ILSPA's Legal Secretary Blog - Discover the latest legal insights, receive expert career advice and elevate your professional skills

Calling Legal Professionals: We Need Your Insights!

Date : 21 May 2025, 10:52 a.m.

Do you work in the legal profession? Have you faced experiences in your role that challenged your personal values or sense of right and wrong?

The University of Bath and King’s College London are conducting a research study to explore moral injury—a phenomenon that can occur when individuals encounter deeply challenging moral or ethical situations in their work. While moral injury has been studied in military contexts, there’s a growing need to understand its impact in professions like law, where ethical dilemmas are common.

What’s Involved?

  •  A short online survey (10-15 minutes) to explore your experiences, well-being, and professional challenges.  …

The Benefits of Specialising in Niche Areas of Law

Date : 15 May 2025, 4:48 p.m.

Specialisation is one of the most effective ways Legal Secretaries can advance their careers and stand out to employers. While general legal knowledge provides a strong foundation, developing expertise in a specific area of law adds significant value and can open doors to more fulfilling, higher-paid roles.

At ILSPA, we’re proud to support your professional growth by offering Foundation and Advanced Level courses in a variety of specialist legal areas. As part of our commitment to your development, ILSPA Members receive a 20% discount on the Advanced Level courses.

Why Specialise?

With law firms and in-house teams seeking support staff …

Findings from TotallyLegal's 2025 Salary Survey: Insights into Legal Secretaries and PAs

Date : 1 May 2025, 2:05 p.m.

TotallyLegal’s 2025 Salary Survey has shed light on the career experiences and compensation trends for Legal Secretaries and Personal Assistants (PAs), revealing encouraging data on job stability, salary progression, additional rewards, and working arrangements within these roles. Below, are some of the key findings:

Longevity in the Profession

Legal Secretaries and PAs demonstrate remarkable career longevity. The survey found that:

  • 50% of Legal Secretaries have been in their current roles for over 10 years.
  • Similarly, 46% of Legal PAs reported the same level of tenure.

This consistency underscores the stability and commitment within these positions, highlighting them as attractive long-term …

How to Effectively Communicate with Top Executives and Fee Earners

Date : 28 Apr 2025, 2:29 p.m.

Navigating the complex landscape of communication with executives and fee earners can feel like a high-stakes chess game, especially for personal and executive assistants. In a world where every word counts and every interaction can impact your career, mastering the art of effective communication with top executives is not just beneficial—it’s essential to creating a successful career.

Regardless of whether you’re a manager, an assistant, or hold any crucial role within your team, knowing how to connect, convey, and conquer in these interactions can set you apart. After years of research, we want you to dive into these proven techniques that …

AI Tools to Transform Your Workflow

Date : 22 Apr 2025, 4:59 p.m.

As the legal industry evolves, so too does the technology that supports it. One of the most exciting advancements in recent years is Artificial Intelligence (AI). Far from replacing skilled professionals, AI is becoming an invaluable tool that can enhance the work of Legal Secretaries and PAs. In this article, we will explore how AI can support you in drafting legal documents and correspondence.

Speed and Efficiency

Legal Secretaries and PAs often face deadlines when preparing documents. AI-powered tools can automate repetitive tasks, such as formatting, structuring standard clauses, or converting notes into polished text. Tools like Chat GPT, Microsoft Word's …

ILSPA Announces Partnership with Your Excellency Limited

Date : 3 Apr 2025, 12:03 p.m.

ILSPA is proud to announce our new partnership with Your Excellency Limited, one of the world’s leading training providers for Executive Support professionals. This collaboration is set to enhance professional development opportunities for Legal Secretaries, Personal Assistants and administrative professionals, reinforcing both organisations’ commitment to empowering the profession.

Through this partnership, Your Excellency and ILSPA will provide access to high-quality training, resources, and qualifications designed to elevate the skills and capabilities of PAs and Legal Secretaries across the sector. The initiative aims to foster career progression, confidence, and excellence within the profession.

Lindsay Taylor, Co-Founder and Director of Your Excellency, expressed enthusiasm for …

Embracing Inclusion in the Legal Profession

Date : 20 Mar 2025, 5:11 p.m.

Neurodiversity Week is a time to celebrate and acknowledge the unique strengths and perspectives of individuals with neurodivergent conditions such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and others. In the legal profession, neurodiversity can bring immense value when properly understood and supported.

Neurodivergent individuals often possess distinct abilities that can be highly beneficial in a legal environment. For example, individuals with dyslexia may have exceptional verbal communication and problem-solving skills, while those with ADHD might thrive when multitasking and rapid responses are required. Autism can bring enhanced analytical skills, high attention to detail, and a methodical approach to tasks. These varied skills and attributes make neurodivergent individuals …

The SecsintheCity 2025 Salary Suvery is Now Live

Date : 6 Mar 2025, 10:42 a.m.

SecsintheCity, the UK’s only specialist job board for business support professionals, has launched their 2025 Salary Survey. Building on the success and invaluable insights garnered from previous surveys, SecsintheCity are reaching out for audience contributions.

2024 was a year characterised by resilience in both employers and employees alike. Responses from business support professionals allow SecsintheCity to garner crucial insights into office support employment, highlighting the current trends and challenges the administrative and secretarial sectors have been facing and what EAs, PAs, secretaries and receptionists are looking for in a new job.

This year, the Salary Survey will broaden the understanding …

ILSPA's Live Online Classes Now Available During the Day

Date : 3 Mar 2025, 2:31 p.m.

We are delighted to announce that our next live online classes for the Legal Secretaries Diploma will start on 21 May 2025. This time, the classes will be held during the day to better accommodate Students with various schedules and time zones.

The live online classes will run every Wednesday afternoon from 2.00pm - 5.00pm GMT, for 12 weeks via Zoom. This format offers an engaging and interactive way to learn, allowing you to dive into the intricacies of law and legal procedures. You’ll not only benefit from live interaction with your tutor but also get the chance to collaborate with fellow …

Why AI is Essential for Legal Secretaries and PAs

Date : 13 Feb 2025, 1:12 p.m.

The legal profession is changing, and so is the role of the Legal Secretary and PA. Artificial intelligence is transforming how legal work is managed, automating routine tasks, streamlining processes, and creating new opportunities for those who understand how to use it.

AI is not here to replace you. It is here to enhance your skills, increase your efficiency, and elevate your role. The most successful Legal Secretaries will be those who embrace AI as a tool to work smarter, freeing up their time for higher-value responsibilities that require human expertise, critical thinking, and strategic insight.

The Changing Expectations for …

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