Student Resources

People learn in different ways. So, if people learn in different ways, then it is only logical that they should study in different ways. When you are studying, you may prefer to read out loud, rewrite text or even act something out to commit it to memory. You may like lists, colours or Post-its around the house. Your preferred study method gives a good indication of what sort of learner you are. Once you know this, you can establish which practices will help you and which are not really going to work. You can read more about the different types of learners here. In this article, we will be focusing on visual learners – people who need to see new information in order to truly learn it.

Course providers will often use different methods to assess a student’s understanding of the course they are studying. Some courses may have exams, whereas others will use coursework. Practical Assessments are a type of coursework, and this article aims to answer some of the most common questions about them.

ILSPA’s Legal Secretaries Diploma is a vocational qualification, and as such it aims to teach the skills and knowledge required to allow graduates to enter employment upon completion of the course. The coursework is therefore made up of achievement tests to assess your knowledge and Practical Assessments to assess your application of this knowledge to a specific set of documents.

What are Practical Assessments?

When embarking on a career as a Legal Secretary or advancing your expertise within your role as a Legal Secretary, it will be necessary for you to study a course which provides you with the knowledge and skills needed for the job.

ILSPA’s Single Subject Legal Advanced Level courses are offered to Legal Secretaries who are looking to gain an in-depth understanding of one particular area of law, and acquire some advanced skills at a Paralegal level. In order for ILSPA to assess your understanding of the law, you are required to submit assignments in essay form.    

To start with, it’s a good idea to define what an essay is. If you were to look up the word in a dictionary, or even online generally, you would find a variety of meanings such as “a piece of formal writing which discusses a particular issue, situation or problem”.

Whether you are currently studying with ILSPA, or are considering taking one of our courses, we would like to draw your attention to the help and support available to our students.

Many of our students will study via distance learning, and it can be a common misconception that this means that you will be expected to carry out your studies independently. We would like to reassure you that this is not the case and that whichever method of study you choose, you still have the full support of the institute.

One of the fundamental skills for every lawyer is writing well. As a Legal Secretary studying one of our Advanced Single Subject Legal courses or performing Paralegal duties within your firm, this is a skill you also need to have. This month we will consider some top tips, strategies and techniques that may help you be a better legal writer.

Five ways that will help you improve your writing skills are as follows:

Know your audience

Legal Secretaries will often be expected to proofread documents as part of their role. We have, therefore, put together a list of tips in order to help you proofread effectively.

1.            Remove as many distractions as possible. You will need all of your concentration when proofreading.

2.            Read the document slowly to ensure that you don’t miss anything.

3.            Print out a copy of the document that you are proofreading if possible rather than editing it on a screen.

4.            If you are editing on a screen, use the Track Changes function in Word in order to note the changes as you go along.

5.            If proofreading on a computer, use a spell checker during your first read-through, but remember that it is not infallible.

A question that we are commonly asked here at ILSPA is how much time is needed to complete one of our courses. People want – or, probably more accurately, need – to know the study time required for their desired course before they embark on it. That way they know they are able to commit to the work needed to gain their qualification. However, establishing the time required is just the first step. Here is our guide to finding the time to manage your course along with your other commitments.

Set yourself a time frame and create a timetable

The civil justice system aims to ensure that there is a fair way for individuals and businesses to recover money they are owed. This aim has to be balanced against the need to protect the rights of those who owe money. The Ministry of Justice is currently consulting about the use of default judgments. The aim behind the consultation is to ensure that the process for debt recovery strikes a fair balance between the legitimate right of a business or individual to pursue a money claim and the right of the debtor to know about a claim against them and have the chance to defend themselves.

Lawmaking in the UK is about proposals being made by the Government and finally being passed by Parliament. Proposals from the government are aimed at shaping a better society or to address specific issues and problems. Laws come to the government’s attention originally because of the different political parties competing for support from the British voters. They will campaign about their visions for the country, setting out how they would go about changing things. The winning political party is the one that forms the next government, basing its legislative agendas on what its manifesto is.

Proposals to government come from different sources