About us
The Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs offers accredited and recognised qualifications, professional recognition for our Members and their ongoing development, together with support, advice and career guidance for trainee and experienced Legal Secretaries throughout the UK and overseas.
The Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs was formed in 1990 by a group of like-minded legal professionals to promote the excellence and professional recognition of Legal Secretaries and PAs. We initially existed to assist legal practices with their main support staff functions by helping maintain and improve services to their clients through the expertise and diligence of a well-informed and commercially aware secretariat.
Over the years, ILSPA has established recognised courses which enable people to gain the knowledge, skills and formal qualifications that they need to be successful Legal Secretaries. These courses have been studied by thousands of Students throughout the UK and overseas, with varying levels of experience. Our Legal Secretaries Diploma course has become widely recognised by law firms and it is accredited by the National Association of Licensed Paralegals, which is the leading professional body for Paralegals. NALP is recognised as an awarding organisation by Ofqual, the regulator of qualifications in England.
ILSPA offers free Membership to Students whilst law firms help to support the more experienced Members of the Institute. We encourage our Members to undertake Continuing Professional Development to advance their expertise and improve their skills. Belonging to a professional organisation demonstrates that they are a dedicated group of professionals in their own right, who make a vital contribution to the excellence of service provided by a firm.
Members of the Institute have premium access to the latest content on Dedicated – The Legal Secretary Journal online, which includes interesting and informative articles on legal issues, professional development, career advice, eco awareness, IT and technology. Our articles help Members to advance their knowledge and skills and be aware of the standards that are expected of Legal Secretaries and PAs.
The ILSPA Legal Secretary Jobs board helps our Students and Members to secure employment, and it also provides a good service to the general public. Recruiters can benefit from a niche audience of Legal Secretaries who have the qualifications and experience they are looking for, whilst job seekers can apply for a wide range of Legal Secretary jobs and upload their CVs for employers to view.
ILSPA is a Member of WWF – the World Wildlife Fund. WWF is the world’s leading conservation body and it has teams of highly skilled professionals working with governments, businesses and communities in the UK and around the world.
Accreditations and Partnerships
The National Association of Licensed Paralegals
The National Association of Licensed Paralegals is the leading professional body for Paralegals. ILSPA is accredited by NALP, which is recognised as an awarding body by Ofqual, the regulator of qualifications in England. NALP provides qualifications, licensing and career development for Paralegals and solicitors’ support staff throughout England, Wales and overseas. Legal Secretaries can advance their careers by receiving training from the Association and we highly recommend the courses.
AH Paralegal Training is named after its founder Amanda Hamilton LLB (Hons), who is the Chief Executive of the National Association of Licensed Paralegals and a senior tutor for ILSPA. The company is dedicated to training Paralegals and it provides a practical training course, which is suitable for Legal Secretaries, law students or graduates who want to maximise their employability.
SMS has developed effective management solutions for professional practices. Whether it is in-house training, assistance with Lexcel quality standards, franchising or practice costs, it has solutions. The founder, Seamus Ryan, is a qualified Solicitor, Lexcel consultant and is a tutor for the Institute. He also helps our Members with their careers by contributing regular articles for our Journal.
Zee Associates provides outstanding training and development to clients in the legal, financial and professional business sectors throughout the UK. It is a specialist in training and development for professional secretarial and business support staff, and the trainers contribute regular articles to our Journal to help our Members with their careers.
The GTA University Centre is a unique organisation which serves the bailiwick of Guernsey through the procurement, facilitation and promotion of high quality training to all sectors of the community. It provides our Legal Secretaries Diploma course to members of the legal community on the island due to popular demand.