20 May 2011

Attorney General sings the praises of ILEX and IPS

The Attorney General, Dominic Grieve QC MP, at the annual Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX) President’s luncheon yesterday (19 May 2011) spoke of “a year of real achievement for ILEX and Legal Executives.”

You can view speeches by the Attorney General and ILEX President, David McGrady here.

He also went on to praise ILEX’s designation by Parliament as an approved regulator for awarding rights to conduct litigation saying this it is “a real vote of confidence in ILEX, and that it was clear from the comments of members of both Houses the high regard that ILEX and Legal Executives are held in.”

ILEX Professional Standards (IPS) carries out the regulatory activities in respect of ILEX’s members and the approval recognises IPS is a suitable body to carry out those activities.

Speaking to guests that included, amongst many others; Baroness Deech, The Honorable Mrs. Justice Dobbs, Judge Denzil Lush, Catherine McKinnell MP, Rt. Hon. Sir Malcolm Pill and His Honour Judge Phillip Sycamore, both the Attorney General and ILEX President, David McGrady, spoke of a ‘year of achievement’ for ILEX.

Milestones reached in the last 12 months have included:

• The first ILEX judge
• The first 100 ILEX partners (with the number still rising rapidly)
• Litigation rights for Associate Prosecutors
• A 40 per cent increase (from 2009 – 2010) in the number of exams being taken for the Level 3 Professional Diploma in Law and Practice
• ILEX remains the largest provider of qualifications, professional representation and regulation to paralegals.
• ILEX and IPS have become involved in the Joint Advocacy Group.

ILEX President, David McGrady added: “Since I took office, change has been all around me, from regulation to education, to ABS and new practice rights. It is this change that has brought new opportunities for ILEX members. ILEX is not fearful of change. ILEX knows where it is going, and what it wants to achieve. ILEX will embrace any further changes, not only for the benefit of our members but for the profession in general and the public we serve in particular.

But it was the Attorney General’s final comments that really summed up the growing strength of ILEX and Legal Executive Lawyers: “There is greater competition in the legal market and it is no longer just solicitors and barristers who provide legal services. I believe that in the legal market, as elsewhere, competition is usually a good thing. Legal Executives are well placed to take advantage of that competition. Many have done so already and I am sure that many more will do so in the future.”

ENDS