Chartered legal executives able to gain extra practice rights in immigration and litigation

Chartered legal executives are now able to apply for additional practice rights in the areas of immigration services and criminal, civil and family litigation.

Ilex Professional Standards (IPS), the independent regulator of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) will be able to grant authorisation to CILEx fellows to provide immigration services or conduct litigation in the above areas of law, without the supervision of another authorised person such as a solicitor.

Alan Kershaw, chair of IPS, said: "We are excited that we are now in a position to authorise chartered legal executives to practise independently in these two areas of the law. I have every confidence that many CILEx members will readily demonstrate competence to our high standards and we look forward to issuing the first certificates. Unlike other lawyers, CILEx members do not get these rights automatically on qualifying, but must prove they have the knowledge, skills and experience to do the job. This protects consumers and gives them confidence in the specialist expertise chartered legal executive lawyers have. Many of them have already done this work for many years to the satisfaction of their clients, and will I am sure welcome the opportunity to practise in their own names rather than as someone else’s employee."