Legal Executive CV Writing Tip's

As well as making sure you have a professional CV, you need to learn about the job role you are applying for and the sector that you are going into.

CV KNOWHOW's blogs provide you with an insight into a majority of sectors as it has been proven that you will be more successful in securing the role you want if you are up-to-date with information about the company and industry.

Legal Executive CV Writing Service

Legal executives specialise in one area of law. They have trained to the same level as solicitors in that area and do much of the same work.

This job will suit you if you have good spoken and written communication skills, as you’ll need to explain complex legal matters clearly to people. You’ll need patience and discretion. You also need to be able to work under pressure.

To become qualified in this area you will have to work towards Fellowship of the Institute of Legal Executives. You will also need to have practical experience in a legal environment.

The work

As a legal executive lawyer, you could deal with any of the following branches of law:

conveyancing – the legal side of buying and selling property
probate – wills, trusts and inheritance tax
family law – divorce and children’s matters
civil litigation – disputes between people
criminal law – defence or prosecution of people accused of crimes
company and business law – tax, contracts and employment law.

Depending on your specialism, your work might include:

advising clients and explaining legal matters to them
contacting professionals such as mortgage lenders, planning officers or other lawyers on behalf of clients
researching and summarising legal information
preparing legal documents
writing to clients
drawing up wills
preparing contracts
representing clients in county and magistrates’ courts
preparing bills for clients.

Hours

In many full-time jobs you would work standard office hours Monday to Friday. Flexible hours and part-time work are often possible.

You would be based at an office, but you may also spend some of your time at courts and police stations.

Income

Salaries for trainee legal executives can start at between £16,000 and £20,000 a year.

Salaries for qualified legal executives can be £30,000 to £45,000 a year.

Some highly experienced legal executives in large firms can earn over £50,000 a year.

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Entry requirements

To become a qualified legal executive lawyer, you must work towards Fellowship of the Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX). For this, you would take a series of professional ILEX exams, and gain practical experience/qualifying employment in a legal environment.

Most trainee legal executives work in a law firm and study part-time. You could start as a clerical assistant or legal secretary, possibly through temporary work or an Apprenticeship scheme. Another option is to study for the first set of ILEX exams at college (full-time or part-time) before looking for work at a law firm.

To do ILEX courses, you would normally need to have at least four GCSEs (A-C) including English, or equivalent qualifications. Many trainee legal executives have more than the minimum, such as A levels or degrees.

If you have gained a qualifying law degree in the past seven years, you will be exempt from some of the first stage of ILEX exams.

Training and development

To qualify as a legal executive lawyer, you must register with the Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX) as a student member and complete the following ILEX qualifications:

Level 3 Professional Diploma in Law and Practice – equivalent to A level standard
Level 6 Professional Higher Diploma in Law and Practice – equivalent to degree level.

You can study through day-release, evening classes or distance learning.

On average it takes four years of part-time study to pass both levels of exam, which gives you Membership of ILEX. However, if you have a recognised law degree or postgraduate law qualification, you could qualify in around nine months through the ILEX Graduate ‘Fast-track’ Diploma.

See the ILEX website for full details of legal executive lawyer qualifications.

To be fully qualified and able to use the title of legal executive, you must become a Fellow of ILEX. For this, you must have at least five years’ qualifying legal employment, which must include at least two years after passing the exams.

ILEX also provides a continuing professional development (CPD) scheme to help you keep your knowledge up to date throughout your career.

Skills and knowledge

To become a legal executive, you will need to have:

excellent spoken and written communication skills
the ability to explain legal matters clearly
patience, tact and discretion
good administrative and computer skills
accuracy and attention to detail
research skills
an organised approach
the ability to work under pressure.

Opportunities

As well as working for firms of solicitors, you could work for the Crown Prosecution Service, HM Courts & Tribunals Service, local authorities or in business. Jobs may be advertised in the local press, in magazines for the legal profession, and by specialist recruitment agencies.

With experience, you could take on more complex cases and build up a large client base. You could also progress to leading a team of legal executives and secretaries, or become a practice manager in a law firm. With further study, you could qualify as a solicitor.

Legal Executive CV Writing Service

Posted in Job Categories