The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) launched a consultation, Enhancing consumer trust & confidence, this week on a series of regulatory proposals. They include introducing specialist Chartered Lawyer titles to clarify that CILEX Lawyers with independent practice rights have parity with solicitor counterparts in these areas of practice. The Chartered Lawyer title awarded to CILEX Fellows on qualification would therefore reflect their specialist practice areas, for example, Chartered Property Lawyer and Chartered Corporate Lawyer.
The consultation also proposes the Solicitors Regulation Authority take over the regulation of CILEX members, and that voting rights be extended to all CILEX members instead of the current position where only CILEX Fellows have a vote. It proposes creating a paralegal standards framework and career ladder that offers the opportunity to become a Chartered Paralegal linked to a professional register, and creating a ‘legal technologist’ membership grade as part of preparations for an apprenticeship that is currently being developed.
The proposals guarantee the distinct identity of CILEX Lawyers, Paralegals and CILEX-led entities will be maintained, along with the separate CILEX route into law.
CILEX Chair, Professor Chris Bones said: ‘Following recent successes removing legislative, policy and funding barriers, we are pushing on with our reform agenda, looking at how we can create a sustainable regulatory framework with the drive towards a more diverse, accessible and equitable legal profession at its heart.’
CILEX CEO, Linda Ford said: ‘We want to encourage both the legal profession and consumer bodies to engage with this consultation process so that we can ensure that the changes we make benefit both society and the legal sector.’
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