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What is CILEx and how can it benefit your career?

Uniquely, graduates from Bloomsbury Institute’s LLB Law and Legal Practice course also meet CILEx Regulation standards, but how does this help you qualify quicker?

What is CILEx?

The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) is the professional body for legal executives. There are over 17,500 members of CILEx, including 7,000 practising legal executives in England and Wales.

The CILEx Professional Qualification (CPQ) is the usual route to qualify as a legal executive, it is highly prestigious and being a Fellow of CILEx/ Chartered Legal Executive improves employment prospects vastly.

Uniquely, our LLB in Law and Legal Practice satisfies CILEx Regulation’s Knowledge and Skills Education Standards, so our graduates do not need to complete the CPQ in order to practice as a Legal Executive. Graduates from our degree could immediately work in a law firm in roles such as a Trainee CILEx Lawyer, Paralegal or Legal Clerk and are permitted to use the title ‘CILEX Member Advanced Paralegal’ once they have registered with CILEx. After completing 2,300 hours of qualifying experience, our Law graduates are then eligible to be admitted as a Fellow of CILEx and a Chartered Legal Executive.

Time spent volunteering at the Bloomsbury Law Clinic can also count towards your qualifying experience.

Pathways into legal professions

Accreditation from CILEx Regulation is just one of the ways we are enhancing our law students’ learning opportunities and their graduate employment prospects.

In Law, there are broadly seven regulated professions and gaining CILEx Regulation accreditation as part of your degree may help you to cross-qualify or enter other branches of the profession in the future. If you complete your LLB at Bloomsbury Institute, and take an active role in our Law Clinic to gain qualifying experience, then you can fully qualify as a Chartered Legal Executive in just 3 – 4 years!

See below for a more detailed breakdown of pathways into the legal professions.

Time to qualify Rough salary expectations (in London)
2 – 3 years Around £28,000

These are entry-level positions within the legal profession, trained in some legal matters but not fully qualified as lawyers. Qualifications aren’t strictly needed for these entry-level positions, you can start working as a Paralegal/ Legal Clerk or Trainee CILEx lawyer as soon as you graduate, or even part-time alongside your studies.

The Bloomsbury Institute benefit

Having an accredited LLB from Bloomsbury Institute will make you a much more appealing candidate to employers.

Next steps

Having a CILEx Regulation accredited Bloomsbury Institute LLB Law & Legal Practice degree will qualify you for most Paralegal, Legal Clerk or Trainee CILEx lawyer positions. If needed, you can build up the 2,300 hours required to become a CILEx Fellow quickly in these roles. Once you’re a CILEx Fellow, you can become a CILEx Practitioner or Advocate.

CILEx Practitioners

Our LLB in Law and Legal Practice satisfies CILEx Regulation’s Knowledge and Skills education standards; this provides pathways to becoming Immigration, Conveyancing, Probate or Business CILEx Practitioners.

Graduates that wish to become a CILEx Practitioner in one of these specialisms, and gain practicing rights from CILEx, will need to have undertaken the relevant optional module(s) on the final stage of their degree (Level 6). They will also need to be in good standing and have three years’ general legal experience, including two years of legal experience in their chosen area of expertise, before they make their application.

CILEx Advocate

A Chartered Legal Executive can represent clients in court if they qualify as a Chartered Legal Executive Advocate. If you wish to become an advocate or litigator, then our LLB in Law and Legal Practice satisfies the CILEx Regulation knowledge and skills education standards to become a Chartered Legal Executive Litigator and Advocate in either criminal or civil litigation.

Graduates that have completed the LLB Law and Legal Practice, including the optional Level 6 modules ‘Criminal Litigation and Advocacy’ and/or ‘Civil Litigation and Advocacy’, will also need to complete an accredited litigation advocacy skills course. Graduates that go on to complete that course, and have three years’ general legal experience (including two years of legal experience in their chosen area of expertise) will be able to apply to CILEx Regulation to become a Chartered Legal Executive Litigator and Advocate.

Solicitor

You can qualify as a Chartered Legal Executive, then as a solicitor and you may be eligible to apply for exemptions from assessments in the SQE. Exemptions from SQE assessments are only available to qualified lawyers; Chartered Legal Executives hold a legal professional qualification which allows them to practice in the UK and are therefore eligible to apply. You may also be able to gain additional exemptions based on work experience.

Frequently asked CPQ questions

As a Bloomsbury Law Graduate, you can obtain your CPQ quickly with the right experience as your degree is already recognised by CILEx Regulation. The CPQ is a seperate qualification to your degree and obtaining it will enable you to enrole as a full CILEx Fellow.

What are the requirements for the CILEx qualification?

Qualifications aren’t strictly needed to begin studying for your CPQ, but having an accredited LLB from Bloomsbury Institute will make you a much more appealing candidate to employers. You can start working as a Paralegal/ Legal Clerk or Trainee CILEx lawyer as soon as you graduate, or even part-time alongside your studies.

What countries are CILEx qualifications recognised in?

The CPQ is primarily for English and Welsh law, however, the qualification is graded at Level 6, the same level as undergraduate degrees. Many international legal systems share similarities with the British legal system and many legal regulators/ professional bodies will recognise CILEx, so you may be able to convert your CILEx qualification to suit jurisdictions.

What legal areas are covered under the CILEx qualification?

CILEx Practitioners tend to specialise in certain areas of law (as apposed to Solicitors whose qualifications are more generalised). CILEx Regulation accredits our LLB graduates for the following pathways: Dispute Resolution (Civil Litigation), Criminal Litigation, Immigration, Probate, Conveyancing, and Business, depending on which modules students have successfully completed.

How long does it take to complete the CILEx qualification?

Though there is no limit to how long you have to complete the CPQ, CILEx believe it should take around 2 years to complete the Level 6 Diploma and achieve Trainee CILEx Lawyer status after you have obtained your undergraduate degree. As our LLB course is accredited by CILEx Regulation, our law graduates only need to complete the 2,300 hours of qualifying experience in order to register as a CILEx Lawyer, part of which can be complted alongside your degree via our Law Clinic.

How long is my CILEx qualification valid for?

You will need to renew your CILEx membership annually and complete CPD throughout the year in order to maintain Chartered Legal Executive status.

How much does CILEx membership cost?

Bloomsbury Institute LLB graduates can register with CILEx for their CILEx Fellow Member Fee which is currently £367. You will also need to finance Application Fees to CILEx Regulation in order to fully qualify.

Useful resources

CILEx Regulation

CILEx Regulation is the independent regulatory body of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives.

CILEx

CILEx is the professional body for legal professionals in England and Wales.

The Law Society

The Law Society is the professional body for Solicitors in England and Wales.

The Bar Standards Board

The Bar Standards Board is the regulatory body for barristers in England and Wales.

Bloomsbury Law Clinic

Learn more about our Law Clinic and how it can help you to qualify quicker.

Explore our CILEx Regulation accredited courses

LLB Law & Legal Practice, Accelerated
is accelerated

Duration:

2 Years

Study:

Full-Time

Start:

Apply now to start in October 2024
LLB Law & Legal Practice, 3 year

Duration:

3 years

Study:

Full-Time

Start:

Apply now to start in October 2024

The Bloomsbury Institute difference

Work experience on course

Students build up their hours on course, for example via Bloomsbury Law Clinic.

International scholarships

Upon graduation, all of our International Graduates receive £1,000. We also offer a £1,500 Entry Scholarship to our new MSc Accounting and Finance and MSc Finance and Wealth Management international students for the June and October 2024 intakes.

Based in Central London

In the heart of London’s education quarter, with access to Birkbeck’s vast library and resources.

 

Support to find work

As soon as international students are issued their CAS, they will have access to Student Circus, providing a wealth of vacancies, support, employability courses and resources.

International Student visa

The Student visa entitles students to work 20 hours per week, full-time during vacation,  and on graduation they receive a further two-year Graduate visa.