15 February 2010

ILEX looks for number 1

The Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX) has launched its annual search to recognise and reward the achievements of its top members, students and supporters through its annual medals scheme.

Within the celebrations, there are four categories of recognition:

• The ILEX Student of the Year Medal – awarded to the student who has achieved the highest average score in their ILEX Level 6 Professional Higher Diploma in Law/Law and Practice subjects.
• The ILEX Employer of the Year Medal – recognises the support and encouragement that so many ILEX members and students receive from their employers when pursuing the ILEX route to becoming a qualified lawyer.
• The ILEX President’s Medal – a discretionary medal which recognises an individual who has given outstanding service to ILEX or the legal community and who represents ILEX’s values and ethos.

The winners of these medals will rightly gain recognition by their peers, with the medals being presented on the first day of our Graduation Ceremony on 11 April 2011.

• The ILEX Pro Bono Medal – recognises outstanding dedication of an ILEX member who offers their expertise on a Pro Bono basis to those who need it.

The Pro Bono Medal will be awarded at the prestigious ILEX Presidential Luncheon on 19 May 2011 at The Northumberland, London, at which the Attorney General will be speaking.

Winner of the 2009 Pro Bono Medal was Legal Executive lawyer Philip Warford of Brighton’s Renaissance Legal. He says those who carry out pro-bono work usually don’t do it for glory, but it’s great being thanked for your work: “When you start taking on Pro-Bono work, you don’t do it to win awards, you do it so you can help provide legal advice to those who need it but can’t afford it.

“When I was announced as winner of the Pro-Bono award I was very proud and it helped gain some extra publicity for MENCAP and the other charities I had been working with. So, if you have a legal executive giving you pro-bono work, please nominate them and show how important they are to you and your organisation.”

Chief Executive of ILEX, Diane Burleigh, added: “Awarding these medals is just one small way that ILEX can say thank you to its members that have gone above and beyond the call of duty. Many of us will know of a colleague who has strived for exceptional quality when carrying out work, or has given up hours of free time to give charities or individuals free legal support. It’s these people we want to hear about so we can ensure they get the recognition they deserve.”

Closing date for entries and nominations is 25 March 2011 and more information and entry forms can be downloaded from the http://www.ilex.org.uk/media/ilex_medals.aspx

ENDS