New route to practice rights (ULaw)

Who can apply?

Chartered Legal Executives with at least 5 years’ experience of working in legal practice of which at least 2 years’ experience should be in the area of law for which they are seeking rights, can make an application to CILEx Regulation for independent practice rights.

What is involved in the application?

CILEx Regulation will consider an applicant’s knowledge, experience and skills in the area of practice for which an applicant is seeking to obtain independent practice rights.

Knowledge

This sets out the minimum academic requirements to become a CILEx Practitioner. Applicants can demonstrate these by evidencing one of:

• Successful completion of the relevant CILEX Level 6 units (or equivalent CILEX Professional Qualification (CPQ) modules, or
• Holding an equivalent qualification, or
• Five portfolios from their work to evidence understanding

There is detailed guidance in the practitioner handbooks to help provide applicants with enough information to enable CRL to assess their knowledge and application of the subject area.

Experience

Everyone applying for admission as a CILEX Practitioner has to complete three ‘case outlines’ (explanations of cases they have worked on) to demonstrate their experience in the subject.

Applicants must also outline their general experience of working in legal practice for at least five years and the nature of their experience in the two years preceding their application (which must be in the area of practice for which they are seeking authorisation).

Skills

The skills section of the application process further divides into two parts:

1. Client Care and Legal Research
2. Demonstrating competence in the specialist area of practice

Client Care and Legal Research

Applicants can provide evidence of these skills in the following ways:

• CILEx Level 6 units in Client Care and Legal Research
• Holding a qualifying law degree* and an LPC or BPTC
• Holding an equivalent qualification that can be mapped to the skills outcomes
• Completing log sheets and portfolio which demonstrate meeting the outcomes set out in the competence framework

*A qualifying law degree or QLD is one defined as such by the SRA/BSB

Competence in the specialist area of practice

To meet this requirement, applicants must complete either:

• A course of study which satisfies the competencies, or
• Provide a logbook and portfolio which demonstrates meeting the outcomes in the competence framework

What is involved for the assessment?

Once CILEx Regulation has received an application for independent practice rights, we will consider an applicant’s eligibility prior to sending the application to an external advisor for formal assessment.

The assessment process may identified areas where further submissions are required and applicants will be given an opportunity to consider and address these.

What do I need to pass the assessment overall?

Applicants must be found to be competent in relation to the knowledge, experience and skills elements of the application to be authorised with independent practice rights.

What are the costs?

£450 for the application fee + approximately £35 for a Standard DBS check.

Who can apply?

Chartered Legal Executives with at least:

• 5 years’ qualifying employment, and
• which includes least 2 years’ in the specialist area of practice (accrued before or after becoming a chartered legal executive)

may apply for authorisation, by completing the assessment delivered by The University of Law.

There will be up to 4 assessment windows each year.

What is involved for the assessment?

The assessment is made up of two components:

• a multiple-choice examination (MCQ) to assess knowledge, and
• a Skills component to assess competence

The multiple-choice question component is a 90-minute assessment taken online in a closed-book environment. There are 45 questions.

The skills component has 2 elements both of which must be completed within 2 hours:

• The first element is an oral interviewing skills element, conducted via a video conferencing tool.
• The second element is a written submission, based on the first element, for example this may be a follow-up letter to the client confirming the points raised in the earlier interview, or it may be correspondence with a witness (factual or expert) or with the opponent building on the content of the oral element.

What do I need to pass the assessment overall?

 The pass mark for the knowledge test is 50% and applicants need to receive a ‘competent’ assessed grade for skills component.

What are the costs?

The assessment only option with The University of Law costs £600.

In addition to the fees payable to The University of Law, applicants will be asked to complete a Standard DBS check by CILEx Regulation. CILEx Regulation use uCheck for all DBS applications and the fee for a Standard DBS check costs less than £35.

Scheduled assessment windows

2024-2025 and 2025-2026

*please note that all results publication dates are provisional; the programme team will advise you if the provisional date and time stated here will change.

Note 1: Candidates book through the University of Law e-store (which will close at 12 noon on the closing date).

• Following booking, candidates will be required to complete an additional step of Online Enrolment with the University (candidates will be sent a link to do this).
• This Online Enrolment must be completed by candidates prior to the Start date, otherwise candidates will not be able to commence studies for that period and will need to start in a later period.
• Accordingly, best practice is not to leave the e-store booking to the last date identified because the further step of Online Enrolment will still need to be completed before the Start date. Please book as early as possible.

Note 2: The Summative (final) Assessment has two components – a Skills Component (an oral exercise followed by a written exercise) lasting 2 hours, and a Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) Examination Component lasting 90 minutes. Both Assessment Components are conducted online only. In an Assessment period, the Skills Component will be individually scheduled for candidates for a 2 hour slot during that period; the MCQ Examination will be on the last day of the relevant Assessment period, as identified above.

As an example, for the December 2025 assessment point, the 2 hour Skills component will be scheduled 1 December inclusive to 10 December 2025 inclusive (weekdays), and the MCQ exam will be on 12 December 2025.

Note 3: All candidates will be issued with an online programme Handbook and a University of Law email account; it is very important to access the email account at least 3 times per week.

Learning Format and Time Demands – Assessment Only variant

For the Assessment Only Variant, you are not following a course of study but this Variant will require some dedication and time from you.

We would recommend the following as an indicative use of your time.

Assessment Only – Learning Format and Time Demands

This table shows indicative timings for the Variant

CILEx Regulation Limited Alternative Route to Advanced Practice Rights: Assessment Only Variant

Important information

• It is imperative to check the University of Law email account that will be issued to you – communication will not be to personal or work email accounts.
• The Skills Component of the Assessment will be an individually scheduled appointment during the final Assessment period. The University will ask you for your preferred timings, to be scheduled subject to demand and feasibility.

Who can apply?

Chartered Legal Executives with at least 5 years’ qualifying employment but who have not completed 2 years’ experience in the practice area for which they are seeking additional practice rights will be required to undertake training with The University of Law prior to completing the assessment. The training is provided online on a full time (12 weeks) or part time basis (24 weeks).

What is involved for the training?

Each module will be delivered online (but not live) to allow chartered legal executives to learn in their own time.

Learners will receive tutor support and there will be a blend of learning activities. The training is divided into units. Each unit focuses on the performance of activities and practical tasks, supported by regular feedback. This will be supplemented by a programme of recorded lectures and occasional group sessions.

Once the training has been completed, applicants may register for the assessments (outlined below).

What is involved for the assessment?

The assessment is made up of two components:

• a multiple-choice examination (MCQ) to assess knowledge, and
• a Skills component to assess competence

The multiple-choice question component is a 90-minute assessment taken online in a closed-book environment. There are 45 questions.

The skills component has 2 elements both of which must be completed within 2 hours:

• The first element is an oral interviewing skills element, conducted via a video conferencing tool.
• The second element is a written submission, based on the first element, for example this may be a follow-up letter to the client confirming the points raised in the earlier interview, or it may be correspondence with a witness (factual or expert) or with the opponent building on the content of the oral element.

What do I need to pass the assessment overall?

 The pass mark for the knowledge test is 50% and applicants need to receive a ‘competent’ assessed grade for skills component.

There will be up to 4 assessment windows each year.

Once the assessment has been successfully completed, applicants may apply for authorisation.

What are the costs?

The training and assessment option with The University of Law costs £2,250.

In addition to the fees payable to The University of Law, applicants will be asked to complete a Standard DBS check by CILEx Regulation. CILEx Regulation use uCheck for all DBS applications and the fee for a Standard DBS check costs less than £35.

Scheduled training and assessment windows

2024-2025 and 2025-2026

*please note that all results publication dates are provisional; the programme team will advise you if the provisional date and time stated here will change.

Note 1: Candidates book through the University of Law e-store (which will close at 12 noon on the closing date).

Following booking, candidates will be required to complete an additional step of Online Enrolment with the University (candidates will be sent a link to do this).

This Online Enrolment must be completed by candidates prior to the Start date, otherwise candidates will not be able to commence studies for that period and will need to start in a later period.

Accordingly, best practice is not to leave the e-store booking to the last date identified because the further step of Online Enrolment will still need to be completed before the Start date. Please book as early as possible.

Note 2: The Summative (final) Assessment has two Components – a Skills Component (an oral exercise followed by a written exercise) lasting 2 hours, and a Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) Examination Component lasting 90 minutes. Both Assessment Components are conducted online only. In an Assessment period, the Skills Component will be individually scheduled for candidates for a 2 hour slot during that period; the MCQ Examination will be on the last day of the relevant Assessment period, as identified above.

As an example, for the December 2025 assessment point, the 2 hour Skills Component will be scheduled 1 December inclusive to 10 December 2025 inclusive (weekdays), and the MCQ Examination Component will be on 12 December 2025.

Note 3: All candidates will be issued with an online programme Handbook and a University of Law email account; it is very important to access the email account at least 3 times per week.

Learning Format and Time Demands – Module (Training) & Assessment Variant

Your module is delivered using The University of Law’s Prepare – Engage – Consolidate (PEC) model.

• Prepare: at the start of each Unit of study you will become familiar with the core principles of your study through self-guided activities, this is ‘Learning input’; then

• Engage: discuss, evaluate, and challenge that study through active engagement; this is ‘Learning use’; and then

• Consolidate: reach your conclusions and/or investigate alternative application of your study through self-guided activities; this is ‘Learning enhancement’.

This model encourages your independent and deep learning. Module (Training) & Assessment – Learning Format and Time Demands

These tables indicate the styles of learning and tasks used in the PEC model for the Module (Training) & Assessment variant, as well as the indicative time demands for successful completion.

You have one Unit to complete every two weeks. You can work ahead because all the Units are uploaded at the start of your study period.

CILEx Regulation Limited Alternative Route to Advanced Practice Rights: Module (Training) & Assessment variant

Important Information

• This is a rigorous module of study and will require your active engagement with your study in the region of 5 to 6 hours per week / 11 to 12 hours per fortnight.

• In addition to the time requirements set out above, additional time will be required for the formative (mock) assessment during the module, and also for the final assessment period.

• Your learning will be supported by Live Subject Support Sessions (5 of these per module, approximately one per month)

*Please note that this is not a lecture-heavy module; please do not expect lectures in every Unit of study. You will have access to recordings of any lectures used. The Live Subject Support Sessions with your tutors are used to pick up and address questions you may have about your work (particularly your Engage tasks); they are not lectures.

**The module is delivered asynchronously meaning that this learning will be deadline-driven, to complete by the end of the fortnight rather than in a set 2-hour block.