Definition of qualifying employment and experience to be reviewed
Today we are announcing our plans to consult on proposals to change the definition of qualifying employment and the minimum time-served requirements for qualifying experience prior to admission as a Chartered Legal Executive. Key proposals include:
- replacing the term “qualifying employment” with “qualifying experience” to recognise that the focus is on the legal work experience an applicant has gained from the work that they do, rather than their employment status.
- replacing the requirement for “wholly legal work” with “work that contributes to the provision of legal services”.
- replacing the requirement for 3 years’ experience with an aggregate total of 2,300 hours.
These proposals, if approved, would allow individuals who don’t meet the current stipulation of 20 hours a week of ‘wholly legal work’, to make an application for admission as a Chartered Legal Executive, relying on the legal experience they have obtained through employment, self-employment or voluntary work based on the total number of hours worked.
We believe the clearer distinction on acquiring experience and skills will help promote accessibility and fairness in the profession, enabling those working in part-time roles or those whose roles involve a mixture of legal and non-legal duties to be considered for authorisation as a chartered legal executive, and prove beneficial to consumers and the wider legal market.
The consultation will run for 8 weeks, from 15 July 2022, closing on 9 September 2022.
Access the full consultation
