about yourself, your educational background, your work experience and how you can be a relevant asset to the company. When you go for such a meeting, one of the first questions you will be asked is “What do you know about our company?”

A personal assistant position can vary hugely from one role to the next, depending on the support the individual or team requires. This makes it an exciting career and allows relevant skills to be transferred across different industry sectors. If you are considering looking for a PA role but want more information on what it is really like to be a personal assistant, read on!

WHAT IS A PERSONAL ASSISTANT?

Whilst no two PA roles are the same, there are several common tasks we see in most PA positions. These include:

Have you noticed that when you feel tired or stressed, it is harder to focus on your studies? There is a theory which explains that when our base needs are met, we can function better in life. This theory forms the hierarchy of needs and was developed by a famous psychologist called Abraham Maslow in the 1950s. It has changed the way we think about psychological health and is used in educational and therapeutic settings as well as workplaces to help people perform at their best. Abraham Maslow was one of the founding fathers of positive psychology and dedicated his life to studies in the field.

If you don’t struggle with managing your inbox, stop reading now.

If you do struggle, I’m right there with you.

Many people have a love-hate relationship with their inboxes. They like them for quick communication, but they hate trying to manage the overload of messages and information coming at them. I can completely relate!

Bad day at work? Need to talk? Life in the law can be challenging and sometimes things can get on top of you. Talk to us – we’ve been there.

LawCare is the mental wellbeing charity for the legal profession. We offer free, confidential, emotional support, peer support, and resources to those working in the law in the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man. We promote mental health and wellbeing best practice in legal workplaces and drive culture change in education, training and practice. We’ve been supporting legal professionals for 25 years and we understand life in the law.

The thought of asking your boss for a pay rise or a promotion is always nerve-wracking, and can strike fear in the most confident of business support professionals. Not only do many people often overthink the approach but the assumption of a negative response or reaction to your request makes the idea of putting yourself out there feel a lot worse than it is.

Remember, your boss is only human, and to get to where they are today means that they would have been in the same position as you are at one point in their career too.

If asking for a promotion or pay rise has been on your mind lately (or even over the last few months) take a look at our guide below to give your confidence a boost and kickstart the process of receiving exactly what you think you are worthy of!

Preparation

The legal sector has long been fast-paced and high-pressure. For some, the number of deadlines to fulfil and the amount of information to remember might become overwhelming. Like many professionals, people in the legal sector have had to adjust to the ‘new normal' created by the COVID-19 pandemic, adding to their existing responsibility.

There's nothing wrong with feeling a little stressed out; it helps us perform better when juggling multiple tasks or responsibilities that require focus (and yes, I'm looking directly at you, solicitors). However, if it prevents you from properly functioning, it is best to take action.

The introduction of “no-fault” divorce at the beginning of 2022 brought one of the biggest changes to matrimonial law for 50 years. There are more changes afoot; this month we will consider one reform that has already been enacted and one that like “no-fault” divorce is long overdue.

Legal age of marriage

If you’ve followed me for long, you’ve likely heard me say that, aside from a current resume, a professional portfolio is the single best thing you can do for your career.

A portfolio isn’t just for job-seekers. It demonstrates your achievements when your annual review comes around. It proves your value to your executive and organisation. It can help you secure a promotion or a raise. If your dream job suddenly becomes available, an updated professional portfolio allows you to act immediately, while other candidates could be scrambling to get their information current.

Everyone knows that attending a job interview is a nerve-racking experience – and it doesn’t get easier with age!

The reason for the anxiety is that you are being put under a microscope. You are being scrutinised, and sometimes by several people, not just one.

To gain some insight and advice on this topic, our partner Simply Law spoke to our Patron, Amanda Hamilton. In this article, she shares her top tips and techniques for excelling in a Paralegal interview.

Going before a panel increases the anxiety ten-fold. You’ll probably be worrying and asking yourself: do I look okay; will I be able to answer their questions; what if I’m so nervous that I can’t even remember my own name?

Some civil disputes could be characterised as emotionally charged, but few are as contentious and hard fought as matters involving the home. This month we have two examples of highly contested cases and a call from the court for compulsory ADR.

First, we will consider a boundary dispute over 17 inches of land where the legal costs ran to over £200,000. These figures speak for themselves, but if you had any doubt, the circuit judge who heard the case confirmed that the cost was “beyond my comprehension.” He was also critical of the fact that both parties wanted the claim to be heard in the multi-track (reserved for claims worth more than £25,000) when it was a small claim (i.e. valued at less than £10,000, where costs would have been limited).

Last month, over 9 million people across the world came together to show their care for our planet’s future. By switching off their lights for an hour at 8.30 p.m., they demonstrated that small actions can make a big difference. During the darkened hour, people sat by candlelight and had the opportunity to reflect on how they could reduce their impact further.

Those lucky enough to work remotely at the start of the COVID-19 era were able to keep themselves and their companies going, despite the intense pressures of that challenging time. 

This shift to remote work fundamentally changed how we use IT. Use of Zoom increased by 30x in April 2020 as meetings moved online. Slack workspaces proliferated. And corporate spending on cloud services grew by nearly 40%.

It increasingly seems that many of these changes will remain in place, as the pandemic continues and organisations appreciate the benefits of keeping at least a partial remote footing.

One of the many exciting aspects of working as a Legal Secretary is the fact that there is so much possibility for career progression. Experienced Legal Secretaries can become executives in their own right, but many also choose to move on to roles such as that of a Paralegal. Making the decision to move forward into a new role such as this is both exciting and rewarding, but you would be forgiven for feeling slightly daunted about beginning. You have made a successful career as a Legal Secretary, so how can you take that next step up to become a Paralegal? And how can you make sure that you stand out in a sea of other legal professionals and law graduates?

When was the last time you made an effort to catch up on your filing? Last month? Last summer?

Many times, we struggle with filing because it feels overwhelming, we’re not sure where to begin or we don’t have an efficient system in place.

Filing can be inconvenient and time-consuming. However, this is often because you don’t have the right tools or supplies to quickly grab a folder and create a label.

Filing usually means getting up from your desk, walking to a supply cabinet, locating the file folders, walking back to your desk, typing a label, feeding the label sheet into the printer, retrieving the label from the printer and finally assembling the file. It’s no wonder we resist it!

But there are ways to simplify your filing system. Here are two quick tips.

The law is not something we have to actively go looking for – it governs our daily lives. Thus, those interested in the subject can use a variety of tactics to become more familiar with it.

In partnership with Lawyer Monthly, ILSPA partner Simply Law hears from John Watkins, Director of Employability at The University of Law, on the five best ways to get started in law.

Attend court

Courts are publicly accessible, and there is a gallery from which to observe proceedings. This will open your eyes to the culture of a courtroom and perhaps develop an awareness that television dramas don’t quite convey the full picture. 

Setting goals is an important part of building a long and successful legal career. For many, the ultimate goal as a Legal Professional is to secure a position with one of the biggest legal firms in the City, working on high-profile clients and gaining seniority in a competitive field.

However, increasingly, many people in the legal sector are seeking a good work-life balance as one of their key goals, and may be looking for more control. Joining a boutique firm can offer these benefits, as well as many of the same advantages as working for a City firm, and can be considered as a viable alternative.

The rise of boutique law firms

The long-anticipated era of “no-fault” divorce came into force on 6 April 2022, nearly two years after the passing of the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act.

Under the new system, couples will no longer need to make allegations about the conduct of a spouse. Instead, either one or both spouses will be able to make a statement that the marriage has irretrievably broken down. This statement will be enough to prove that the marriage has come to an end and will allow the Court to make a Divorce Order.

Take a look around your workspace. Is it organised or a disaster area? Can you quickly and easily find things? Are there any items that are just taking up space?

In honour of National Clean Off Your Desk Day, it’s a great time to take a critical look at your workspace. Follow these three steps to make it a more productive area!

1. Create workspace zones. There are three zones you need to think about as you clear the clutter and put systems in place for staying organised. The three zones are:

• Zone 1: Prime Workspace. Zone 1 is the main workspace at your desk – the centre of activity that is within arm’s reach of your computer and phone.

If you are studying ILSPA’s Legal Secretaries Diploma course or a Single Subject Foundation course, you will need to complete practical assessments in respect of your coursework. These assessments are designed to help you develop the practical skills of a Legal Secretary in various legal departments. Students need to successfully complete their practical assessments to gain a qualification. You will see that some of the assessments are straightforward, whilst others may need extra attention. Luckily for our students, our Course Assessor, Maria Richards, is always on hand to offer help and guidance whenever it is needed.

A Legal Assistant is a key cog in the legal industry, providing support to Lawyers and working alongside them by performing important administrative and clerical duties. They are required to have a strong knowledge of legal terms, procedures and documentation. Our partner, Simply Law, recently spoke to Alia Choudhury, a Legal Assistant at Keller Lenkner, and found out more about her role and what she does each day.

Introducing Alia Choudhury

I am a Legal Assistant working at a multi-claimant US legal firm specialising in commercial, employment and consumer class action litigation. Prior to this role, I had studied my LLB at Liverpool John Moores University, from which I graduated this summer with a 2.1.

Professional development is essential for every admin, regardless of experience. But when that training comes with a large price tag, it’s often out of reach.

The solution? Ask your employer to make an investment in you.

This investment can take many forms. It can be reimbursement for a webinar, registration for a professional development conference or even subsidising a course at your local community college.

Asking your employer to take a financial stake in your career can feel a bit uncomfortable. But when you approach them with a solid business case that explains why you’re requesting the training and what your employer and organisation can expect in return for their investment, it’s a lot less intimidating.

Here’s how to improve your chances of getting approval:

In last month’s edition of our journal, we outlined the Solicitor Regulation Authorities’ continuing competency regime. This has been in place for all legal businesses since 2016 and is something that all legal employees are expected to follow. The skill of self-reflection was considered, and a challenge was given for readers to identify the following:

• Personal strengths and weaknesses

• Tasks that could be done better

• Areas where improvements in knowledge, skills or behaviours were needed

Armed with answers to these questions, you will have made your first personal reflective entry. In this article, we will consider what you should do with your reflections to ensure that you are making the best use of your training log.

One thing is for certain, there is no one set way into the legal industry! No matter which role you are interested in – Solicitor, Paralegal or Legal Secretary – there are multiple paths you can consider to reach your goal. Simply Law recently spoke with Beata Rebalska. Beata is a Risk and Compliance Assistant at Clyde & Co. She kindly shared her path to becoming a legal professional.

The legal industry

I have wanted to become a lawyer for as long as I can remember, and that’s why after finishing school, I decided to go to college to study law, business and finance.

The new year is a great time to reflect on how you can help yourself, others and the world around us. As time goes on, we are becoming more and more aware of the effect we are having on the planet and what we can do to reduce our impact. If you would like to make some meaningful New Year’s resolutions, here are some ideas:

1. Spend more time in nature

This might strike you as a relatively mundane topic, but in legal practice, file opening is something that everyone in a law firm should be familiar with. That is not to say that everyone in the firm will be entrusted with this important task, and it is often well-trained admin and support staff like Legal Secretaries who are required to do this work.

The first clue you might have about the importance of file opening procedure is the fact that it is known by so many different names – customer due diligence, onboarding, verification of identity, verification of funds, anti-money laundering (AML). These are all terms that are commonly used in relation to the humble task of opening a file.

The new year is often a time for budgeting and looking for good deals. As ILSPA students are eligible to purchase a TOTUM PRO card, we wanted to share some exciting updates and information for 2022.

TOTUM PRO is an exclusive membership benefit which allows you access to a wealth of savings and offers on everyday essentials as well as some treats! TOTUM PRO unlocks discounts on lots of brands, from groceries to travel and luxury items. It couldn’t be easier to start saving, so just click on the link to find out more:

https://www.totum.com/se/student-discount/cat/totum-pro

Imagine that you’re going on a vacation. You’ve spent months researching your destination. You have a detailed itinerary of everything you plan to do when you arrive. The excitement is building, and it’s almost time to set off.

But you don’t just show up to the airport and board a plane. A lot of planning has gone into this trip – from the airline you chose to fly, to the hotel you selected, and to the restaurants you’ll eat at. You worked with a budget. You made detailed packing lists. You probably arranged for someone to water the plants and bring in the mail while you’re gone. All of this had to happen to make the vacation successful.

In many industries, the line between managers and workers tends to be fairly clear. Managers manage; workers work. An employee in a retail setting, for instance, generally isn’t responsible for handling their manager’s schedule, making calls and sending emails on the manager’s behalf, or preparing the manager for important meetings.

At the corporate level, however, things are a bit different. An admin supporting a high-level executive is expected to do all those things and more. Your entire job revolves around making your executive’s job easier. And one of the best ways to do that is to learn how to “manage up”.

For many years now, the team at Heat Recruitment in Bristol have been collating retrospective analytical data from their in-house software systems. This allows them to create a comparative salary data set across all the sectors that they work in, including legal. This year, they have decided to formalise this data and make it more widely available in the form of their 2022 Salary Survey.

To give enhanced context and insight to their Salary Survey, they asked their Associate Directors to give their key take-aways and perspectives from the year in business, and to reflect on the hiring trends that they foresee continuing to impact the market in the year ahead. Dan Hazzard, Associate Director of Legal, had the following key take-outs for the legal sector.

On 18 November 2021, SecsintheCity – the UK’s only dedicated job site for business support professionals – hosted the 10th annual PA of the Year Awards.

These awards celebrate the successes and accomplishments of Personal Assistants, Executive Assistants and Office Managers from the past year. For the second year running, the PA of the Year Awards were held virtually, but that didn’t stop attendees from turning out in the event’s traditional black-tie attire.

Breanna Worton – a Legal PA working at global law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and winner of the Legal PA of the Year Award at this year’s event – took the time to answer some questions about her career, winning this accolade and what it means to her.

In the early part of any career, a lot of time is spent learning the skills, obtaining the knowledge and adopting the behaviours expected. This is certainly the case with Solicitors as they spend years (at least six if not more) reaching the required standard. By studying ILSPA’s Legal Secretaries Diploma course, you will have started the journey to competence in the legal profession.

When you start working within the legal environment, you are taking the next of many further steps in your learning journey. How your employer helps you with your continuing professional development (CPD) will vary, but the standard for any legal employer will be the same – continuing professional competence.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought with it so many changes, many of which occurred almost overnight. One of the largest that has impacted almost all of us has been remote working. For some, this was temporary, but for many of us, this is the new normal, and with offices unlikely to return to 100% capacity in the future, embracing a remote working style is crucial for us all.

On 18 November 2021, SecsintheCity, the UK’s only dedicated job site for business support professionals, celebrated the tenth annual PA of the Year Awards, partnering with Tay Associates.

These awards are an important event for the recognition of the excellent work that PAs, EAs, and office managers carry out every year. Given the uncertain nature of the last year, it’s especially important to speak about the redoubtable nature of these professionals and the crucial role they play in every business.

Though the awards typically take place at The Ivy in London, this year – as was the case in 2020 – they were held virtually. Even so, attendees still turned out in their black-tie outfits on Zoom.

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

Experienced Legal EAs/Secretaries – Armstrong Teasdale Ltd     

Location: London

Salary: £35,000  

Armstrong Teasdale is seeking bright and experienced legal secretary/EAs to join our Corporate and Commercial teams.  This is an exciting opportunity to join a US law firm in its first international office and during a period of growth.  The firm has 12 additional offices throughout the US and a total of more than 640 lawyers and staff internationally.

View the full job description here:           

https://www.institutelegalsecretaries.com/jobs/candidate/job/188840/

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

Legal Assistant/Secretary – Moore Barlow     

Location: Guildford

Salary: Competitive    

Are you a reliable and highly organised individual looking to work for a newly merged firm carving out a new way of working within the Legal sector? This is a great role for someone ambitious looking to get really involved in a great Commercial Property team where you will be fully supported.

View the full job description here:           

https://www.institutelegalsecretaries.com/jobs/candidate/job/192979/

Legal Secretary – Eversheds Sutherland (Luxemburg) LLP

Location: Luxemburg

Throughout the past year, the legal job market has come under immense pressure and experienced numerous challenges as a result of the pandemic. Despite this, the legal profession has shown remarkable resilience.

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

Trainee Legal Secretary (Private Equity) – Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP     

Location: London

Salary: Competitive    

An exciting brand-new role has arisen for an ambitious and enthusiastic Trainee Legal Secretary. Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP is looking for a new Secretary, to provide effective administrative and secretarial support services to fee earners within the London Private Equity team.

View the full job description here:           

https://www.institutelegalsecretaries.com/jobs/candidate/job/193293/

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

Wills & Probate Legal Secretary – Green Wright Chalton Annis     

Location: Rustington

Salary: £22,000 - £24,000    

Green Wright Chalton Annis is looking to recruit a Legal Secretary/PA to join their friendly, busy and growing Wills and Probate team at the Rustington office.  Experience of working in a law firm is essential and knowledge/experience of Wills and Probate would be very useful.

View the full job description here:           

https://www.institutelegalsecretaries.com/jobs/candidate/job/196583/

Conveyancing Legal Secretary – Adams Harrison   

Join us for 48 hours of continuous personal development PLUS 1 month to access all the replays.

To become exceptional, you need to be trained by the exceptional, and we pride ourselves on bringing you the best of the best.

Our online ES Global event contains 48 hours of practical training, personal and career development, and a huge dose of inspiration from the world’s top trainers for Administrative Professionals. We aim to not only improve your working life but to help you strive for bigger and better things every day.

We have over 50 speakers confirmed for this event. We will be releasing 5 new speaker announcements every week.

Register your place now and enjoy massive savings.

Please note:

We have some good news – we are pleased to announce that the tour of the Royal Courts of Justice is resuming. Now that the Covid-19 restrictions have been fully lifted, the RCJ is accepting group tours again. This is a wonderful opportunity for our Students to see how the courts operate and to really put their studies into perspective. 

The tour dates are as follows:

Tuesday 7 June

Monday 4 July

Tuesday 2 August

Nominations have now opened for the 2022 PA of the Year Awards, hosted by SecsintheCity – the UK’s number-one job site for Business Support Professionals – and in association with Tay Associates.

The annual event is held to acknowledge and celebrate the talent and achievements that Business Support Professionals deliver for businesses throughout the UK. Each year, we endeavour to ensure that more and more attention is given to Personal Assistants, Executive Assistants and Office Managers for the excellent work that they carry out – the PA of the Year Awards are crucial to those efforts.

PA of the Year Award Categories

This year’s iteration has several categories, including:

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

Junior Office Assistant – Owen Reed

Location: London

Salary: £21,000

Junior Office Assistant required to undertake a number of general office administration and reception duties. They will need to work closely with other administrative staff to help maintain a smooth and efficient office. The successful candidate must be proactive in their work habits and show high interest and engagement in all tasks delegated to them. They must learn quickly and will gain valuable experience that will enable them to develop further within the firm.

This role would suit a Legal Secretaries Diploma Graduate.

View the full job description here:           

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

Admin Support Officer – Free Representation Unit

Location: Hybrid. Grey’s Inn, London/Remote

Salary: £25,029

FRU provides representation in social entitlement and employment tribunals for people who can’t afford lawyers. We represent approximately 500 clients annually in tribunals across London and the South East.

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

Executive Assistant – SZ Greenfields

Location: City of London

Salary: DOE

SZ Greenfields, a dynamic boutique international City law firm looking for a talented and motivated Executive Assistant.

The ideal candidate will have 2+ years office experience, excellent written and spoken English skills, with the ability to communicate with people at all levels, an eye for detail and first-rate workload management, and a proven interest in working in a legal environment.

View the full job description here:           

https://www.institutelegalsecretaries.com/jobs/candidate/job/202453/

SecsintheCity recently announced that Tay Associates will be sponsoring their PA of the Year Awards 2022. Ahead of the awards, SecsintheCity caught up with Tay Associates to find out what their top tips are for this year’s candidates, what makes the awards so successful and why Tay Associates are sponsoring the PA of the Year awards again this year.

Who are Tay Associates?

Tay Associates are industry experts in PA, admin and support staff recruitment, placing the very best talent into their best-matched jobs.

Why did Tay Associates decide to sponsor the SecsintheCity PA of the Year Awards?

Legal mental health charity LawCare is hosting its first conference this year to celebrate its 25th anniversary. This is your opportunity to learn more about how to improve the culture in the law and how to make your legal organisation a happy and healthy place to work.

The online conference ‘Building a Better Life in the Law’ takes place on Wednesday 28th September and features leaders across the profession who are pioneering new ways of working. They will share their experiences of improving the culture in law through an interactive programme of plenaries, panel discussions, workshops and breakout sessions.

The programme has three main tracks: 

•           Starting out – addressing the particular needs of junior lawyers

•           Innovation – in supervision and management

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

Legal Secretary – LF Legal Limited

Location: Central London

Salary: from £25,000

This dynamic, forward-thinking firm based in Central London firm is looking to recruit a Legal Secretary with a good level of legal secretarial experience who is able to assist in file opening and closing, admin, drafting documents, billing, client and third party contact, and general secretarial work.

View the full job description here:           

https://www.institutelegalsecretaries.com/jobs/candidate/job/206777/

Secretary – De Pinna Notaries

Location: London

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

Legal Secretary – Harrison Clark Rickerbys

Location: Worcester

Salary: £20,000-£25,000

We are currently looking for a proactive, highly organised, service focused individual to fulfil a crucial role in our support staff within our Private Client Team. The Private Client team is a key part of the business and acts for many clients

Based in Worcester and reporting to the Legal Support Manager you will provide in-depth business support to the Partners and fee earners within the team.

View the full job description here:           

Registration for The PA Show Canary Wharf is now live, and you can apply for your pass today!

Following popular demand from the PA Community, we are excited to launch a new boutique edition of the popular PA Show on the 2 November at the East Wintergarden, Canary Wharf.

We look forward to welcoming London’s most elite PA’s, EA’s, VA’s, Secretaries and Legal Secretaries along with business and administrative professionals. This niche event will be enriched with great content and networking opportunities, with an impressive and carefully selected collection of exhibitors, including venues and corporate gifting. This is the perfect environment to network and source products and services just before Christmas.

What’s on at the show?