News/Events

We want you to tell us how the legal profession has changed in the past year. Take part in TotallyLegal’s annual audience survey to have your say.

Last year was more chaotic and tumultuous than most others in recent history, with individuals and organisations across the world feeling unique and largely negative impacts from 2020’s many twists and turns.

TotallyLegal – the UK’s leading legal jobs board and a trusted partner of ILSPA – wants to learn and in turn share more with you about how the legal profession changed in 2020.

How has the job market shifted? What has been the impact on salaries and bonuses? How many legal professionals were put on furlough?

On Thursday 12 November 2020, SecsintheCity, the UK’s only dedicated job site for business support professionals, hosted its annual PA of the Year Awards. Now in its ninth consecutive year, the Awards are an iconic celebration of the essential role that Personal Assistants, Executive Assistants and Office Managers provide to the companies and individuals they work for. 

Sarah EL-Doori, Marketing Director of Reach Work and PA of the Year Awards judge, explains that “the aim of the Awards is to champion the profession and acknowledge the significant contribution that PAs and EAs make, especially in these immensely challenging times.” 

As announced last year, ILSPA has partnered up with LegalEx as it makes its much-anticipated return, this time in a virtual platform on 2-3 December 2020, hosting the most comprehensive and all-encompassing event dedicated to facilitating business growth and professional development for legal professionals and firms.

Your FREE ticket will give you access to 100 cutting-edge exhibitors and two days of CPD-accredited educational seminars from some of the world’s top legal experts, innovators and forward-thinking speakers.

Seminars will span the entire legal spectrum from technology to marketing and everything in between.

The Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs are delighted to be offering new live online classes, which start on Wednesday 27 January 2021. Online classes have become a very popular form of learning due to the growth of virtual communication during the current pandemic.

To celebrate the announcement of our new study method, we are offering an early bird discount of £100 to all Students who enrol before 30 November 2020.

SecsintheCity is looking for exceptional Legal PAs, EAs and Office Managers to be nominated for the PA of the Year Awards 2020. Could you be a winner?

Now in its ninth consecutive year, the PA of the Year Awards has become an iconic celebration of the essential support that Personal and Executive Assistants provide to the companies and individuals for whom they work.

The awards are hosted by SecsintheCity, the UK’s only job board dedicated to PAs, EAs and other office support professionals. The nominations are open from now until 14 September, after which an esteemed judging panel faces the challenge of choosing a winner in each of the following categories:

ILSPA Members are now eligible to receive a 20% discount on our Advanced Single Subject Legal Courses. This was previously available only to our Legal Secretaries Diploma graduates.

Many of ILSPA’s Members work in specific legal departments such as litigation or family law. Being able to advance your knowledge and skills in the area you work in will not only help you perform better in your role, but it will also show your employers that you are dedicated to your job.

If you are working in a certain area of law at the moment and you would like a change, that’s another good reason to study one of our advanced-level courses. You can acquire the knowledge and skills you need to make the move to another department or firm.

As announced last year, ILSPA has partnered up with LegalEx as it makes its much-anticipated return to ExCeL London on 18-19 March 2020, hosting the most comprehensive and all-encompassing event dedicated to facilitating business growth and professional development for legal professionals and firms.

This year’s exhibition promises to be the most content-rich to date. Your FREE ticket will give you access to 150 cutting-edge exhibitors and more than 100 CPD accredited educational seminars from some of the world’s top legal experts, innovators and most forward-thinking speakers.

Last November, Joanne Wilson was named Legal PA of the Year at SecsintheCity’s PA of the Year Awards 2019. Joanne is a Fellowship Member of the Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs.

After the ceremony, SecsintheCity caught up with Joanne to learn more about her career to date and her current role at Hall Brown Family Law, plus the advice she has for aspiring Legal PAs.

How did you become a Legal PA?

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.

The beauty of our new option is that you can study our course from the comfort of your own home as well as being taught by one of our tutors. Our online webinar classes enable you to have an interactive experience, where you can communicate with your tutor and be part of a group of Students. It is a great blend of our evening classes and our distance learning 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?

After finishing my A-levels, I decided I didn't want to go to university, so I applied for a job as an Apprentice Business Administrator at DWF Law LLP. After completing my apprenticeship, a vacancy for a Personal Assistant became available in my team – Corporate – and I was offered the role and promoted.

What do you love about being a Legal PA?