Almost everybody at some point in their lives has procrastinated in order to avoid doing their work or a task in the vain hope that it might complete itself, or maybe even disappear. Unfortunately for you and me, it never disappears; in fact, it normally gets more and more urgent or difficult to do. The best way out of this cycle is probably not to get into it in the first place.

This month, we are reviewing key aspects of English land law. Students often find land law a difficult subject to study. Part of the reason for this may be because ownership of land in England has its roots in the feudal system established by William the Conqueror after 1066. The modern source of land law is derived from common law, equity, and legislation such as the Law of Property Act 1925 and the Land Registration Act 2002. 

Here is a selection of vacancies from our Legal Secretary Jobs Board this month:

Executive Assistant - Owen Reed
Location: London
Salary: £40,000

Owen Reed is recruiting an Executive Assistant for a Magic Circle Law firm in London.

The successful candidate for this role will have experience of working in a similar role at an international Law firm or in professional services role, preferably in a partnership environment. You will also have excellent IT skills, particularly MS Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint, as well as the ability to work under pressure and at times to very tight deadlines with a calm and approachable manner.

In today’s job market, the use of technology is increasingly taking over. Positions that were traditionally held by human beings are being replaced by computers and other forms of technology in the name of efficiency. But this is not true of every position. In fact, the advancement of technology has strengthened some job titles. One of those positions is that of the Legal Secretary. 

When we think of what the role of a Legal Secretary entails, we tend to think of a female in front of a typewriter, transcribing in shorthand. We think about typical secretarial tasks – many of which could easily be replaced with various forms of technology. Interestingly, the ever-advancing technology has made the Legal Secretary a more desirable and in-demand position.

The Professional Paralegal Register (PPR) is proud to announce that the second Paralegal Conference will take place on Thursday, 22 June at Wyboston Lakes, near Bedford. After the success of last year’s conference, this year the conference is entitled “Future-Proofing the Profession” and will hear from an expert panel of speakers as well as the guest keynote speaker, Chief Legal Ombudsman Kathryn Stone. 

This year’s event will cover a range of Paralegal topics that will allow you to receive the most current information within the Paralegal sector and enable you to think more strategically about future-proofing the profession.

As well as a range of guest speakers and a panel session, there are also opportunities to obtain Continuing Professional Development by attending two of the following eight workshops:

With the general election coming up in a few short days, many questions have arisen regarding how it will affect already proposed laws. While a good majority of those that were in question have since been passed (all of which will be discussed briefly below), there are still a few that have not been as successful. But what does that all mean in terms of the nearing election on June 8? 

Successful bills

This month we are considering a form of land ownership, leasehold, that has been described as a “murky corner of residential property”, and perhaps more worryingly if you own one, “a national scandal which dwarfs PPI”. With recent stories about homeowners having ground rents that double every 10 years and an all-party Parliamentary Group reporting on reforms in April 2017, even stronger language has been used by MPs describing leasehold houses as a “national con”. 

What are key features of freehold and leasehold titles?

When we are passionate about our careers we naturally look into ways of improving our practice. Continuing professional development is a process which encourages that improvement and is widely recognised as an integral part of professional progression. Through continuing professional development we can advance, refine and reflect on the work that we do, encouraging more effective practice and greater rewards in the future. It is a self-directed and ongoing process which allows the individual to become empowered to take charge of their career and steer it in the direction they want it to go.

Have you ever wished you could remember all the new names, faces, numbers, addresses, images and tasks that you come across every day of your life? Imagine the time saved and embarrassing moments spared if you could remember every detail of every day. Unfortunately, experts agree that a perfect photographic memory is a thing of fiction. This is not to say that you cannot allow yourself to have a brilliant memory, it just means that, like all things worth achieving, having a good memory will take a bit of practice.

Fortunately for us, people have been practicing methods for improving their memories since classical times, so we have a good 2,000 years of experience to guide us. These years of exploration have proven that in order to grow a good memory we need to create the right conditions, just like growing good vegetables! You can do this by practicing the following:

ILSPA’s Legal Secretary Jobs Board specialises in Legal Secretary jobs throughout the UK. The aim of the Jobs Board is to bring legal recruiters and top-quality candidates together, helping them to achieve their goals. ILSPA’s Members and Students are prime candidates for Legal Secretary and PA roles, as they have the knowledge, skills or experience employers are looking for. 

Whether you are new to the Jobs Board or are an existing candidate, it is vitally important that your profile contains up-to-date information. If certain information is missing, you may be prevented from securing employment or appearing within our candidate database for recruiters to search.