What is a legal executive?
A legal executive is a qualified lawyer. The term 'legal executive' can only be used by Fellows of the Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX), who have followed one of the prescribed routes to qualification. Legal executive lawyers are eligible to become partners in law firms and to share in the firm's profits. Some suitably experienced legal executive lawyers can also train to become court advocates in criminal and family matters in the magistrates' court, or in civil matters in the county court. If you are looking for a way into the law, then this is an ideal route to choose. To get a flavour of what it is like to study for, and to become, a legal executive lawyer watch this short video.
What is the role?
Being a legal executive lawyer is a fulfilling and rewarding career. In a law firm you could be a partner, or a senior member of staff or department head with a significant client following. Opportunities also exist for senior roles in the legal departments of commercial organisations, charities, government agencies and local authorities. Advertised posts can be found at www.legal-executive-recruitment.com where job descriptions will give you a flavour of the role of a legal executive lawyer.
In this webcast Jonathan Clement, a Personal Injury Team Leader at Thomson Snell & Passmore in Tunbridge Wells, describes how he became a partner in his firm due to being a qualified legal executive lawyer.
How does it differ from being a solicitor?
The main difference is that the training to become a legal executive lawyer is narrower than the training route to become a solicitor. This means that legal executives study to the same level as solicitors, but they study fewer subjects overall. The main differences lie at the vocational level, where the Legal Practice Course which solicitors follow includes a number of compulsory legal practice subjects. Legal executives, whilst studying a broad range of law subjects, study one legal practice subject at an advanced level, having selected which area they wish to specialise in. The specialist nature of the legal executive training route does not cause problems in the working environment, since all lawyers, be they solicitors, barristers or legal executives, tend to specialise in only one area of legal practice once they have qualified.
How does it differ from being a paralegal?
A legal executive is a qualified lawyer, regulated by a professional body, and with rights to partnerships in law firms and to judicial appointment. The term 'paralegal' refers to a wide range of personnel working in the legal environment, from a legal secretary who has undertaken some training in aspects of legal practice, through to law graduates who have not completed a training route to become a qualified lawyer. More information is given in the page 'What is a paralegal?'.
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