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Legal Executive

Do you want to become a Legal Executive? Here is some information to help point you in the right direction:

Job Description - Print Page

Legal executives undertake similar work to solicitors. They specialise in particular areas of the law and spend at least five years working under the supervision of a solicitor or senior legal executive before qualifying. They may work with firms of solicitors, local authorities, the Civil Service, the Crown Prosecution Service, or in industry and commerce.

Their most common areas of specialism are:

• conveyancing - the legal side of buying and selling property
• company and business law
• litigation - when a client is in dispute with someone else
• probate - dealing with wills, trusts and inheritance tax
• personal injury - handling accident claims.

The work may involve explaining complex legal matters to clients and preparing documents such as contracts.

Legal executives usually work 37 hours a week. The work is office based.

Salaries range from around £12,000 a year to over £50,000 a year.

A legal executive should:

• be able to explain legal matters clearly
• be good at communicating with a wide range of people, both verbally and in writing
• have an interest in the law and research work.

The minimum entry requirements are four GCSEs/S grades (A-C/1-3) in academic subjects including English, or the equivalent. Many entrants have more than the minimum requirements and some have degrees.

To be fully qualified, it is necessary to be a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX). This requires applicants to:

• be at least 25 years of age
• have passed ILEX membership exams - these are in two parts: a Diploma and Higher Diploma
• have worked for five years in a qualifying legal environment.

There are around 23,000 people registered with ILEX. Once qualified, there are good opportunities for work.

Opportunities exist for legal executives to run their own departments. Qualified legal executives can also become solicitors.

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