Become an Advocate
The Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX)
offers a further qualification that can bring you the status of
Legal Executive Advocate. Rights of audience allow you to offer a
complete service to a client – from initial advice, through to case
preparation and presentation before the courts.
Rights of audience for Legal Executive
Advocates are available in:
- Civil Proceedings
- Family Proceedings
- Criminal Proceedings.
The course is open to you if you are a Member
or Fellow seeking rights in the area in which you practice,
although if you are a Member you will not be able to exercise
advocacy rights until you qualify as a Fellow. You will need to
complete an application to ILEX for a Certificate of Eligibility
which requires you to show that you have the necessary
level of legal knowledge and experience before you can undertake
the six-day course.
The application will require details of your
existing knowledge and experience in the area in which you seek
rights, and will include the completion of a portfolio of
experience. If your application to enrol is approved, you will be
able to take a 6-day course focusing on advocacy skills training.
The final day of the advocacy skills course involves an assessment
of your advocacy skills and knowledge of the law of evidence.
You must choose the area of Advocacy you wish to specialise
in, although it is possible to hold a certificate in more than one
area with the appropriate training.
As a Legal Executive Advocate, you will be required to renew
your Certificate within one year of issue, and then every three
years after that. At the first renewal you must produce a
portfolio detailing the advocacy experience you have
gained. You must also complete CPD each year on advocacy
skills.
The Rights of Audience for Legal
Executives
ILEX will be able to grant the following rights of audience:
Civil Proceedings
Certificate
- to appear in open Court in the County Court in all actions,
except family proceedings;
- to appear before Justices or a District Judge (Magistrates
Court) in the Magistrates Courts in relation to all matters
originating by complaint or application, including applications
under the licensing, betting and gaming legislation;
- to appear before any tribunal under the supervision of the
Council on Tribunals where the tribunal rules provide for a
non-discretionary right of audience being available to barristers
and solicitors;
- to appear before Coroners’ Courts in respect of all matters
determined by those Courts and to exercise rights of audience
similar to those exercised by solicitors and barristers.
Family Proceedings
Certificate
- to appear in Court (including in open court) in all County
Court family proceedings;
- to appear before Justices or a District Judge (Magistrates
Court) in the Family Proceedings Courts;
- to appear before Coroners’ Courts in respect of all matters
determined by those Courts, and to exercise rights of audience
similar to those exercised by solicitors and barristers.
Criminal Proceedings
Certificate
- to appear before Justices or a District Judge (Magistrates’
Court) in all adult magistrates courts in relation to all matters
within that Court’s criminal jurisdiction;
- to appear before Justices or a District Judge (Magistrates’
Court) in all Youth Courts in relation to all matters within that
Court’s criminal jurisdiction.
- to appear in the Crown Court or High Court before a judge in
chambers to conduct bail applications;
- to appear in the Crown Court on appeal from the Magistrates’
Court, the Youth Court or on committal of an adult for sentence or
to be dealt with, if s/he, or any solicitor by whom s/he is
employed or any other solicitor or Fellow in the same employment as
her/him, appeared on behalf of the defendant in the Magistrates’
Court or Youth Court;
- to appear before Coroners’ Courts in respect of all matters
determined by those Courts, and to exercise rights of audience
similar to those exercised by solicitors and barristers.
Next Steps
If you are interested in obtaining extended rights
of audience, please contact Mrs Baljeet Basra within our
Professional Development and Regulation Department (mailtp:bbasra@ilex.org.uk) so
that an application pack can be sent to you. Alternatively,
follow these links to download the application pack:
The course provider accredited by ILEX to
provide the advocacy skills training is www.altior.co.uk
Read more about the
course.