Legal executive

Legal executives work within the legal system of England, Wales and the Isle of Man. The work of a legal executive is very similar to that of a solicitor. The main difference is that legal executives tend to specialise in only one or two areas of the law.

Work activities

Legal executives have specialist knowledge of one or two areas of the law. The most common areas they specialise in are civil litigation, conveyancing, family law, criminal law and probate. Legal executives who specialise in probate work are responsible for drawing up wills and advising clients on how best to provide for relatives. They work out the amount of money that people named in a will are entitled to receive and may trace named relatives who have left the country.

In conveyancing, legal executives help to arrange the transfer of property rights and ownership. They may also advise couples on matrimonial law or draw up documents to help in the formation of a company. In a criminal law case, legal executives may be present when the police interview the client. They help clients to prepare for court cases. They interview them and use reference books to gather the details of the case. Not all cases go to court, but when a court hearing is unavoidable, legal executives help to prepare the client’s advocate (such as a barrister, solicitor or legal executive advocate). They may prepare a brief for the barrister, which outlines the case, gives details of the evidence and the names of witnesses who will appear in court. Legal executive advocates, who have appropriate experience and qualifications, now have the right to represent their clients in the magistrates’ or county court. Legal executives often have responsibility for administrative work such as drawing up wills and issuing writs and summonses. They may have management responsibilities, planning and supervising the work of clerks and secretaries.

Personal qualities and skills

To do this job well, you’ll need:

An in-depth knowledge of law.
Excellent communication skills.
To be able to absorb and interpret complex information.
The ability to use concise, plain English to explain things to clients.
Good organisation skills to plan and prioritise cases, which you may have to take on at short notice.
The ability to work well under pressure.
Strong listening skills and to know how to ask the right questions to find out more about a client’s situation.
IT skills.

In many specialist areas, including probate, civil law compensation claims and conveyancing, good number skills are important.

Pay and opportunities

Pay rates vary depending on location, specialism and experience. The pay rates given are approximate. Salaries vary according to your location and area of law. Starting salaries are usually around £17,000. When you have finished your Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) qualifications, you can expect to earn more than this. Fully qualified legal executives can expect to earn up to £60,000. If you work in a big city or become a partner in a firm, you can earn significantly more.

Hours of work: Legal executives normally work 39-41 hours a week, with extra hours as required.

Where could I work?

Employers include solicitors’ offices or the legal department of a local authority, the Civil Service, or an industrial or commercial company. A legal executive may also now apply to become a judge in magistrates’ and other courts. Opportunities for legal executives occur in offices in towns and cities throughout the UK.

Legal executive may become partners in practice alongside other types of solicitors. Opportunities occur for legal executive to become self-employed, for example, working from home under contract to a solicitor or as sole practitioners if they are undertaking unreserved activities.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised on all the major job boards, on the Government’s Find a Job service and on the CILEx recruitment website.

Entry routes and training

New entrants to the legal executive lawyer training course are recommended to have a minimum of four GCSEs at grades 9-4. However, many entrants have higher-level qualifications. The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) offers a fast-track route for law graduates holding a qualifying law degree awarded within the last seven years.

Two higher apprenticeships are relevant to this career path:

Chartered legal executive (level 6)
Chartered legal executive – litigator and advocate (level 7)

When students successfully complete the CILEx examinations, they become members of the Institute. To become a fellow, which means you’re fully qualified, members must have five years’ work experience in a law firm or the legal department of a private company or local/national government. This must include two consecutive years of experience after passing all the examinations. Only fellows of CILEx can use the title legal executive.

Legal executives can go on to dual-qualify as solicitors. Depending on the subjects you’ve taken for the CILEx membership examination, there can be exemptions from equivalent subjects in the Common Professional Examination (CPE), which solicitors need to take.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act: This career is an exception to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This means that you must supply information to an employer about any spent or unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings, if they ask you to. This is different from other careers, where you only have to reveal information on unspent convictions if you are asked to.

Qualifications

The minimum entry requirements for The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) training are four GCSEs, or equivalent, at grades 9-4. An English subject is compulsory. To get on to a higher apprenticeship, you’ll need some GCSEs and two relevant A-levels. Many other qualifications will be considered for entry. Check with the employer to see whether your qualifications are accepted.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) takes into account business, commercial, academic or other experience, plus suitable references, for applicants without formal qualifications. Entrants with relevant skills, for example, as a legal secretary, have a good chance of entering training.

Part-time study, including evenings and sometimes weekends, is available at many local colleges of further education. The CILEx Law School offers distance learning.

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