Alison Boler, currently a legal PA at ITV, always knew she wanted to work in entertainment. Once she had decided her path, nothing could dissuade her. She gained a certificate in secretarial training at 18, and immediately upon leaving university bought 100 second class stamps and sent her CV to every film and entertainment company in London. Her tenacity paid off when one company took her on, and four years later she found herself providing maternity cover in the legal and business affairs department at MTV.
After offering to outline a performer agreement for Madonna, she was asked to draft the contracts for every single artist at the MTV awards that year โ more than 200 documents. Her boss then invited her to Sweden, where the awards were being held: it was her job to get every form signed, in person, by the performers. Not easily star-struck, the experience was nonetheless surreal for Alison.
She recalls at one point arguing the terms of a contract with the entire troupe of Ricky Martinโs background dancers โ all 60 of them. โThe lead dancer scrawled all over it, saying it wasnโt US law. There were fists and feathers flying everywhere,โ she laughs. She remembers the thrill of standing among countless celebrities at the awards after-party, knowing she got there by daring to put herself forward.
So how has her role progressed and evolved since she moved to ITV? โI donโt get to do things that glamorous these days,โ she admits. Saying that, she did have the opportunity to be introduced to Beverly Hills 90210 star Jason Priestley. โI was so excited about meeting himโฆ but he had a 1970s handlebar moustache,โ she says โ hardly the heart-throb she was anticipating! Alison comments that anyone famous she does meet will be in a professional capacity, so however thrilled you might secretly be, it is important not to show it.
The media aspect of her career is a side note, however, to her legal contract work. โI stumbled across this thing I was good at,โ she comments modestly, โbut media law is a process in itself, with a lot of terminology that changes all the time.โ
Alison benefits from attending the regular refresher courses run by ITV, but she recommends keeping up to speed regardless of what type of executive you support. โThereโs no harm in getting as much training as you can,โ she states. Even online information is a great resource, โespecially for learning all the legal jargon.โ
Becoming a legal PA requires the core PA skills โ efficiency, organisation, working well under pressure โ but there are certain other things you must also excel at, such as being highly observant.
In a legal environment it pays to keep your eyes and ears open, as Alison discovered when she cut her teeth at Sony, working on record deals. She has been fortunate enough in her workplaces to have lawyers willing to answer her questions. โIโve always had bosses that I can ask: โWhy is that clause here but not there?โโ
Above all, says Alison, you need patience. Some contracts can have hundreds of pages with tracked changes from 15 different individuals. โYou have to show that youโre in control of it and have time for everyone involved,โ she explains. You will also need to work quickly and accurately. โEverything in a document needs to be perfect, and you might have three minutes to do it. Whatโs more, it has your bossโs name on it, so it will reflect on them if it isnโt.โ
Discretion is also incredibly high on the list, especially in the entertainment industry. โThroughout the day youโre party to high-level legal information that is about up-coming programmes or brand new talent. Your bosses need to know they can say things and you wonโt repeat what youโve overheard,โ she explains.
Finally, she adds, it helps to be a perfectionist. โThe best advice I was ever given is to be anal,โ she smiles. โI aim not to let standards slip.โ
A DAY IN THE LIFE
At 8.30am I start work: itโs my one hour of quiet as most of my bosses donโt arrive at the office until 9.30am. I have a coffee and look across their diaries for the day.
I usually deal with three heads of department, but sometimes look after tasks for others, as there are 10 in total. Every day is a barrage of requests, and I have never had two days the same.
My core role is moving meetings: there will be up to 25 a day between my bosses. Then there is fielding telephone calls from producers and taking calls.
Finally, Iโll be helping others in my department with their enquiries โ there is always someone asking โHow do you do such and such?โ
At 11am we all have a tea break in order to get away from our desks. There is an office biscuit fund that is kept constantly topped up.
Lunch is usually at my desk, although I try to read a paper or go online to get away from my work.
The afternoon will be much the same as the morning, but Iโm also mentoring an apprentice at the moment, who is a life-saver and has become my go-to girl.
Come 3pm there is another enforced tea break, otherwise I will quite easily sit at my desk without moving for hours.
On an average day, I will be able to offer half an hour of my time to my bosses to draft a contract. You may go from none to having to draft five in one day.
At 6pm I go home, and Iโm very strict about that; the rest of the office knows I will work like a maniac for nine hours and then thatโs it.
