Legal executive (England and Wales) : Training

To become a Fellow of The Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX) , and become recognised as a fully qualified legal executive, candidates must have passed the ILEX membership examinations set at Levels 3 and 6:

• ILEX Professional Diploma in Law and Practice (Level 3);
• ILEX Professional Higher Diploma in Law and Practice (Level 6).

Candidates must also have worked in qualifying legal employment for five years, two years of which must have been worked consecutively, after successfully completing the ILEX examinations.

If you are studying on a part-time basis while in legal employment, it usually takes three to four years to complete the ILEX examinations. Graduates in subjects other than law would need to take this route.

ILEX also now offers a Graduate Fast Track Diploma for those with a Qualifying Law Degree (QLD) or GDL (Graduate Diploma in Law) gained within the seven years before they apply. The Graduate 'Fast-Track' Diploma offers a route to become a Graduate Member of ILEX and completion of the ILEX academic requirements to become a qualified lawyer. Candidates just need to study two ILEX Level 6 Practice units (one of which must relate to the subjects you studied within your law degree), and the ILEX Level 6 Client Care Skills unit to complete your academic studies. This is a very cost-effective route to becoming a lawyer, as it costs around £1,700 to complete, which is significantly less than the cost of alternative postgraduate routes.

In addition to the ILEX qualifications, legal executives, like solicitors, undertake continuing professional development (CPD), which is provided by their employers, either in house or through providers such as the College of Law . Fellows of ILEX are required to undertake 16 hours of professional development per year in both specialised and non-specialised areas of their profession.