Legal Executive Jobs

What is a legal executive?

Alongside solicitors and barristers, a legal executive is one of the three core legal professions in the UK. In the past legal, legal executives were known as chartered legal executive. Although, this term is still used, it may not be as common as before. Although the type of work and route to qualifying is similar to the other two legal professions, the types of legal tasks they are authorised to handle and the type of qualifications they need is different. A legal executive’s practice will be more specialised, focusing more on a specific area of law like litigation. Legal executives can work independently but will often spend time working alongside other legal professionals such as solicitors on behalf of clients or a company.

What is the role of a legal executive?

As legal executives are generally specialised in a specific area in law such as family law, they will often work alongside solicitors, providing legal advice, researching cases, legislation, drafting legal document and interacting with clients. Sometimes they may have limited client representation in a court setting. Usually, legal executives are not allowed to perform ‘reserved legal activities’ (this would include litigation, exercise of a right of audience, conveyancing, probate activities, and notarial activities) unless they act under a qualified solicitor or firm.

However, they are able to undertake ‘permitted activities’. As stated in the legal services act of 2007, legal executives are able to become partners within a firm and share profits with other solicitors. They can work outside of a firm as an independent legal executive or sole practitioner, act as a commissioner of oaths (when official documents require a person to declare is true and to be signed in front of a lawyer), finally, they can also become a judge.

What is a legal executive’s salary?

The average salary for legal executives can vary across the United Kingdom depending on factors like location, area of law, organisation and experience level. The average annual salary for a legal executive is £32,525 but this can range from £26,000 to £42,000 *(Glassdoor figures). After a CILEx qualification, this could be between £35,000 and £55,000.

How to become a legal executive?

To become a legal executive in the UK, you should ideally do a law degree or get a graduate diploma in law. Law degrees will take about 4 years for you to get your degree, and you should be aware that those considering this path will need 2 to 3 A levels. An alternative path could be to take CILEx qualifications such as the Level 3 Certification in Law and Practice or CILEx Level 6 Professional Higher Diploma in Law and Practice, or you could start by taking a Paralegal Level 3 Advanced apprenticeship and move up the ladder an apprenticeship. All the while you are completing the path that seems best, you should aim to figure out which area of law seems to be most interesting to you. By getting specialised in one area of law, you will be able to stand out more during interviews by having deep specialist knowledge much earlier in your career.

Individuals may choose to become a legal executive over a solicitor as this is a much less difficult and competitive route into the legal profession. Solicitors need at least six years of training and there can be significant competition for these training contracts. As a legal executive you should expect to work around 40 hours a week during typical 9 - 5 hours. Though this can vary depending on where you work and the firm’s policy and working culture.

Where can I find legal executive jobs?
If you are a legal executive in search of your next job. Search and apply on jobs.lawgazette.co.uk/, whether you are brand new to the field or have a number of years of experience as a legal executive, you can find several vacant legal executive positions with us.

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