Meet the team

CILEX’s Claire Tilley discusses her role in regulation and standards, her background in education, and the rewards of working for a values-driven organisation 

What are your role and responsibilities?

As CILEX’s director of regulation and standards, I am responsible at a strategic level for the awarding body and our qualifications and standards, alongside regulatory compliance and other regulatory affairs.

Tell us a bit more about your background? How did you come to work at CILEX?

Before joining CILEX I worked in higher education across a number of different areas, including international partnerships, quality assurance, postgraduate research and higher and degree apprenticeships.

Most recently I was the head of education, training and standards for the British Psychological Society. There I was responsible for the qualifications, accreditation, workforce development and careers functions and as part of this was required to ensure the regulatory compliance of our qualifications and accredited degrees. 

It was this aspect of the job led me to apply for and accept the role at CILEX earlier this year.

What is a typical day like for you?

I’ve come to learn that there are no typical days at CILEX! That’s what keeps it interesting. Some days can be spent working with stakeholders to explore apprenticeship opportunities and routes into the professions, other days I’m working with colleagues on our strategic priorities and future direction.

I might be meeting with HM Treasury or CILEx Regulation, or with colleagues to consider how we might resolve a particular issue or problem we have come up against or to consider ways we can work more effectively together.

What are you working on at the moment?

There is a lot of change happening in the legal sector and CILEX is very much at the heart of leading that. Part of my job is to ensure we are fully prepared for future developments in the profession.

I am also working on apprenticeships, along with legal technology and what the future in this area might look like for CILEX and its members.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

It is important to me that I work for a values-driven organisation and so it’s rewarding to be part of CILEX’s efforts to remove barriers of access into the legal profession. The job is varied and I get the chance to work with lots of different organisations and individuals who are all coming together to share experiences and solve common challenges.

What do you like to do away from your job to relax / have fun? 

I enjoy theatre and the arts in general, including live music. I like doing new things and trying new experiences whether that’s a new cuisine or skill. I love spending quality time with my family, my children are a bit older now – I have a 19- and 14-year-old – so I really value when we can all get together and do something enjoyable, particularly in the outdoors.