Nov 08, 2021
Written By Robert Greene
Legal executive job description
Nov 08, 2021
Written By Robert Greene
A legal executive, also known as a Chartered Legal Executive, is a qualified lawyer who undertakes similar work to a solicitor but takes a different route to qualify, Here, we will look at what a legal executive is, how to become a legal executive, and what work a legal executive does.
What is a legal executive?
A legal executive is a fee-earning lawyer who qualifies as a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx).
These professionals are one of the three main branches of lawyers in England and Wales, alongside solicitors and barristers. However, the work that they do and the route to qualification are different.
What does a paralegal do?
Legal executives carry out work similar to that of solicitors. This includes:
Advising clients and explaining complex legal matters.
Conducting legal research and analysing legal data.
Drafting and negotiating legal documents, including contracts and wills.
Assisting barristers and solicitors at court.
Executing administrative tasks, such as filing, paperwork, and accounting.
Supervising junior staff members and assigning them work.
Interviewing clients and witnesses.
There are certain functions, known as “reserved legal activities”, which legal executives cannot perform, namely:
Right of audience: Legal executives do not have the right to appear before the court and address the court on behalf of their clients.
Conduct litigation: Legal executives do not have the right to commence legal proceedings, or to prosecute or defend legal proceedings on behalf of their clients in court.
Reserved instrument activities: Legal executives cannot engage in conveyancing land.
Probate activities: Legal executives cannot prepare probate papers.
Notarial activities: Legal executives cannot carry out certain functions of notaries under the Public Notaries Act 1801.
Administration of oaths: Legal executives cannot administer oaths, which is the prerogative of a commissioner for oaths.
Legal executives are also ineligible to apply for certain judicial roles.
Legal executives tend to train and specialise in a particular practice area. Common areas of law in which they qualify are:
Commercial law
Contract law
Conveyancing
Criminal law
Employment law
Family law
Litigation (criminal and civil)
Personal injury
Wills and probate
Legal executive qualifications
The legal executive profession is regulated by CILEx, of which all aspiring legal executives must be a member. The route to qualification normally takes around four years and differs to that of a solicitor, and depends on whether you are a law or non-law graduate.
Non-law graduates
Non-law graduates must complete four stages (Student, Associate, Graduate, Fellow) before qualifying.
To become a CILEx Student they must have obtained at least one of the following:
Non-law degree
Minimum of four GCSEs at grade C or above
Level 2 Intermediate Legal Administration Apprenticeship
CILEX Level 2 Certificate in Legal Studies
To become a CILEx Associate, delegates must complete the CILEx Level 3 Professional Diploma in Law and Practice, which is the equivalent of an A-level.
To become a CILEx Graduate, members must complete the final stage of study, the CILEx Level 6 Professional Higher Diploma in Law and Practice. This involves one legal practice module and one professional skills module.
The final step to qualifying as a Chartered Legal Executive or Fellow is the qualifying employment. This is a three-year period of legal work, which is supervised by a CILEx fellow or practitioner, or a solicitor, barrister, or licensed conveyancer. The minimum working week is 20 hours and the final two years of employment must be consecutive. Members are assessed during their work experience against work-based learning outcomes.
Law graduates
Law graduates – with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) or Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) - can fast-track the qualification process. They are required to complete the CILEx Graduate Fast-track Diploma (GFTD) and the qualifying employment.
The GFTD takes from nine to 15 months to complete, depending on the member's availability. It is recommended that students work as a paralegal whilst studying to complete the GFTD and qualifying employment simultaneously.
Another route to becoming a legal executive is via a Paralegal Apprenticeship or the Chartered Legal Executive Apprenticeship.
Legal executive skills
Legal executives require a similar skill set to solicitors, including:
Written and oral communication skills.
IT, administrative and numeracy skills.
Attention to detail.
Legal research skills, including an understanding of legal databases such as Westlaw, Lexis-Nexis and Law Trove.
Negotiation skills.
Investigative skills.
Organisation and project management skills, with an ability to prioritise work effectively.
Teamwork and interpersonal skills.
Commercial awareness.
Analytical and problem-solving skills.
Legal executive salary
The salary expectations of a legal executive depend on the size and location of the firm, the candidate’s years of experience, the level of responsibility involved, and the practice area.
According to the CILEX’s estimates, a legal executive can expect to earn the following:
CILEx Student: £15,000 - £28,000
CILEx Fellow: £38,000
Legal executive with three years’ experience: £35,000 - £55,000
Those working in large cities or at partner level can expect to earn particularly high salaries.
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Legal executive working hours
Legal executives can expect to work similar hours to solicitors. The contracted hours will likely be 9-5, Monday to Friday, however, the actual working hours will depend on the amount of work due at any given time.
Career progression
CILEx members are required to complete nine continuing professional development (CPD) activities every year. These include networking events, training seminars, and conferences.
Legal executives can subsequently qualify as a solicitor or progress to partnership level. They can also become an independent practitioner, advocate or judge.
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