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Legal executive
Hours
30-40 per week
Starting salary
£16,000 + per year
Legal executives specialise in one area of law. They have trained to the same level as solicitors in that area and do much of the same work.
This job will suit you if you have good spoken and written communication skills, as you'll need to explain complex legal matters clearly to people. You’ll need patience and discretion. You also need to be able to work under pressure.
To become qualified in this area you will have to work towards Fellowship of the Institute of Legal Executives. You will also need to have practical experience in a legal environment.
WorkDesc
The work
As a legal executive lawyer, you could deal with any of the following branches of law:
- conveyancing – the legal side of buying and selling property
- probate – wills, trusts and inheritance tax
- family law – divorce and children’s matters
- civil litigation – disputes between people
- criminal law – defence or prosecution of people accused of crimes
- company and business law – tax, contracts and employment law.
Depending on your specialism, your work might include:
- advising clients and explaining legal matters to them
- contacting professionals such as mortgage lenders, planning officers or other lawyers on behalf of clients
- researching and summarising legal information
- preparing legal documents
- writing to clients
- drawing up wills
- preparing contracts
- representing clients in county and magistrates' courts
- preparing bills for clients.
HoursDesc
Hours
In many full-time jobs you would work standard office hours Monday to Friday. Flexible hours and part-time work are often possible.
You would be based at an office, but you may also spend some of your time at courts and police stations.
IncomeDesc
Income
Salaries for trainee legal executives can start at between £16,000 and £20,000 a year.
Salaries for qualified legal executives can be £30,000 to £45,000 a year.
Some highly experienced legal executives in large firms can earn over £50,000 a year.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
EntryRequirementsDesc
Entry requirements
To become a qualified legal executive lawyer, you must work towards Fellowship of the Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX). For this, you would take a series of professional ILEX exams, and gain practical experience/qualifying employment in a legal environment.
Most trainee legal executives work in a law firm and study part-time. You could start as a clerical assistant or legal secretary, possibly through temporary work or an Apprenticeship scheme. Another option is to study for the first set of ILEX exams at college (full-time or part-time) before looking for work at a law firm.
To do ILEX courses, you would normally need to have at least four GCSEs (A-C) including English, or equivalent qualifications. Many trainee legal executives have more than the minimum, such as A levels or degrees.
If you don't have at least four GCSEs (A-C), you could take the ILEX/City & Guilds Level 2 Certificate in Vocational Paralegal Studies. Contact ILEX for advice.
If you have gained a qualifying law degree in the past seven years, you will be exempt from some of the first stage of ILEX exams.
TrainingAndDevelopmentDesc
Training and development
To qualify as a legal executive lawyer, you must register with the Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX) as a student member and complete the following ILEX qualifications:
- Level 3 Professional Diploma in Law and Practice - equivalent to A level standard
- Level 6 Professional Higher Diploma in Law and Practice - equivalent to degree level.
You can study through day-release, evening classes or distance learning.
On average it takes four years of part-time study to pass both levels of exam, which gives you Membership of ILEX. However, if you have a recognised law degree or postgraduate law qualification, you could qualify in around nine months through the ILEX Graduate 'Fast-track' Diploma.
See the ILEX website for full details of legal executive lawyer qualifications.
To be fully qualified and able to use the title of legal executive, you must become a Fellow of ILEX. For this, you must have at least five years' qualifying legal employment, which must include at least two years after passing the exams.
ILEX also provides a continuing professional development (CPD) scheme to help you keep your knowledge up to date throughout your career.
SkillsAndKnowledgeDesc
Skills and knowledge
To become a legal executive, you will need to have:
- excellent spoken and written communication skills
- the ability to explain legal matters clearly
- patience, tact and discretion
- good administrative and computer skills
- accuracy and attention to detail
- research skills
- an organised approach
- the ability to work under pressure.
MoreInformationDesc
More information
Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX) 
Kempston Manor
Kempston
Bedfordshire
MK42 7AB
01234 841000
www.ilex.org.uk
ILEX Careers
www.ilexcareers.org.uk
All About Law - The Law Careers Website
www.allaboutlaw.co.uk
OpportunitiesDesc
Opportunities
As well as working for firms of solicitors, you could work for the Crown Prosecution Service, HM Courts & Tribunals Service, local authorities or in business. Jobs may be advertised in the local press, in magazines for the legal profession, and by specialist recruitment agencies.
With experience, you could take on more complex cases and build up a large client base. You could also progress to leading a team of legal executives and secretaries, or become a practice manager in a law firm. With further study, you could qualify as a solicitor.
You may find the following useful for vacancies and general reading (links open in new window):
Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.
We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.
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Related industry information
Industry summary
The prosecution service is part of the justice sector, which is represented by Skills for Justice Sector Skills Council. It includes: forensic science; police and law enforcement; courts and tribunals; custodial care; community justice; plus fire and rescue services. The sector works to create and maintain a safe, just and stable society. Its purpose is to reduce crime and re‐offending, promote confidence in the criminal justice system, protect people and contribute to the reduction and fear of crime, and support the administration of justice. The sector employs around 600,000 employees in the UK across a range of organisations operating with different remits.
The prosecution service operates in:
- Crown Prosecution Service (England and Wales)
- Crown Office of the Procurator Fiscal (Scotland)
- Public Prosecution Service (Northern Ireland)
- Revenue and Customs Prosecution Office (remit extends across the UK)
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is the Government Department responsible for prosecuting criminal cases investigated by the police in England and Wales. As the principal prosecuting authority in England and Wales, it is responsible for: advising the police on cases for possible prosecution; reviewing cases submitted by the police; where the decision is to prosecute, determining the charge (in all but minor cases); preparing cases for court; and the presenting cases at court.
Key facts:
- In total there are 11,258 people working in prosecution services across the UK, of which:
- over 8,730 are employed by the Crown Prosecution Service, including around 2,800 lawyers
- 323 are employed in Revenue and Customs Prosecution Service
- Just over 1.3 million cases are heard in Magistrates’ courts and another 115,000 in Crown Court.
- The Crown Prosecution Service consists of 39 offices in England headed by a Chief Crown Prosecutor.
- 67% of the Crown Prosecution Service is female and 12% are from a minority ethnic background.
- Women across the justice sector as a whole tend to be concentrated in support roles.
Jobs in the industry range from: Legal trainees, Prosecutors, Caseworkers, Administrators, Crown Advocates, Witness Care Officer, Associate Prosecutor.
National and regional data
The East Midlands has 5 CPS Area Offices, which employ 590 full‐time equivalent staff. The five area offices are: Derbyshire; Leicestershire; Lincolnshire; Northamptonshire; and Nottinghamshire.
The East of England has 6 area offices that employ 610 full‐time equivalent staff. The offices are: Bedfordshire; Cambridgeshire; Essex; Hertfordshire; Norfolk; and Suffolk.
London has 2 Area Offices, which together employ approximately 2,160 full‐time equivalent staff, making it the largest CPS region. Additionally, the Revenue and Customs Prosecution Office employs 323 staff, which is split between London and Manchester.
The North East has 3 Area Offices, which employ 460 full‐time equivalent staff. The three offices are: Cleveland; Durham; and Northumbria.
The North West has 5 Area Offices that employ 1,240 full‐time equivalent staff. The five offices are: Cheshire; Cumbria; Greater Manchester; Lancashire; and Merseyside. Additionally, the Revenue and Customs Prosecution Office employs 323 staff, which is split between London and Manchester. The North West is the second largest region behind London.
The South East has 5 Area Offices that employ 890 full‐time equivalent staff. The five offices are: Hampshire; Kent; Surrey; Sussex; and Thames Valley.
The South West has 5 Area Offices that employ 530 full‐time equivalent staff. The five forces are: Avon and Somerset; Devon and Cornwall; Dorset; Gloucestershire; and Wiltshire.
The West Midlands has 4 Area Offices that employ 870 full‐time equivalent staff. The four offices are: Staffordshire; Warwickshire; West Midlands; and West Mercia.
Yorkshire and Humberside has 4 Area Offices that employ 910 full‐time equivalent staff, the third largest region in England. The four Area Offices are: Humberside; North Yorkshire; South Yorkshire; and West Yorkshire.
The Northern Ireland Public Prosecution Service (PPSNI) was formally launched in 2005. The service is regionally based and employs 562 staff, of which 165 are lawyers. There is an expected replacement demand of 25% due to retirements by 2014. The following skill shortages have been identified: provision of experience for prosecutors; management skills for lawyers; potential impact of devolution; and management skills development.
In Scotland, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) provide independent public prosecution and deaths investigation service. It is a department of the Scottish Government and is headed by the Lord Advocate. The Procurator Fiscal Service is divided into 11 areas, with an Area Procurator Fiscal for each. There is a network of 48 Procurator Fiscal offices, one for each Sheriff Court district. It employs 1,520 staff of which 30% are legal staff. The following skill shortages have been identified: increased partnership working; leadership and management; and keeping up with legislative change.
In Wales, the Crown Prosecution Service employs over 470 full‐time equivalent staff over four Areas Offices, including: Dyfed Powys; North Wales; Gwent; and South Wales.
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