CILEX announces new affordable route to qualifying as a lawyer which welcomes non-graduates

The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) has announced a revamped approach to training as a lawyer, designed to meet the changing demands of the modern legal market.

The new CILEX Professional Qualification (CPQ) is comprised of three levels:

• CILEX Lawyer;
• CILEX Advanced Paralegal; and
• CILEX Paralegal.

The CPQ is designed to provide a reliable marker of quality to employers and bring greater regulation to the paralegal market, as well as flexible entry and exit points for students with different levels of experience and professional needs – including graduates. 

CILEX students combine practical work with study, with the CPQ introducing mandatory training in legal technology, business skills and emotional intelligence, as well as traditional legal learning. Each stage of the CPQ comprises three elements: core legal knowledge and skills; ethics and professional responsibility; and professional experience.

There is no requirement to have a university degree, which makes the CPQ a more affordable route into the legal profession than the Solicitors Qualifying Exam. Qualifying through the CPQ will cost a maximum of £12,500.

 Subject to final regulatory approval, CPQ will open for enrolments in June 2021. 

CILEX Chief Executive Linda Ford said: “CPQ recognises that a successful career in the law requires more than just legal knowledge. By blending academic studies with practice-based experience throughout the qualification and the addition of a wider set of business and personal effectiveness competencies, the next generation of CILEX Lawyers will have the skills needed to adapt, innovate and enhance how legal services are delivered to meet evolving consumer needs.”