Professional-level job adverts used to state that candidates were required to be ‘computer literate’. As I remember, people used to interpret this nebulous phrase to mean anything from ‘can type’ to ‘knows how to program’ – and, of course, everything in between.

By the end of the 1990s the interpretation had standardised on ‘proficient in MS Word and Outlook’ or, if your skills were rather more enhanced, ‘can use the whole MS Office suite’. This remains the bread and butter of anyone’s computer skills, and having MS Office on your CV is more of a comfort factor for the reader these days.

Unless you have been living in a bubble over the past few months, you have not missed the numerous news stories that have come to light relating to public sector employees whistleblowing on the inadequacies of their workplaces. This has usually been connected with NHS Trusts – where worrying problems have been identified which may have otherwise gone unnoticed but for the brave individual who realised that something had to be done.  

Few of us appreciate just how many laws are in play when it comes to an employee blowing the whistle on his or her employer. With this in mind, and because this legislation is currently being changed, I thought it might be a good idea to provide a guide to exactly how this concept works. 

Think about how happy your firm would be if you could take on more responsibility and be more productive in your role. If you were to further your knowledge of law, you could be more involved in legal procedures and save your employer precious time and money. Not only would it be beneficial for the company, but it would lead to greater job satisfaction for you.

The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) currently permits the police to treat a 17-year-old as an adult while in police custody. This position is at odds with the treatment of under-18s according to other legislation such as the Children’s Act 1989, the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. And the High Court has recently found the PACE provisions relating to 17-year-olds to be inconsistent with the way in which these young people are treated under such other legislation. 

If you find yourself falling behind in your studies through the Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs, or with any other courses for that matter, the first and most important thing to do is avoid panicking! Almost every Student who has ever attempted a course of study has fallen behind at some point, so it is quite normal. If you need that little something extra to catch up with your studies, here are some tips that can help:

The current economic climate means some law firms are tightening their belts, so, as always, it is vitally important to stand out from the crowd if you want to fulfil your career potential. Over the next few issues of ILSPA’s Legal Secretary Journal, I’ll be offering advice on how you can both stand out and stay true to the career path of your choice.

I’ve been a recruitment consultant with Douglas Scott for the past two years, placing legal business support staff all over the UK. Prior to this I worked at the Co-operative Bank in a human resources role, and I’ve also provided a business support role. So I am delighted to help Legal Secretaries further their careers.

Perhaps the biggest lie on the Internet is saying, “Yes, I have read and agree to the above statement.” But if you want to obtain any service, you will have no choice but to agree with a company’s terms. This month we will be looking at the implications in contract law of clicking the ‘I agree’ box. 

Are these terms legally binding?

We would like to share how impressed we are with the standard of coursework we have been receiving for our Legal Secretaries Diploma course. Recently we have seen a very high number of Students achieving distinctions, which is no easy feat. Through gaining a distinction, Students show that they have a thorough understanding of various areas of law, can produce legal documents with the highest attention to detail and can follow instructions to perfection.

Recent news stories have been reporting on new fast track traffic offence courts that are to be set up soon. The courts will be set up in England and Wales. The aim of these traffic courts will be to hear minor traffic-related offences. The plans follow a pilot phase where such fast track motoring courts were set up in nine different areas across the country. So, why are these courts being set up? And will the new plans help to improve and expedite the justice system in general? 

We recently saw massive changes in the way legal aid works in England and Wales. In a bid to cut legal aid budgets by over £350 million pounds a year, the Government have made several changes to the system and cut the availability of legal aid to a variety of civil as well as criminal law cases. The changes came into force in April 2013 and are, as predicted, resulting in changes in the way people deal with legal matters and, more specifically, a rapid rise in the number of people having to represent themselves in court.