Legal Executives V Traditional Solicitors

I am fortunate enough to work for a firm that treats their legal executives as equals to their
Solicitors but unfortunately, this is not always the case, and a great deal of pressure is often
put on CILEX professionals to convert their status to that of a Solicitor. The stigma that
CILEX qualified lawyers are not ‘proper’ lawyers and/ or lack competency in comparison to
Solicitors remains and presumably, this idea stems from the fact that CILEX qualified
professionals are not required to attend university, nor complete several seats as part of a
training contact. Whilst there is no debate that qualifying and practising as a Solicitor is a
huge achievement that requires years of dedication and hard work, the newly qualified are
not often specialists in their area, unlike Legal executives.  In comparison to Solicitors,
members of CILEX undergo far more specialist training, having chosen a ‘pathway’ of
relevant modules and studies, alongside their qualifying employment. This ‘newer’ way to
qualify is more about an individual’s skill set, practice area knowledge and what they actually
want to do, which surely can only be a positive thing.
Hopefully, things will change for the better in the not so distance future, and CILEX will
remain a viable option for those who want to qualify in the legal realm and want / need to
work and study at the same time.  University and the LPC may not be an option for some for
many reasons such as family life or expense and the CILEX route provides an alternative
means of completing. Alternatively, Legal apprenticeships are now far more readily available
and again, offer students the ability to study and work at the same time
Aspiring Lawyers- do your research and fine the route that’s right for you!