The CILEX Route to a Career in Law

Do you want to become a lawyer?
Do you want to avoid paying up to £9,000 per year in tuition fees?
Do you want to avoid running up a debt of up to around £50,000 or more?
Do you want to earn money whilst you train for a career in law?

If the answer to those questions is Yes then the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives course at Kingston College may be just what you are looking for!

Course Duration

To become a qualified Legal Executive takes four years’ part time study combined with qualifying employment in the legal sector.
With a further two years’ part-time study combined with qualifying employment in the legal sector and then the successful completion of a Legal Practice Course over one year, you can qualify as a solicitor without the need to undertake a two year training contract.

Course Costs

To become a graduate of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives will cost £5,000 over the four years of study.
To become eligible to undertake a Legal Practice Course enabling qualification as a solicitor will cost in the region of £9,000 over the six years of study.
(The above fees do not include registration and exam fees charged by the Institute)
Many employers sponsor their employees on this course and pay or contribute to the fees incurred.

Course Content

The first two years of the course (level 3) introduce the students to many areas of law and legal practice. The topics visited in these two years include, amongst others, Criminal Law, Contract Law, Land Law and a Legal Research module.  There are a total of ten units over the two years.  These are taught during one evening per week for three hours.

Then the students progress onto the second part of the course (level 6).  Over the following two years the students will undertake four subjects of their choice at degree standard alongside two professional skills units.  These are taught during the evening, two subjects each year, for a total of two hours each week per subject. 

After these four years the successful student will be a graduate member of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives. Then the student can choose to stop their studies at that point and work as a qualified Legal Executive being paid between £25,000 and £50,000 a year depending on employment.

Alternatively,  the student can carry on and complete a further five subjects over another two years.  Upon completion of these, the student is then entitled to take the Legal Practice Course.  After passing this course the student would graduate as a solicitor without the need to undertake a training contract. The reason for the absence of a requirement to complete a training contract is that in order to obtain the relevant qualifications the student will have undertaken the qualifying employment alongside their studies.

Entry Requirements

Although there are no formal entry requirements for the course, Kingston College feels this is an ideal route to becoming a lawyer for A level graduates considering options other than attending university.
CILEX does recommend that students embarking on this programme of study have at least a minimum of four GCSEs at grades C or above (including English Language or Literature) or equivalent qualifications.
All applicants will be considered by the College on their own merits.  However the students must be prepared for hard work, be motivated and be committed to achieving their goals.

Conclusion

To qualify as a solicitor through the traditional route of university, Legal Practice Course and a training contract will take a typical student six years.  The cost of this will be approximately £27,000 in tuition fees, approximately £12,000 in maintenance loans and a possible further £10,000 in accommodation fees if the student studies away from home.  The Legal Practice Course costs in the region of £12,000.

To qualify as a solicitor through the CILEX course and a Legal Practice Course will take a typical student seven years.  The cost of this will be approximately £9,000 in tuition fees (these fees do not include registration and exam fees charged by the Institute and the cost of the Legal Practice Course).

INTERESTED?

If you have any questions, want to find out more, want to ‘try before you buy’ and attend some taster sessions or wish to receive an application form please contact David Finch, the Head of Law at Kingston College.

TELEPHONE : 020 8268 3017                            EMAIL: david.finch@kingston-college.ac.uk