Changes to the Level 3 Qualification

ILEX has reviewed and re-developed the Level 3 qualification during the last year. The ILEX Level 3 Professional Diploma in Law and Practice is the new qualification, and is now replacing the ILEX Level 3 Professional Diploma in Law.

For those wishing to train to become Legal Executives, the Level 3 Diploma in Law and Practice course will be available for first teaching from September 2008, with first examination sessions in January 2009 and June 2009.

There is no difference in overall level between the ILEX Level 3 Professional Diploma in Law and Practice and the ILEX Level 3 Professional Diploma in Law it replaces.

 In terms of the legal content, the ILEX Level 3 Professional Diploma in Law and Practice has strong similarities with the Diploma it replaces, but the big differences lie in how the new qualification is structured, as the table below shows.

The ILEX Level 3 suite of units:

Unit
Unit 1	Introduction to Law and Practice	Foundation Law unit: mandatory to all qualifications	Multiple choice test in January and June (1 hour duration)
Unit 2	Contract Law	Law	Examination twice a year in January and June (1.5 hours duration)
Unit 3	Criminal Law	Law
Unit 4	Land Law	Law
Unit 5	Law of Tort	Law
Unit 6	Employment Law	Law
Unit 7	Family Law	Law
Unit 8	Law of Wills and Succession	Law
Unit 9	Civil Litigation	Practice	Examination twice a year in January and June including pre-released case study materials (1.5 hours duration)
Unit 10	Conveyancing	Practice
Unit 11	Criminal Litigation	Practice
Unit 12	The Practice of Family Law	Practice
Unit 13	The Practice of Employment Law	Practice
Unit 14	Probate Practice	Practice
Unit 15	The Practice of Law for the Elderly Client	Practice
Unit 16	Client Care Skills	Professional Skills: mandatory to all qualifications	Internally assessed and externally moderated tasks
Unit 17	Legal Research Skills	Professional Skills: mandatory to all qualifications

The new ILEX Level 3 Professional Diploma in Law and Practice is a broad-based, practical introduction to law, legal practice and legal skills. The qualification consists of 10 units in total which are each assessed by ILEX and accumulated by the student. Students must also ensure that their choice of units complies with the following qualification rules:

• Students must take units 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 , 16 and 17
• Students must then take 3 other units, of which at least 2 units must be Practice units
• The third unit can be either a Law unit or a Practice unit.

Note: Within the range of new level 3 qualifications, ILEX is also offering a ILEX Level 3 Certificate in Law which, although based on the ILEX Level 3 Professional Diploma in Law and Practice units, is a shorter qualification.

Transition

Students already studying the superceeded Level  3 qualification will have until Autumn 2009 to complete their studies. Transitional arrangements will be put in place for those students who might need to use units from the current qualification to complete the older Level 3 Diploma in Law.

The new qualifications handbook is now available. This includes further information on the qualifications and outline the administration arrangements for the new qualifications.

If you have a query about the qualification redevelopment email feedback@ilex.org.uk

Other developments

The ILEX Level 3 Extended Diploma in Law and Practice has recently been accredited by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) regulator.

New ILEX Level 6 Professional Higher qualifications will also be available to students from September 2009. Watch these pages for further announcements.