30 September 2011

Irwin Mitchell turns to ILEX for Paralegal training

The Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX) will be providing paralegal training for one of the country’s biggest law firms as part of a three year contract.

Irwin Mitchell has turned to ILEX and ILEX Tutorial College (ITC) to tailor a programme with the firm to ensure its paralegals are among the best trained.

Chief Executive Officer at ILEX, Diane Burleigh, said: “In the past few months we’ve had some very large, national law firms coming to ILEX to develop their in-house training and we are delighted to now also be working in close partnership with Irwin Mitchell.

“ILEX represents over 10,000 Paralegals making us the largest Paralegal representative body in England and Wales. Irwin Mitchell clearly recognises the knowledge and professionalism that ILEX brings to the legal sector and understands the importance of ensuring that their paralegals are fully trained.”

Catherine Kenwright, the Firm’s Head of Knowledge and Learning Services adds, “The Irwin Mitchell University (IMU) Law and Business School, which launched this year, is a career-spanning development programme for our people, from paralegals to partners. It is designed to equip them with the legal and business skills they need to support our clients.

“The strategic relationship with ILEX and ITC has enabled us to go one step further than other UK Firms to develop a bespoke programme of education which meets our particular business and training needs at paralegal level, rather than simply placing individuals on ILEX standard courses. It strongly complements our strategic relationship with The College of Law, with whom we have also worked to develop similar blended graduate and post graduate programmes for trainees, solicitors and partners.”

The 15 paralegals started their IMU Certificate in Legal Practice with ITC on 8 September and will study units such as Tort, Contract, Civil Litigation and Client care and further internal business based subjects. On completion students will graduate with an externally recognised. ILEX Level 3 Professional Diploma in Law and Practice and the opportunity to progress further study with the IMU Law and Business School at the next stage of their career with the Firm. Further students will begin next calendar year.

Jenny Pelling, ITC’s Business Director, explained the process: “Irwin Mitchell employees would be studying with ITC by ‘blended’ distance learning with additional in-house face to face classes to give the students, and the firm, flexibility. The ILEX subjects will be interspersed with elements of the firm’s internal learning and development programme through the IMU Law and Business School.”

This news follows Yorkshire law firm Gordons and national firm DWF taking on legal apprentices who will study via the ILEX route to become Legal Executive Lawyers.

For more information about the ILEX route, visit our website http://www.ilexcareers.org.uk/ or contact ILEX Tutorial College at http://www.ilex-tutorial.ac.uk/ 01234 844326

ENDS