Stats show law graduates choosing alternative route to qualification as lawyer

28 March 2014

The latest statistics from the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) show that law graduates are continuing to choose this affordable route to become qualified lawyers. The CILEx January 2014 exam results released today show that the CILEx Graduate Fast-track Diploma (GFTD) qualification is proving a viable alternative to the Legal Practice Course (LPC), with nearly 50% more students sitting for this one year qualification.

CILEx’s GFTD qualification is the equivalent of the LPC or the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) but enables students to become lawyers without undertaking a training contract or pupillage. Instead, these students need to complete three years’ qualifying employment to become a CILEx lawyer, during which time they gain the experience to meet the Fellowship criteria.

It is also very affordable, and typically costs £2,500 including all exam, exemption and membership fees. This will be welcome news to law students who heard this week that the average cost of the BPTC has risen by more than £1,000 in two years with the most expensive passing the £18,000 mark.

William Cason (pictured), a trainee at Jackamans Solicitors took the GFTD and said: “It’s a fantastic programme that enabled me to get qualified while I worked and helped me secure my dream career. It was also considerably cheaper than the LPC.”

A comparison of applications for the course between October to December 2013 to the same period in 2012 shows a 47% increase in students opting to take this route. University graduates with a law degree or the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) conversion course can take CILEx’s graduate route to qualification.

Thousands of other CILEx students will also be celebrating this weekend as nearly 4,000 will receive the results of their January exams: 70% of CILEx students will learn they have passed their Level 3 units and 35% of those have attained a distinction. The Level 3 units are set and assessed at A level standard.

For the Level 6 exams, 56% of students passed their units which are set and assessed at honours degree level.

Head of qualifications at CILEx, Alison Hollyer, said: “Year upon year, CILEx students continue to demonstrate the flexibility, affordability and accessibility of the route into law that we offer. Our qualifications truly widen access to the legal profession and now with the inclusion of Legal Services Apprenticeships, there has never been a better time to consider CILEx for your route into a career in law.”

ENDS