Becoming a Solicitor by the ILEX Route

This is an extract from a text produced by a former Law student, recently circulated by the AGCAS - Law Advisers network:-


"If you already have your LPC and a law degree then you can become a member of Institute of Legal Executives (MILEX) without any further exams. This does not mean that you are qualified as a Legal Executive or can call yourself a Legal Executive but it does mean that you are on the road to it.

"To become a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives (and entitled to call yourself a Legal Executive) you basically have to have 5 years work experience in law and for at least two of those 5 years you must be a MILEX. Once you have completed your 5 years employment (2 years as MILEX), ILEX will send you the necessary forms to become a Fellow of the Institute (again there are no exams or anything).You will need to complete the form and enclose a detailed description of what you do on a day to day basis. For more information you might want to visit their website.

http://www.ilex.org.uk/careers/careers_home.aspx

"Once you have become a FILEX you can then apply for an exemption from a training contract under Regulation 28(1)(ii)(b) of the Solicitors Training Regulations 2009. The link below should take you to the rules.

http://www.sra.org.uk/sra/regulatory-framework/3022.article

"There are no forms to fill in and no guidance about what information you have to provide. I just wrote in and crossed my fingers!"

...

"The only remaining requirement is to do the 9 day Professional Skills Course (The SRA would not let me do the PSC until I was either in a training contract or exempted from a training contract)."