Professional development is an important part of building a successful and rewarding career. For Legal Secretaries and PAs, keeping your knowledge and skills up to date can help you stay confident in your role, adapt to changes within the legal profession and demonstrate your commitment to your career.
With the year edging towards its final months, this is a great time to pause and reflect on your professional development so far. It is also an ideal opportunity to gather the information you need for your annual CPD record and start thinking about where you would like your development to take you next year.
Why Does Professional Development Matter?
The role of a Legal Secretary or PA continues to evolve. Legal support professionals are expected to combine excellent organisational and administrative skills with an understanding of legal procedures, technology and the changing needs of their workplace.
Professional development can help you to:
- Keep your knowledge current – The legal profession is constantly changing, so staying informed about developments in law and legal practice can help you work more effectively.
- Develop new skills – Training can introduce you to new areas of law, technology and workplace skills that can broaden your capabilities.
- Increase your confidence – The more knowledge you gain, the more confident you can become when carrying out your responsibilities and supporting your legal team.
- Improve your performance – Developing your skills can help you work more efficiently, accurately and independently.
- Support career progression – A commitment to learning demonstrates to employers that you are proactive about your career and willing to invest in your professional future.
- Adapt to change – From new technology to changing working practices, professional development can help you feel prepared for developments within the legal workplace.
Professional development does not necessarily mean undertaking a lengthy qualification. There are many ways to continue learning throughout your career, and even relatively small activities can contribute to your overall development.
What Counts as Professional Development?
CPD can take many different forms. You might attend a course or webinar, take part in workplace training, read professional publications, study an area of law independently or learn how to use a new piece of technology.
For example, you could spend time:
- Attending a legal seminar, workshop or training session
- Completing a relevant course or qualification
- Undertaking in-house training at work
- Reading legal or professional publications
- Keeping up to date with developments in an area of law relevant to your role
- Writing an article for a professional publication
- Developing your digital or administrative skills
- Learning about new technology being introduced into the legal workplace
The important thing is to make a conscious effort to learn, develop and reflect on the skills and knowledge that can support your career.
Take Time to Review Your CPD
If you have been completing professional development activities throughout the year, you may be surprised by how much you have already achieved.
Now is a good time to look back over the year so far and make a note of everything you have undertaken. Check your emails, training records, notebooks and calendars to help you remember courses, seminars, training sessions and other activities you have completed.
It can also be useful to think beyond formal training. Perhaps you have spent time learning a new case management system, undertaken self-study, read articles relating to your work or developed your understanding of an area of law. These activities can all form part of your professional development.
Keeping a simple record throughout the year makes this process much easier. Rather than trying to remember everything at the end of the year, make a habit of recording what you have done, when you completed it and how it has helped you develop.
ILSPA's Continuing Development Programme
At the Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs, we recognise the importance of continuing professional development and encourage our Members to make it part of their ongoing career journey.
ILSPA Members who are currently working as Legal Secretaries or PAs can apply for an ILSPA Continuing Professional Development Certificate by demonstrating that they have completed at least 12 hours of CPD activities during the past year.
There are many activities that can contribute towards your CPD, including relevant courses, workshops and seminars, job-related training and self-study. Writing an article for ILSPA's blog or another career-related publication can also qualify.
The programme provides an opportunity to formally recognise the time and effort you have invested in developing your professional skills. Each year you complete the programme, you can receive a CPD Certificate as recognition of your commitment to professional development.
Start Planning for Next Year
Once you have reviewed your CPD for this year, why not look ahead?
Think about the skills you would like to strengthen and the areas of knowledge that could benefit your career. Is there an area of law you would like to understand better? Would you like to improve your IT skills? Perhaps you would benefit from developing your knowledge of AI and how it is being used within legal practice.
Setting a few professional development goals now can make it easier to find relevant opportunities over the coming months. You could even set yourself a target of completing a certain number of CPD activities each quarter, rather than leaving everything until the end of the year.
Professional development is most effective when it becomes an ongoing habit rather than something you think about only when a certificate is due.
Invest in Your Future
Your role as a Legal Secretary or PA is an important one, and investing in your professional development is an investment in your future.
Whether you are looking to progress your career, increase your confidence, develop new skills or simply keep your existing knowledge fresh, there are always opportunities to learn.
So, take a little time now to look back at what you have achieved so far this year, gather together the details of your CPD activities and celebrate your progress. Then, use what you have learned to identify your goals for the year ahead.
For ILSPA Members, our CPD Programme provides a valuable way to record and recognise your ongoing professional development. Find out more about the ILSPA’s CPD Programme or explore the professional development opportunities available through ILSPA by visiting the Student and Member area of our website.
