Career Experiences

Since starting her legal career as an Administrative Assistant at a well-known global law firm over 15 years ago, Michelle Clarke has progressed to the point where she is now working as a Fee Earner in her current firm, Land Law LLP. Along the way, she studied ILSPA’s Legal Secretaries Diploma and went on to study ILSPA’s Civil Litigation Advanced Diploma. Michelle kindly spoke to ILSPA about her career, her studies and the exciting new opportunity as a Fee Earner.

How did you come to work in the legal profession?

Karen is a highly accomplished Legal Secretary/PA with over 32 years’ experience in the legal profession. She has been a Member of the Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs since 2009 and was awarded the status of Lifelong Fellow of the Institute in 2016. Karen currently works as a Legal Assistant/PA for Roche Legal, an acclaimed boutique firm of private client solicitors based in York.

We recently spoke to Karen about her career, current position and what advice she would give to other Legal Secretaries just starting out in the field.

What does your role involve at Roche Legal?

This year marks the 100th anniversary of women gaining the vote in the UK. A year after this was granted, the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act was passed, and women could become qualified lawyers for the first time. To celebrate the progress made in women’s rights, we’ll be taking a look at five inspirational women who have made their mark in the legal industry over the past century.

Gwyneth Bebb

1889 – 1921

As an ambassador for the EA/PA profession, Paula Harding knows how important, rewarding and challenging the role of a Personal Assistant (PA) can be. ILSPA had the pleasure of talking to Paula about the role of the PA and what she feels makes a PA efficient and successful. 

Can you give us a brief explanation of what the role of a PA involves and how it differs from a Secretary?

Rebecca Bouhsine is a successful Legal Secretary and current Student here at the Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs. Having previously completed ILSPA’s Legal Secretaries Diploma and our Civil Litigation Advanced Diploma, Rebecca is currently working towards her Criminal Law Advanced Diploma with us. Rebecca kindly took time out of her busy schedule to talk to us about her role, her studies and what advice she would give to others who want to enter the profession.

What does your role involve at Voisin Law?

With the PA of the Year Award nominations now open, we caught up with previous Legal PA of the Year Rachel Newman to discuss the PA of the Year Awards, talk about her career as a Legal PA and garner some top tips for other Legal employees in the industry.

Tell us about your experience of the 2014 PA of the Year Awards.

Kathleen Riordan won Legal PA of the Year at SecsintheCity’s PA of the Year Awards 2017. The judges praised Kathleen, as one of her nominations said: she’s “the embodiment of team first, self second, Kathleen works conscientiously and tirelessly, often without recognition, to get the job done.” In this interview, we’ll find out how Kathleen became a Legal PA and what drives her to succeed in the role.

How did you become a PA?

After finishing university and working as a Senior Sales Administrator, I felt that I needed a change and started temping as a PA/secretary. During this time I realised how different and interesting PA roles could be, and I gained a lot of experience during this time which led me to my career as a PA.

For your interest, inspiration that anything is achievable and also, I hope, enjoyment, I set out below in summary how I progressed my career from secretary to qualified lawyer and subsequently programme leader for over ten years at The Law School at The University of Westminster.

It all started following my A-levels and a brief spell in retail, as I decided to embark on a legal secretarial course at Enfield College. Although I struggled with Pitman shorthand, I very much enjoyed the trips to The Old Bailey and local County Court. I left Enfield College a far more able and organised individual, with a very high typing speed (my forte) as well as a legal secretarial qualification enabling me to secure employment.

At SecsintheCity’s PA of the Year Awards 2017, there were two Legal PA winners. Meet Lyn Lennox, Legal PA at The Law Society and winner of the Outstanding Achievement Award.

How did you become a PA?

I studied a PA Diploma and A levels at college, after which I became a Legal Secretary at a major London law firm. After this role, I was lucky enough to be recruited as a PA to a Chairman of a London surveyors.

What’s great about your job at The Law Society?

Hot in the news recently has been the topic of the inequality of men and women in regards to pay. It has come to light that a gender pay gap still exists in some professions in our country, and this is an issue we need to resolve.

Even though we have a little way to go, we must remember how far we’ve come as women. Just a few decades ago, women were denied basic rights that we take for granted now, such as being allowed to vote, owning property or working in certain professions.