MPs approve conveyancing and probate practice rights for CILEx members

8 September 2014

MPs have passed an order to allow the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx), through its regulator ILEX Professional Standards (IPS), to approve conveyancing and probate practitioners. The order now moves to the House of Lords where Peers will debate the order on their return from recess in mid-October.

Speaking in the debate, Justice Minister Shailesh Vara MP said that CILEx’s expansion in the legal services market “…will help to contribute to the growth of the legal services market, and bring further innovations leading to benefits for consumers of legal services.”

Supporting the order, Shadow Justice Minister Andy Slaughter MP said; “As would often be the case; the person within a firm, and particularly now within ABSs who has the most experience of doing this type of work would quite likely be a Chartered Legal Executive. It is nonsensical that these people are hampered and restrained in this way.”

The order followed applications by CILEx and IPS to the Legal Services Board, which were subsequently approved by the Lord Chancellor. Further orders are to be made later this year to establish protection arrangements for consumers that will enable IPS to begin regulating businesses as well as individuals.

You can click here to see video of the debate.