In this age of text-speak and abbreviations, it is quite common for emails to drift into an informal format. When messaging your friends or family, this is completely acceptable; however, it can easily lead to a lazy style of emailing when contacting organisations. This can infer that you don’t care, or be taken as rudeness, and you certainly do not want those connotations within your professional life. This article highlights the key things to remember when writing a professional email. If you follow these rules, you are less likely to make an error in an emailed job application, when contacting organisations, or when sending an email for work. Following the simple rules below will ensure that your emails always represent you in the most professional way.

Format

As part of your job search and to ensure you secure interviews, you should get into the habit of submitting a covering letter alongside your CV, even if is not a requirement. A covering letter is a great opportunity to showcase your relevant skills and attributes in more detail. Today we will share with you our step by step guide on a successful covering letter.

Craig Harris is a multi-award winning Executive Assistant, who currently works for Shelter UK. Some of his recent awards include our trusted partner SecsintheCity’s Social Media PA of the Year 2018 and Pitman’s Super Achiever PA of the Year 2017. Having forged an impressive and successful career as an Assistant, Craig is now working to promote inclusion and diversity within the profession.

In January 2018 he co-founded the LGBT Admin and Assistant Network, and dedicates much of his time to speaking publicly about his aim to be a role model for all Assistants, especially aspiring male Assistants considering making the leap to the profession.

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

Legal Secretary – Benson Mazure  

Location: London

Salary: £25,000 - £30,000

A well established, small, friendly and busy practice in the heart of the West end are looking to recruit a Legal Secretary.

You will be required to assist the Partners in the practice and work as part of a team.

View the full job description here:          

https://www.institutelegalsecretaries.com/jobs/candidate/job/143532/

Junior Secretary – Judge Sykes Frixou   

Location: London

Salary: Negotiable   

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) was established in 2007 as an independent body responsible for regulating the 180,000 Solicitors in England and Wales. The SRA’s purpose is to protect the public by ensuring that Solicitors and those working for them meet very high standards. The key way that the SRA does this is by publishing and enforcing Principles for the profession and a Code of Conduct contained in the SRA Handbook. This month we will be considering the biggest change to the Handbook since it was introduced in 2011.

Jemina Blake studied ILSPA’s Legal Secretaries Diploma back in 2012. After graduating she worked for one of the leading law firms in the South East and continued to study. She completed a Level 4 Diploma in Paralegal Studies with NALP and a Level 5 Diploma in Business Management. Now Jemina has used her impressive experience and qualifications to start her own business, My Legal Transcription. ILSPA spoke with Jemina about what initially interested her about the law, why she chose to become a Legal Secretary and how she turned that into a business of her own.

How did you become interested in working within the legal profession?

So you’ve perfected your CV, you’ve trawled through the job boards and found the best positions, you’ve sent in your applications after painstakingly rewriting your covering letter multiple times...the list goes on. Lo and behold, you’ve secured an interview. Congratulations! That is fantastic news.

As the interview date approaches, however, your initial excitement may start to give way to some of those pesky interview nerves. This is entirely normal, but why does it happen? Are you overthinking it, perhaps? Maybe you’re desperate to impress your future boss, or you want to prove yourself to your family? Whatever is playing on your mind, you won’t be the only one to have felt like this before an interview.

As new developments in artificial intelligence and automation continue to influence modern life, one thing is for certain: no industry will be immune to change – not even the legal profession, a sector historically known for its reluctance to move in line with the times.

Today, a technological revolution has come knocking on the door of this prestigious profession, promising cost-efficiency, enhanced productivity and client satisfaction. Lawyers know they must respond, but they aren’t wrong in recognising that the integration of cognitive computing will change the face of the sector forever.

Where professionals in the legal sector could once lean entirely on their knowledge and experience of the law, today’s law graduates must prepare themselves for a brave new world.

Tech-savvy

If you want to work in the legal sector but aren’t sure exactly what kind of firm you want to work for, a law fair is a great opportunity to hone your interests. You’ll be able to meet firm representatives face-to-face and ask them any burning questions you have about life at their firm.

What is a law fair?

If you’ve ever been to a careers fair—a conference-style event with different employers representing a range of companies—a law fair isn’t far off that experience. The difference being, of course, that every company there will be law-related. Law firms, barristers’ chambers and other companies with a legal focus or department will be on hand to talk about their organisation, provide you with brochures and guides, and answer all of your questions.

On 27 & 28 March, 2019, London’s ExCeL will play host to the latest edition of Legalex. This industry-leading show will create Europe’s most comprehensive and all-encompassing trade show package for legal professionals.

This year, the exhibition promises to be the most forward-thinking to date - housing 200 cutting-edge exhibitors and 150 educational seminars from some of the world’s top legal experts and innovative thinkers. Leading the industry as the most accomplished event for forward-thinking, ambitious and successful legal firms looking to modernise their practice. LegalEx 2019, is one not to miss.