Testimonial

The distance learning GDL was the only way I could entertain the idea of studying law, since financial commitments and full-time employment had previously precluded me.

The social evenings are great fun and a good way to bond with fellow students, many of whom have already become close friends. In fact, the GDL provides much more than purely a law qualification. I cannot speak highly enough of this course and it has been an excellent decision to embark upon the GDL at DMU.

Doing the GDL distance learning course has meant that I can fit my studying around my work and other activities. I would not have been able to do the course, or afford it, if I had not been able to work at the same time. Although it has been hard work, the lecturers at De Montfort and the staff at ITC have been very helpful and supportive. Both ITC and the lecturers are easy to contact and quick to get back to you when you have a problem. The study weekends are also very sociable and I have made some great friends.

As a Chinese-qualified lawyer, the distance learning programme at DMU provides me with the opportunity to learn about the English legal system while at the same time working for an international law firm in Frankfurt. The wonderful assistance of the staff at ITC and DMU makes the hard study great fun.

The distance learning Graduate Diploma in law is intensive and requires commitment and hard work but the quality of teaching provided by the department is excellent. It is clear that the lecturers are passionate about their particular subject areas and inspire enthusiasm in their students. All academic and administrative staff are extremely supportive and approachable and will do everything they can to help you with your studies. A close working relationship between the staff and the students is encouraged and every effort is made to enable the students to pursue their studies in a friendly environment. My experience during the first year here has been enjoyable and highly productive. I can assure all prospective students that undertaking study on this course will prove educationally and socially rewarding.

I have found the GDL by distance learning ideally suited for people working full time. The way the lectures are being spread over the academic year makes it also very convenient for people living far away from Leicester.

I found that the quality of the handouts issued by the lecturers and the material issued by ITC provide the student with all the necessary foundations to understand the principles of the specific subjects. Further in-depth research can then be achieved through the reading of the texbooks and access to Butterworths LexisNexis through the course website, which are all included in the fees. Finally, all the lecturers make a point to be available by phone and e-mail to answer any of the queries that a student may have. This almost immediate access to the lecturers in addition to the "face-to-face" lectures means that the students are provided with as much support as a full time course.

As a new ITC tutor, I want to express my delight at the high standard of the course materials. They are superb, really excellent.

Although I am now a solicitor, I originally trained with ITC as a Legal Exec and then continued studying with ITC for the extra diplomas required to satisfy the Law Society CPE. I am very pleased to see that the standards remain just as high, perhaps even higher if that's possible. I have always told people that the standards required of Legal Execs are very demanding and that the resultant qualified lawyers must be respected and given full credit for the depth of their knowledge. The knowledge they must have about the specific subjects they choose to study is every bit as detailed as solicitors. The fact that they study a more limited range of subjects should not detract from this fact.

I sometimes wish some of the less enlightened members of my profession would bother to find out what Legal Execs are required to learn, so that they could appreciate how well-qualified they are. In fact, when I came to qualify as a solicitor, I found most of the Legal Practice course much easier than the ILEX courses!

The beauty of training with the ILEX route is that you can gain experience of the "real" legal world at the same time as studying. Practising the law is very different from just studying it, so ILEX trainees get the best of both worlds. They can gain valuable qualifications to whatever level they wish. Students can then make a fully informed decision as to whether they want to go the whole way to becoming a Fellow of ILEX and even the "extra mile" and train to be a solicitor.

I can whole-heartedly recommend the ITC and the ILEX route to anyone seriously considering a career in the law. I wish all prospective students every success with their studies.

The ILEX qualification has given me all the practical skills and knowledge to get me to where I am today. My legal executive training made me a really good specialist lawyer and this has led to me becoming a partner in my firm, Irwin Mitchell LLP, one of the leading personal injury firms in the country. Since 2009 legal executives have been eligible to become partners in law firms and I was the first to take advantage of this at Irwin Mitchell. My legal executive training has been the gateway to a really successful and rewarding career.

The ILEX courses have definitely given me confidence. As I’ve progressed with my studies, I’ve been given more responsibility at work and now have some cases of my own.

I had good support from ITC and the tutors were very flexible and returned my assignments to me promptly. The revision days were brilliant and made the studying come alive. The revision packs were invaluable too as they taught me how to answer questions properly and I now naturally structure my exam answers in the way they suggested. The most important course for me has been civil litigation. It gave me an overall picture of the litigation processes very quickly, which has really helped me at work.

I am fortunate to have strong encouragement from my Supervisor, Keith Barrett, who is an Associate Director at Irwin Mitchell, a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives and a Council Member of ILEX. He started out like me and then worked his way up through the firm and is highly regarded for his breadth of knowledge and strategic thinking.

The work I do for Keith is really interesting. I assist him in a variety of claims, from aviation claims, motorcycle claims and road crashes to employers’ and occupiers’ liability claims. We discuss what steps need to be taken on cases and Keith delegates certain tasks to me such as drafting applications, court orders and cost estimates, as well as creating court bundles and indexing. I regularly speak to clients on the telephone and revise their witness statements in accordance with their instructions. I’ve also appeared before a Master at the Royal Courts of Justice in London. Next week, I’m attending with Counsel at an infant settlement hearing at the High Court. I drafted the Brief to Counsel, so it’s great to see the next stage of the process at first hand.

As I am studying ILEX courses, Irwin Mitchell can charge out my fee-earning time on the Level D litigation assistant fee scale, which is £134 an hour in our area of London. As soon as I have four years’ experience, I’ll rise to Level C. I want to be a Legal Executive Advocate next and am also taking my additional Level 6 subjects so I can go on to do the LPC. My aim is to build up my experience so I can handle multi-track cases. Keith has a great passion for his work and that enthusiasm rubs off on me.

My only regret is that I wish the new Level 3 units had been in place whilst I was studying. The client care interviewing skills would have been really useful and I’d like to take the ITC specialist claimant personal injury course too.
 

I started my Level 3 courses after a few years out of education so I was more than a little nervous! The first thing that I did was log on to the Student Area. After chatting to a few students and swapping email addresses I felt much better and more prepared. The online tutors were always on hand with advice and assistance, both with the practical side of studying such as revision tips and academic support when clarity was needed. The course materials are easy to follow, and contain all of the information you require so there is no need to stress about additional reading.

I've completed all the Level 3 subjects with ITC and have now moved on to Level 6. My knowledge has been already recognised at work as I am now a fee earner specialising in public and private family work. and running about 200 of my own files.

If you are just embarking on a Level 3 course then sign up for an induction day with ITC. I have just started a Level 3 course and consider myself a mature student, as it is 20 years since I last studied for any form of qualification. I have always had an interest in the law and was keen to study it, but having not studied for a long time there was some doubt in my mind whether or not I was doing the right thing, especially when I read the first assignment.

Looking for a way to boost my chances of success I booked myself on the one-day Induction course with the ITC. The course exceeded all my expectations. Elizabeth the presenter was very approachable and made the day fun and informative. She gave great advice on how to best manage your time and fit your studies into an already busy working and personal life. We were shown the best way to read the course material and make notes, the essential skills in completing assignments and answering exam questions. We were also shown the many useful tools available to students through the Lexis Nexis and ITC websites.

Added to this I met a great bunch of people in the same position as me and we exchanged email addresses so that we can network.

I left at the end of the day equipped with many new personal tools, the confidence that success was well within my capability and that should I have any problems with my studies there is a team as approachable as Elizabeth only a forum posting away ready to help.

A very worthwhile day and I would encourage anyone embarking on a Level 3 course to attend.

Having attended the Westminster induction day on 20 Sep, I would be very grateful if you would pass on my thanks and appreciation to all ITC staff that were present, enabling the day to run smoothly.

Can I mention Elizabeth Harding in particular, who I felt made the day thoroughly worthwhile. Whilst giving us all the benefit of her undoubted knowledge and experience, it was quite obvious that she was there for us, the students, and was more than willing to give of her own time to clear up problem areas with individuals.

I found this extremely promising and am very pleased that I decided to study with ILEX! I felt the day was useful, interesting, certainly taught one old dog some new tricks and gave me a lot of enthusiasm for what lies ahead of me. Very many thanks indeed.

I found my tutor to be an excellent help during my studies. The comments she added to my assignments were really useful and helped massively. She was very prompt at returning assignments, positive, encouraging and friendly.  also thought that the assignments were very useful in that they were challenging enough to properly prepare me for the real exam.

Overall, the ILEX course so far has exceeded my expectations in all aspects.

I always submit all my study exercises and mock exams for marking as that's how you find out if you are on the right track or not, and I am a very regular user of the course forum! The tutors on the forum are always available to give advice when you have a query.

The irony is that I feel like I get more support doing this course as distance learning than I ever got when I was at uni! The whole team have always been really helpful – you must be rushed off your feet all the time! Definite value for money.

I have just attended a Level 6 induction course and found it very useful. I picked up loads of tips about studying and taking the exam. The tutor was informative and funny so that he kept our interest all day. It was a nice way to meet some of the other students and swap stories. I hope you find it as interesting and informative as I did.

After having studied my Level 3 subjects at my local college, I decided to enrol with ITC for Level 6 as the courses for papers that I wished to study were not available locally. Despite having been used to learning in a classroom environment I found that the course materials provided by ITC furnished me with all of the content that I needed to prepare for the examinations. The regular updates meant that I had the most recent statute and case law available and I found the revision manuals and past exam papers invaluable in the weeks leading up to exam day.

Although I studied mainly on my own it was a comfort to know that there were tutors and other students on hand with whom I could discuss any problems, and the advice that I received during my studies was both useful and encouraging. One of the main benefits I found studying with ITC was the flexibility. Working to my own timetable allowed me to fit my studying around my work, family and social life.

I took and passed papers in Probate and Succession, Probate Practice, Equity and Trusts and Law of Contract within 2 years sitting one paper at each of the examination sessions.  My experience of studying with ITC has encouraged me to undertake other distance learning courses which I hope will further my knowledge in the area of law in which I am currently working.

I joined ITC last year and haven't looked back! For me distance learning has been perfect. I am very tired in the week and unable to concentrate/study in depth, so I can work at my own pace with ITC - usually on a Saturday or Sunday and am not tied down to certain class times at college. I do however have access to plenty of support and facilities via the on-line Forum, other students in the chat room and the academic staff. The access to LexisNexis has also been invaluable for the Intellectual Property course.

The tutor's comments are encouraging and helpful in guiding you as to what is missing in an essay, to not only ensure you have understood the subject matter, but to assist in the skill of writing the essay itself which is of equal importance.

At first as a new subject and new to distance learning at this level, I was concerned at whether I would be able to understand some of the points, but with the help of my tutor, and also reading through some of the discussion threads on the Forum, I have thoroughly enjoyed the course.

I have spoken to several of my colleagues who are on various courses for different subjects to do with their work (non-Law) and the general consensus is that ITC offer not only good value but excellent support to their students compared with other course providers. The Spring Updates and the Forum for questions (rather than just chat), aswell as the access to academic staff and the separate provision for marking assignments are seen as real extras that give the kind of support others are lacking in.

I am very grateful to ITC’s academic team for all their efforts in clarifying matters for me, following my postings on the Forum. Anyone who says that you're "on your own" when distance learning has, obviously, never studied with ITC!

Having recovered from the thrill of passing Criminal Law (hooray!) I had to put a post on the forum to say a big thank you to you and to the other students as I really do owe this pass to their questions on this forum and to your replies. I am so glad that as part of my last-minute revision before the exam I read every post on the criminal board and, although my study had covered the whole of the manual and the revision the whole of the syllabus, your comments on intention in the offence of murder and on what to focus on in a Theft Act question were absolutely invaluable when it came to the exam. I am so grateful to this forum for getting me through.

I am very happy with ITC and knowing the support is there if needed. Whenever I contact ITC with a query it is dealt with quickly and efficiently. The tutors are very helpful throughout.

After gaining my law degree I inititally wanted to do the LPC,  but I wasn't keen to take out a loan to enable me to do this unless I could be sure of getting a training contract.I made enquiries with ILEX and discovered that, as I had my law degree, I would only need to do the practice papers and not the law papers.  I then decided to study from home in my own time via distance learning as this was the best for my circumstances.  I would study in my lunch hours, when the kids had gone to bed and sometimes if time allowed at the weekend. I found the assignment feedback from the tutors useful, and the turnaround time on getting marked assignments back was always quick. I found the course manual and the revision pack very useful not just for learning but also to refer to in practice.

Employers that I have had recognise ILEX, and my opinions and knowledge are valued at work.  Interestingly, several solicitor colleagues have noticed that my ITC course manual covers legal practice topics in much more depth than they received on the LPC and I have often been asked for advice!

I have advised many people whom I have worked with to further their careers through the ILEX route, and will continue to do so.

Land Law was my last exam before becoming a Member and proved to be very stressful, especially as I had previously failed the exam three years earlier. The way the revision day was taken was fantastic and finally helped me to understand Land Law and the tables/plans used were a lifesaver throughout the rest of my revision. Thank you all so much and please pass on my thanks to my revision day tutor.

I just wanted to post and say a big thank you to everyone at ITC who monitors this forum.

I have just passed my final exam - contract law - and the feeling of relief is unbelievable.

Can I also please ask that you pass on my thanks to the tutor for the revision day in London in September. Before I attended this revision day, I was seriously considering deferring my exam until June but this tutor made everything so much clearer.

So much clearer in fact, that I even scraped a distinction!

I started as an outdoor clerk in 1984, on leaving school aged 16 with few qualifications. I embarked on the training route to become a legal executive, which I achieved in 1992, and then went on to qualify as a solicitor in 1993. I was subsequently appointed a partner in 1996. I specialise in trade union law.

In February 2008 I was the solicitor for the Unite union-supported claimant who achieved a landmark ruling in the House of Lords case of Corr v IBC Vehicles Limited, which resulted in my being the Times 'Lawyer of the Week' in March 2008 and the Law Society Gazette 'Lawyer in the News' in the same month. I fully recognise and value the role that ILEX has played in facilitating my achievements.
 

I qualified as a solicitor by the ILEX route as my personal circumstances did not give me the option of A levels or university. I always knew that I wanted to become a solicitor and when I left school I started work with Mellor & Jackson in Oldham, who sponsored me through the ILEX qualification and then the Law Society qualification.

Having qualified as a solicitor, I was elected to the Law Society Council as representative for Newly Qualified solicitors and was later appointed by the Young Solicitors Group as their representative on the Law Society Council. I have since served a year as Chairman of the National Young Solicitors Group.

I fly the ILEX flag wherever I go as I believe that I am a better solicitor for having worked all the way through my studies, due to the experience that I gained along the way. I am also free of student debt, which I see as another real advantage of the ILEX route.

This year I’m studying tort, the last of my mandatory subjects to exempt me from the CPE (academic requirement to become a solicitor) – when I started work at my firm I’d never worked in the legal field before and now I’m a fee earner! I’ve studied throughout ITC because of the flexibility and support I receive.

ITC allocate a tutor to whom you send your assignments for feedback, but there’s also a whole support team, from admin and careers advisers to the web-forum where you can seek support from fellow students or the dedicated web-tutors.

ITC provide a fantastic support network and the flexibility to work at your own pace and at times convenient to you, with challenging assignments and comprehensive feedback. There’s always someone to turn to if a problem arises and always someone to give encouragement when it's needed.

I thought I'd let you all know about a really useful conversation I had with Rosemary Verlander-Smith re carrying on to qualify as a solicitor.

As I'm nearly half way through Level 6 I thought I'd give her a call to see what options I'd have open to me and to ask whether she had any recommedations regarding my remaining level 6 subjects.

I was very impressed with Rosemary. Her advice was excellent. We talked through where I am at the moment, where I want to get to and the various routes available to me. We discussed the routes re finance, time, ease, preferred subjects, etc.

If anybody else out there is in the some predicament (ie half way through Level 6, not quite sure whether to carry on to qualify as a solicitor and a bit confused about how to get there), give Rosemary a call. She said that she's very happy to talk this through with anybody who wants some advice. So rather than sit on your own and try to work out what's best for you yourself, call Rosemary. She's ace!

(Student message on ILEX Level 6 'chat' Forum)

The quality of lecturing on the open learning Legal Practice Course at De Montfort University was exceptional, and the course was outstandingly delivered with superb materials. The staff had so much enthusiasm and were always prepared to assist the student further with any difficulties experienced. I would thoroughly recommend the course to others.

The course is taught through a series of lectures and smaller tutorial groups. The lecturers clearly know their subject, and inject a dynamism into the lectures that makes understanding the topics a whole lot easier. The fact that they are practising solicitors helps hugely. Behind the scenes is ILEX Tutorial College who streamline the administration of the course. I always found their staff very helpful. I could always rely on them to get back to me or answer any question that I had.

The open learning LPC has allowed me to carry on working full time and study to be a solicitor. The course is flexibly structured with lectures over a long weekend once a month and students are provided with all the necessary books and materials. There is also online assistance to help students study from home. The staff at ITC and the teachers on the course are always helpful and are happy to deal with any problems or questions by phone or e-mail.

The LPC is by no means an easy course, but it is well administered and run in a supportive environment where students are given every chance to succeed regardless of their geographical location or other commitments.

Fortunately the tutors at De Montfort University were knowledgeable, approachable and experienced in their individual fields obtained from reputable local law firms. Having completed the first year of a commercial training contract I am delighted at how well prepared I was following my LPC at De Montfort. When I started training I was confident and ready for the legal environment and the diverse range of work I was expected to undertake.

Having gained the GDL at DMU I knew that staying on to take the LPC was the right decision. I was not disappointed. The tutors were very supportive and approachable. If I ever needed extra help it was forthcoming. The materials were excellent. There was a high emphasis on research skills which have really helped me in the 'real world'

My working personal circumstances have essentially dictated my choice to study for the legal practice course by open learning. The LPC offered by ITC (De Montfort) seems to me, to be the most experienced of all providers. ITC have been the most attentive and have followed up my initial enquiries. In short, ITC have come across as the most friendliest, which is important to me.

ILEX has given me the confidence to take the next step from secretary to fee earner. I feel that it is paramount in the current economic climate to have the ILEX qualification rather than simply being a non-qualified Legal Assistant; the qualification opens new possibilities and career opportunities in the legal community.
 

I've studied several courses over a number of years, starting with the Level 2 and Level 3 legal secretary courses and then going on to the Level 2 Legal Studies courses. The service I received from ITC was impeccable. At all times the staff have been helpful, friendly and informative. It was easy to adapt my study time to fit around everything else in my life. Altogether, a really positive experience all round!

The five courses that I needed to study for the Certificate have really increased my knowledge and confidence. I was a legal secretary when I started, but I am now a fee-earner in the litigation department, working as a trainee legal executive and I have put into practice much of what I learnt in my contract and civil litigation courses. For example I have recently given advice on counter offers to a client on the telephone.

I am now working towards the five remaining units for my ILEX Level 3 Professional Diploma in Law and Practice.

I am a barrister who has been out of practice for several years. I have been asked to teach a university course in Evidence and needed to refresh my knowledge. Your fabulous, in-depth, well structured course ideally suited my requirements.

The course manual is clear, concise and as comprehensive as any textbook; the support network is superb; the 'Student Forum' provides an excellent classroom environment to discuss issues and concerns with tutors and fellow pupils; the assignment programme is well structured and allows you to pace your studies in a constructive manner; tutors return work promptly with informative comments; the administration team are friendly and efficient and always available to assist with any enquiries. In fact, every aspect has surpassed my expectations. What more can I say?

I very much enjoyed the course and learned so much from the experience and I found the course material informative, detailed and helpful. Also, I enjoyed the challenge of creating scenarios (i.e. organising a fictional Legal Secretaries' Conference) for the various tasks in each assignment and the resulting sense of achievement once each assignment was completed and my results were received.

I would have no hesitation in recommending the  course to anyone interested in pursuing an advanced legal secretarial qualification as it is an excellent opportunity for any legal secretary wishing to expand their knowledge of this area to fulfil their potential.

I wouldn't have done so well in the course without the kindness, support and encouragement of tthe ITC team and my tutor, and it's a tribute to them all that I reached such a successful outcome, both with my studies and in securing my dream job as a result.

I’m very much enjoying the course having completed 5 of the 7 assignments, not least as I seem to have gained encouraging marks so far. Another pleasing aspect has been the high level of support I have enjoyed from the college, the helpful feedback I see from the tutor Martin Hannibal, and especially the induction day hosted by yourself, Sophie, and Trevor Biglin last November, at the end of which I had every confidence in tackling the course ahead of me and completing it on time and to a high standard, despite the fact I was new to legal training at the start of that day. Everything is very professional and a student could not ask for any more. So thank you very much!

I've been delighted with what I've received so far and particularly being able to download the introductory lecture as a podcast.

I've attended my induction day and enjoyed meeting the ITC team face to face. I’ve received all the advice I need to help me overcome my worries and return to studying with confidence.

As an assistant working on local authority prosecution cases, and with no previous experience in either the legal or local government fields, it was important to me to find a course that suited my needs. After a lengthy and sometimes frustrating search I was delighted to find the ILEX Public Sector Courses. Although designed with the CPS in mind, these courses are equally suitable for Local Government officers. Whatever stage of the prosecution process you may be involved in; there is a course for you. ILEX couldn't have been more helpful and I'm now eagerly looking forward to starting my course.

The induction day was superb and it gave an excellent insight into what the course was going to involve.  It was particularly useful to go through the subjects covered in the first assignment during the induction day.

The content of the course was extremely useful and very related to the job. By doing the course at the same time as working as a caseworker I was able to put what I was learning into context immediately.

I really did enjoy it.

As a mother of 2, I work part-time for Bedfordshire Police and also have a part-time fitness business, teaching 4 to 5 classes a week. It wasn't easy finding the time, but it can be done with planning and prioritising, i.e. some weeks I did a lot more than others. I've not studied for many years so feel it is a great achievement to pass with a distinction. I have been in my current police staff job for over 5 years and have had no previous legal training. I now feel far more qualified to do the job with the knowledge I have gained. I really hope that this won't be the last studying I do!

Off the record, finding the time was the hardest part! But when I did, I really enjoyed it and felt great when I got an assigment back. I did appreciate the time Beds Police gave me which was only an hour a week as I work part-time. But I would try and take this mid week and leave an hour early (found it was no good leaving until Friday!!) and it made me go home when it was all quiet and then even when the girls came in from school, I would carry on for a while.

Nothing immediately comes to mind that could have been done better. I feel that the time per assignment is realistic. I didn't use the website very much, but when I did, found it easy to use. The training day was very important as a starting point and with the pointers given. I must be honest and say I didn't go back and refer to the file that was given to us on that day.

I hope that's a help. I do appreciate the opportunity I've been given to do this.

As a casebuilder, I have found the Certificate in Criminal Justice Administration course extremely helpful for my work and interesting too. I enjoyed the course so much that I then went on to take the Advanced Course in Interviewing and Criminal Evidence. The staff at ITC have been excellent and never failed to answer a problem. I am delighted with the results I have achieved.

I found the course to be well structured and easy to follow. It has been interesting and I have been finding the knowledge useful when dealing with victims and witnesses.

I have always been interested in furthering my knowledge of the law, so I volunteered to take the new Certficate course when it became available..

Upon receiving my first package of reading materials, I was slightly concerned about what the course entailed, and thought 'what have I let myself in for'.

 An induction day shortly followed, which all the students attended. This gave all the students an opportunity to meet up and discuss the course, its contents and most importantly, it provided everyone with information on how to revise and write assignments.

ITC has a fantastic Student Area website, which all students should take the time to work their way around. The learning/ revision materials, and the sample MCQs are great tools to assist in completing assignments.

Although this is a distance learning course, no student should feel isolated. In addition to the support from ITC, each Prosecution Division office has designated a lawyer to mentor students throughout the period of learning. And lastly, the students themselves are a great support to each other.

It is now a couple of months since the induction day and I have completed my first assignment. Despite my initial reservations, I can honestly say that I have found the course really interesting so far, and I am eager to learn more.

Thanks for all your support, you and the team have helped make CILEx a massive success within Minster Law.

Hard to believe it has taken less than 12 months to get the whole programme off the ground. The induction day was really good - informative and helpful with lots of positive feedback from the students. 

I joined Oldham District Council as a legal assistant in the Family Department, relying on the law degree that I had obtained 17 years previously! Whilst I did conduct of a number of cases before the courts, it soon became apparent that family work is highly contentious and I felt I needed more qualifications. I decided to train to be a legal executive and enrolled with ITC as recommended by a number of colleagues.

Studying by distance learning is allowing me to accelerate my studies and I intend to qualify as a Fellow of ILEX within the shortest time possible. I completed all the Level 3 subjects in one year and am hoping to achieve Level 6 within the same timescale. I am already seeing the benefit of the practical experience gained from studying the ILEX Level 3 Professional Diploma in Law and Practice. The tutor support has been invaluable and the manuals provide a clear understanding of the relevant law and associated practice.

From my own experience, I would highly recommend undertaking ILEX as a way to qualify as a lawyer.

I have found my legal executive colleagues to be very knowledgeable and highly experienced, to the extent that I previously nominated one of them for The Lawyer magazine's Legal Executive of the Year award which he won. I have also promoted legal executive colleagues to very senior managerial posts which they have performed to the highest standards. As well as being competent lawyers and managers, legal executives provide excellent value for money to their employers.

By cherry-picking relevant ILEX units for our legal support staff, we’re developing them and taking pressure off our senior lawyers; all at a reasonable cost.
 

We asked ITC to provide a one day course for the administrative staff that work on prosecution case files, to introduce them to the English Legal System and place a framework around knowledge that they already had, so that they could understand more about the work they do and where it fits into the bigger legal picture. ITC met this challenge promptly and effectively, receiving nothing but positive feedback from the staff, leaving many of them eager to start on ITC paralegal courses.

At De Montfort Law School we have used ITC's course manuals for many years on our Graduate Diploma in Law programme. A great attraction is the currency of the publications. All subjects are updated in the summer of each year and we know that our students will be getting the most up-to-date coverage of the law. The students find the course manuals easy to learn from, as they are well written and laid out in a format that makes them easy to digest.

We initially commissioned ITC to develop materials for one module of our LLB course. We were very happy with the service provided - the materials matched our detailed specification, and were delivered on time and to our requirements. We have since commissioned a further five modules from ITC. I am very happy to recommend ITC's service most highly to any educational institution looking to outsource its publishing activities.

Thank you so much for a very informative and helpful induction day on Saturday. The main thing I walked away with was the confidence that I can do this!

I found the exercises very useful and instantly saw my errors in my first assisgnment which I'd sent in a week ago. It was also great to meet some of the other students and find they are all 'normal' people.

Thank you again, I only wish I'd been able to attend the induction day earlier as it all becomes a lot clearer afterwards!!!

I was working full time as a legal secretary in a family law department, and although I enjoyed my role, I felt that I could build on my knowledge and achieve more. I had heard about the ILEX qualification and after contacting ILEX and obtaining some further information, it looked as though it would be a good option to study, whilst allowing me to continue to work full time. I started the course, and studied in the evenings and at the weekends. I studied purely with ITC and so I was able to study as and when convenient. ITC were very supportive and I had very helpful tutors. As part of Level 6, I took the family practice and family law linked papers, since I had decided that I wanted to specialise in that area. I completed my exams in 2008 and around that time changed jobs to ensure that I was doing a fee earning role. I then completed my Fellowship period during the following two years. I am now a FILEX and work as a lawyer, specialising in family law.

The ILEX route is not easy and it requires a certain amount of determination and a lot of hard work. At times, I must admit, I did feel like giving up! I think the main thing to focus on is the end goal, and your reasons for wanting to succeed. Looking back on it now, I am pleased that I continued with my studies.

Sometimes, I am asked if I will take more exams and qualify as a solicitor. My answer to this is simple. I am already a qualified lawyer, and with ILEX members now being able to obtain more and more rights, what would be the benefit in qualifying twice? Throughout my career so far, I have noticed that my solicitor counterparts have heavy financial commitments in terms of repaying large loans taken out to fund their degree and LPC, whereas I am undertaking the same work, am a qualified lawyer and am debt free. The advantages of ILEX training are many and varied. Not only is it a far more cost effective way to qualify, but also, by studying and working at the same time, on qualification, you have both the academic professional qualification and the practical experience, the end result meaning that you are a competent lawyer on qualification, and employers appreciate this.

Both ILEX and ITC have been extremely supportive and helpful, and continue to be. It was a pleasure to be part of this year's ILEX graduation and the speeches given were very inspiring.

I have just qualified as a Fellow of ILEX after several years of study through ITC. I have also been working as a fee earner in a law firm throughout my studies. This was actually extremely beneficial as when I was studying the relevant modules, I found myself able to apply the theory to my day-to-day work.

Now that I have qualified, I have also found that I already have the same level of experience as other qualified lawyers with several years of post-qualifying experience.

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend studying with ITC to anyone, however daunted you are by the prospect of distance learning. The online support is friendly, promptly given and easy to understand and the revision days are enormously helpful. And once you do qualify, the legal world is your oyster!
 

The Level 3 Certificate allows our staff to develop their careers within the firm by achieving a recognised, relevant and well-respected qualification.

We supported two of our secretaries through ILEX, rather than recruit new staff. They're both now Fellows. The benefit to the legal department was that they already had excellent knowledge of how the organisation worked, so we retained that commercial understanding as well as developing their careers.

We’re currently supporting several employees on ILEX courses with ITC. We find that the broad range of qualifications provides ideal training for staff at all levels and the service we receive from ITC is first class.

JSP have sponsored many employees through the ILEX course. We have had excellent results with our students who have all turned out to be exceptional case handlers.

It is a real win/win situation for both the employee and employer. The employee, of course, has no student loan to pay back which has got to be a big bonus to them and a very good reason for them to choose the ILEX qualification.

Gail Hebditch came through the ranks from being a legal secretary to becoming a graduate member of ILEX and an excellent fee earner. She's on her way to qualify as a legal executive and will do so for a very reasonable sum. She's been worth her weight in gold. She also feels very committed to the firm because we've supported her studies.

The great benefit of distance learning is that it can be tailored to suit you - there's no right or wrong way to do it. You'll find that you have days when you need great self-discipline to even sit down with the books, but I found that once I knew I was going to sit there for, say, two hours, I thought to myself "well I might as well get on with it!".

In the first couple of assignments for each subject, you'll feel like you're just "muddling through". Don't get disheartened by that - I usually find that the things I learnt in the first few assignments were put into focus and perspective later in the course. Of course, you'll have your tutor and the on-line tutors. They are absolutely fantastic and will always help.

There are other staff at ITC who are dedicated to supporting students too. I have to say that every time I've needed support or advice it's been there. It feels very much as though you are "on your own" when you start distance learning, but that is not the case. Yes, you may need to specifically ask for help but you are not without support when you need it.

Good luck and keep going!

I just wanted to say a quick thank you again for your help and encouragement on the phone. I  received my assignment back and was very pleased with my 60% mark.  The tutor was very good with his support, comments and marking, although I need to focus on the questions a bit more.

Onwards and upwards - Assignment 2 to be prepared this weekend. I am enjoying the distance learning experience.  Although the essays are tough as regards timing and word limit it really does help to prepare and focus for the exam, which after all is the whole point of it all!

 So thanks again for being there.

I'm impressed with the speed of response to my posting on the Forum: it's great to get things clarified quickly and feel able to move on!  I've re-read all the relevant sections of the manual, together with your reply, and I reckon I've cracked it now. Thank you for your response, that's really helpful.
 

I found my tutor to be an excellent help during my studies. The comments she added to my assignments were really useful and helped massively. She was very prompt at returning assignments, positive, encouraging and friendly.  also thought that the assignments were very useful in that they were challenging enough to properly prepare me for the real exam.

Overall, the ILEX course so far has exceeded my expectations in all aspects.

Can I please say a huge thank you to you for the induction day. I was not going to come along, but I am so glad I did. Before the induction day I was feeling a little overwhelmed by the course, but I came away feeling a totally different person. I knew where I was going with the course, how to proceed and everything was so much clearer. It was such a tremendous feeling, it was like a weight had been lifted. I also enjoyed the whole experience of the day, meeting other people and you especially made the day. You were so clear and friendly and so approachable it was definitely worth driving 250 miles.

Thank you so much once again for your time and effort.
 

May I compliment you all on this Forum - your replies are very very fast and efficient as well as being extremely helpful. I know I for one would be lost without you guys, and I'm sure many others feel the same too. 

I just wanted to post and say a big thank you to everyone at ITC who monitors this forum.

I have just passed my final exam - contract law - and the feeling of relief is unbelievable.

Can I also please ask that you pass on my thanks to the tutor for the revision day in London in September. Before I attended this revision day, I was seriously considering deferring my exam until June but this tutor made everything so much clearer.

So much clearer in fact, that I even scraped a distinction!

Very very many thanks for your invaluable support during level 3. Believe me, I would not have passed the exams if it were not for the excellent support and advice that I have received during my studies both on the forum and from my designated course tutors. On a personal level, the tutors all seem to really understand the complexities of distance learning and in the times when I have felt overwhelmed, there has always been someone on hand to boost my moral and confidence and pick me up again. I have never been anything less than absolutely impressed with the first class way in which ITC have handled my courses.
 

I am a full time mum of two small boys and decided to pursue a qualification with ITC in preparation for when I am able to go back into employment.

The reason I chose to study with ITC is I needed a flexible way to study to fit arround my commitments and ITC offered this perfectly. The help I have received so far from ITC especially on the fantastic student forum is second to none. The online tutor organised a timetable for my studies specifically around my commitments which has been an absolute lifeline for me as I have a clear view of all my goals and when I should aim to achieve them.

The study materials are easy to comprehend yet very thorough and together with the excellent layout of the manuals make studying a joy! I am looking forward to continuing my studies with ITC and to the rewarding career that hopefully awaits me, and would recommend ITC to anyone who is looking for a flexible and affordable way to study.

The clarity of the material is refreshing - I had feared that it would be obscure and difficult to understand, but was pleasantly surprised. I am new to the study of law, but have found ITC's approach friendly and 'unstuffy'. Excellent service, high quality materials and enjoyable course.

Thank you so much for a very informative and helpful induction day on Saturday. The main thing I walked away with was the confidence that I can do this!

I found the exercises very useful and instantly saw my errors in my first assisgnment which I'd sent in a week ago. It was also great to meet some of the other students and find they are all 'normal' people.

Thank you again, I only wish I'd been able to attend the induction day earlier as it all becomes a lot clearer afterwards!!!

Very very many thanks for your invaluable support during level 3. Believe me, I would not have passed the exams if it were not for the excellent support and advice that I have received during my studies both on the forum and from my designated course tutors. On a personal level, the tutors all seem to really understand the complexities of distance learning and in the times when I have felt overwhelmed, there has always been someone on hand to boost my moral and confidence and pick me up again. I have never been anything less than absolutely impressed with the first class way in which ITC have handled my courses.
 

I'd just like to mention that my tutor is being so helpful, above and beyone what I think he has to be. I am finding this area a bit difficult to get into the swing of but he's been so encouraging and positive and really providing me with a lot of help - it really does make a big difference!
 

I have always been interested in law and wanted to pursue this as a career from an early age. I was nervous about accumulating student debt so, after my A levels, I obtained a job in a law firm as an office junior instead of going to study law at university.

It was there that I discovered the legal executive training route. This appealed to me because it meant I could continue to earn a living whilst still achieving my goal of becoming a qualified lawyer.

I studied all my ILEX courses with ITC, and during my four-year period of study I became a junior fee earner and eventually a fully-fledged fee earner with my own caseload, specialising in Conveyancing and Land Law.

I have now passed all my exams and am a Graduate Member of ILEX and will soon become a Fellow. Having been working since I left school I am in a much better financial position than most of my friends and am really pleased with the way things have turned out for me.
 

I enrolled with ITC and have passed every single exam and felt fully prepared for each one. The manuals were very clear and the online forum was also very helpful. I also used the course summaries for revision and attended the face to face revision days. I am now a Graduate Member of ILEX and specialising in criminal law.

I am currently working as a crown court litigator as a result of my ilex qualification. I work for First Law Partnership whose head office is based in Bedford. I prepare cases from the time they are committed/sent to the Crown Court through to Appeal and thereafter any prison law matters. I am also undertaking the Police Station Accreditation Course and I am exempt from the written exam having completed Level 6 with ILEX.

I discovered a passion for law through my work as an administrator at the Crown Prosecution Service. I wasn't in a position to give up work to study full-time so the distance learning LLB in Legal Practice is ideal for me. The course fits in well with my working and personal life, and it's affordable.

Distance learning is obviously more challenging than if you are at a full-time or part-time student at a university where you can attend lectures, but if you are organised and follow the timetable you will find that the course is manageable and achievable, even whilst working 40 hours a week. ITC specialises in distance learning, and it shows. I have found the materials unambiguous and easy to follow and I have enjoyed the online student forum.

Overall, at the end of my first year I am finding the course an exciting challenge which has been made attainable by the way in which it has been presented by ITC and Manchester Metropolitan University.

I enrolled with ITC and have passed every single exam and felt fully prepared for each one. The manuals were very clear and the online forum was also very helpful. I also used the course summaries for revision and attended the face to face revision days. I am now a Graduate Member of ILEX and specialising in criminal law.

I am currently working as a crown court litigator as a result of my ilex qualification. I work for First Law Partnership whose head office is based in Bedford. I prepare cases from the time they are committed/sent to the Crown Court through to Appeal and thereafter any prison law matters. I am also undertaking the Police Station Accreditation Course and I am exempt from the written exam having completed Level 6 with ILEX.