The way in which we express ourselves can make a vast difference in how others respond to us. Communication styles have a large role to play here. So, if we use certain types of communication which are expressive of our needs and yet respectful of the needs of others, then we can maximise the chances of others responding well to our requests.

When you think of writing a will, it is unlikely that what comes to mind are issues about cutting-edge technology, but that is exactly what some practitioners are now thinking about. Wills and probate, like any area of the law, must try to keep moving with the times. Changes in how society uses technology mean that lawyers need to be aware of new issues that affect how wills are prepared and what matters they should cover.

I have written before about various options for keeping your data backed up for the dreaded moment when disaster strikes or your computer fails beyond repair. Realising that you have lost your important documents, or having the tech team at the local computer store say that you should have backed up your data before bringing your computer in for repair, is not a good feeling.

Why does anyone want to become anything? When I was a child, a frequent question was 'What do you want to be or do when you grow up?'. I can't remember my answer now but I'm sure I may have qualified it (as many children do) with a reason such as 'Because it helps people'.

Now when I think what I want to achieve in a job or why I would choose a particular job, and I'm sure it's top of many people's list, it's nearly always to do with job satisfaction - to make a difference.

How do I make a difference? And how do I achieve this by becoming a Legal Secretary?
 

Part 1 – Preparation

One of the key aspects of being able to take minutes at meetings is the importance of preparing to take minutes. The better prepared you are the easier it will be for you to concentrate on taking minutes during the meeting. So here are the top 10 tips to help you prepare so that you can focus on the meeting rather than worry about what it’s about, whether you’ve booked coffee or if the PowerPoint works.

Problem? What problem? Problems are not really problems – they’re improvement opportunities...although I will admit that they don’t always feel that way at the time. But the reality is, problems can exist, and if we use effective problem-solving skills, tools and techniques, we can significantly improve the situation. So here are the top 10 tips for improving your problem solving:

There is an exercise you can do which is an incredibly powerful tool to dispose of lingering angry feelings towards someone’s behaviour or to release words when we have not been able fully to articulate our anger at the time. It might apply to a difficult client, a colleague, a manager or someone closer to home. The exercise is based on an approach originally published by a Dr Mahfouz in 2008.

It has been announced recently that the coalition Government is seriously considering new employment laws that would effectively make it more difficult for an employee to bring a claim of unfair dismissal against his or her employer. If you have been following our journal over recent months, you may recall how we touched on the massive increase in employment tribunals being brought by disgruntled employees against their employers – in fact, the latest statistics show that 218,000 tribunals were heard last year, and there has been a 40% increase in tribunals over the last three years.

Have you ever felt as though you spend a good portion of your working day doing trivial things on your Windows desktop – highlighting sentences, minimising and maximising windows and applications, endlessly right-clicking on things and scrolling through context menus? If so then this list is for you. Now you can wow your colleagues with your IT savvy, using this list of tricks every Windows user should know:

If you have been thinking about pursuing a career as a Paralegal or you would like to increase your skill set and maximise your employability as a Legal Secretary, look no further than AH Paralegal Training. The AH Paralegal Practical Skills course is short and intensive, taking place over three to four days in London, Manchester, Birmingham or Bristol.

Benefits of Attending the Course