The Apprentice
Abbi Lavill
Legal apprentice
Gowling WLG LLP 

“I didn’t want the rising tuition fees or to land myself in debt and the student lifestyle never once seemed like something I’d enjoy.”

Despite not being sure what I wanted to do when I left school, one thing I was sure about was that I didn’t want to go to university; instead, I wanted something that meant I could get a head start on everyone else in the world of work, earn a salary and, ultimately, use those three years to get my foot in the door of a firm and start carving out a career for myself. I started looking at apprenticeships as an alternative after one of my friends told me about CILEx. And after several aptitude tests, a phone interview, and a formal interview and securing the required grades, I was offered a position at Gowling WLG where I’ve now been working since September 2015.

My day can consist of anything from drafting and reviewing documents to attending all-party meetings and site visits. The work is incredibly varied, and it’s so satisfying to see the things that you’re studying come alive in what you’re doing dayto-day ; it really helps to motivate you to keep learning and makes the work you put in seem all the more worthwhile.

If university isn’t something you’re interested in, then don’t convince yourself that it’s right for you purely because it’s considered ‘the next step’ . Remember that there are other options out there for you, and so far the CILEx route has been perfect in helping me to achieve my goals. 

<span class="teaser" "="">The School Leaver
Jonny Taylor
An Associate member of CILEx BLM

“The CILEx option has to be considered by all keen aspiring lawyers of the future. It gives you the chance to be proactive and achieve all you are capable of as soon as you are capable of doing so.”

Following my A-levels , I chose the CILEx Level 6 Diploma in Law and Practice as opposed to going to university. This course has been funded entirely by BLM.

I chose the CILEx route as it gave me control over my future. CILEx allowed me to avoid following a prescribed route and coming out of university only to be surrounded by others in an identical situation, fighting desperately for the few training contracts available. You really need to give consideration to what will help you stand out when it comes to trying to get a legal job. This is an area that is fiercely competitive, with incredibly good candidates to compete with.

I handle a personal injury caseload of litigated files, up to a value of £50,000. I act for major insurers, and have handled my own cases at BLM since the age of 19.

The training I have received, academically through CILEx and practically through my employer, is invaluable. CILEx has given me an academic qualification - debt free - to the same standard as a law degree, and has taught me the law. BLM has taught me to be a lawyer.

​The Career Changer
​Emma Davies
Manager of the civil legal advice helpline team Simpson Millar Solicitors LLP

“CILEx has had an enormous impact on my life and career, as it has enabled me to pursue a career in law that I might not otherwise have been able to do. I am proud to call myself a Chartered Legal Executive.”

Whilst serving as a musician in the Royal Air Force, I decided that I wanted to study law so that I could apply for positions in the profession when I left the service. I considered [Bachelor of Laws degree] courses and also the [Graduate Diploma in Law], as I had a first-class honours degree in music already. However, these were not suited to me, as I constantly travelled with work and could not attend compulsory sessions. I could not afford to study full-time and did not want to become a student again, preferring to gain experience in the field as soon as possible. Therefore, the CILEx programme was the ideal opportunity, as I could study even when on tour and take exams when convenient.

I completed the whole of my academic studies whilst serving full-time , and after leaving the RAF I obtained a position with one of the leading education law firms in the country, Simpson Millar. I have recently been promoted to manager of the civil legal advice helpline team, which is a team of specialist paralegals who run cases under the legal help scheme, as we have one of the two education law contracts for England and Wales with the Legal Aid Agency.

The Law Graduate
Dayne Daisy
Technical claims supervisor
DAC Beachcroft LLP 

“The Graduate Fast-Track Diploma (GFTD) has given me a clear, efficient and rewarding route to qualification as a lawyer, based on the specialist knowledge and experience I have gained in my desired field of practice.”

CILEx has given me a secure route to qualify as a lawyer without having to worry about the potential of never obtaining a training contact. This route has benefited me financially as my employer, DAC Beachcroft, has paid for my GFTD.

CILEx has meant that I have been able to develop further in my legal career in terms of management, legal skills and experience. I started at my current firm as a paralegal in April 2013, and since then I have been promoted twice within 12 months. I now aim to become a CILEx Litigator and a Chartered Legal Executive Advocate.

In my role, I co-ordinate a team of paralegals through providing technical supervision in respect of all aspects of employers’ liability claims; I handle my own caseload of more complex claims for nominated clients.

I hope my career path with CILEx will inspire others to consider alternative routes into the legal profession. I recently signed up to ‘Inspiring the future’ , a scheme which connects teachers with volunteers to provide young people with first-hand career insights. I have recently been invited back to the college where I started my legal education to give a speech to my former tutors and current further and higher education students on my career to date, with particular emphasis put on the CILEx route to qualification as a lawyer. 

The BPTC and LPC Graduate
Jennifer Richardson
Chartered Legal Executive
Blackfords LLP 

“I would advise anyone in my situation to consider taking this route. For those who undertook the LPC or BPTC and still want to become a solicitor, you are exempt from undertaking a training contract once admitted as a Fellow of CILEx.”

I became a Chartered Legal Executive lawyer through CILEx’s Work-Based Learning route for Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) and Legal Practice Course graduates. Previously, I completed my law degree at Cardiff University, as well as completing the BPTC and being called to the Bar. I then started working at Blackfords LLP, a top-tier criminal defence firm. I struggled to obtain pupillage, and decided after a couple of years that going to the Bar wasn’t for me and that, instead, I wanted to progress through the firm.

I found out that I could qualify as a grade B fee earner. All I had to do was show that I had three years’ qualifying work experience, and complete the work-based learning portfolio. The most challenging aspect of this was being able to evidence that I had met certain objectives.

The most satisfying part of completing the process is finally being admitted as a Chartered Legal Executive and knowing that you are just as valuable to your firm as a solicitor would be, both professionally and financially.

Finally, I think it is important to note that Chartered Legal Executives are no longer seen as the third branch of the profession. The legal world has come to realise, over the last few years, that it isn’t always possible to take the traditional route to qualifying, but that many of those who don’t are often better equipped to be a member of the profession.

Practice Rights
Scott Morris
Partner
Langley Wellington LLP Solicitors 

“Gaining practice rights to qualify as a CILEx Conveyancing Practitioner literally means the world to me. It provides valuable weight to my 11 years’ experience in conveyancing.”

The CILEx route was sold to me on the basis that I could qualify into subject areas of interest, in a cost-eÿcient manner and at a pace to suit. It also gave me the opportunity to earn and gain practical experience. I would attribute my successful studies to this format.

In 2015, I was the first CILEx member to gain the new practice rights. I obtained practice rights in conveyancing, qualifying as a CILEx Conveyancing Practitioner. This has provided valuable weight to my 11 years’ experience in conveyancing. It gives me the same practice rights in conveyancing as solicitors and licensed conveyancers, and it enables colleagues and clients to be assured that I am competent in my work.

Qualifying as a CILEx Conveyancing Practitioner put me on the path to becoming a member of the LLP. I am now in a management role where I employ staff, and have found candidates with a CILEx background to be a more attractive prospect. I believe that those with vocational training are becoming increasingly important and attractive due to the practical experience that they’ve obtained alongside academic study.