CILEx inaugurates new President 

The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) has inaugurated Millicent ‘Millie’ Grant today as its 54th President.

A Chartered Legal Executive for almost 40 years, Millie, inspired by her barrister uncle who came to the UK from Jamaica, entered the profession as a legal secretary in the 1970s with the intention of qualifying as a Legal Executive. After qualifying as an Associate of the Institute, Millie has gone on to enjoy a career in both private practice and in-house for a number of public sector organisations. 

Since 2006, she has run her own consultancy advising and investigating issues arising from a range of employment matters and is also a trained executive and personal performance coach. She has been a member of CILEx Council since 2013 and became a Fellow of the Institute in 1991.

Alongside this, Millie has been a trustee and vice-chair of Knights Youth Centre in Lambeth for over 15 years and last year, was appointed chair of the charity’s board. The centre provides transformational opportunities to hundreds of young people each year across South London. 

Speaking about her inauguration, Millie says: “Becoming President of this great institute is one of the proudest moments of my career. Had I not discovered CILEx, I would not have enjoyed the varied and rewarding career that I have had. CILEx gave me the confidence to progress and I feel very privileged to now be in a position where I can help others achieve their legal career ambitions.

“As I embark on my term as President, I will be focused on delivering progression in the profession for all CILEx members. I am proud to be the figurehead for a highly diverse membership of over 20,000 Chartered Legal Executive lawyers, other legal practitioners and paralegals and am a big believer, indeed an example, that there is more than one route into the law. Yet, there are many areas where challenges lie ahead, one of which is tackling the notable diversity issues in the judiciary. 

“There is currently a cap on how far CILEx members can progress in the judiciary, and alongside our new judicial development programme, we will be lobbying for the removal of this artificial barrier so that there is parity with solicitors and barristers. The make-up of our membership – with 74% women and 32% of new students from a BAME background – means that Chartered Legal Executives can play a major role in improving diversity on the bench.” 

During her term, Millie will preside over significant regulatory reform, which will see CILEx separate out its duties to the public interest, the profession and independent regulation with a new governance structure that means it is prepared should the government choose to make legal regulators entirely independent.

The reforms, which will take effect from January 2018, are driven primarily by a desire to embed best practice within the organisation and ensure its operation is transparent and promotes good decision making. 

The CILEx Presidential office runs for 12 months from the date of inauguration. 

ENDS

Read Millie’s Inaugural Speech

Read Guest Speaker, Courtenay Griffiths QC Speech

For further information, please contact: 
Kerry Jack, Black Letter Communications on 020 3567 1208 or email: 
[email protected]