Boost your career as a CILEX Paralegal
Gain recognition for your legal experience and professionalism
Your route to a successful career as a paralegal
We recognise that many professionals working in paralegal roles may have extensive legal experience and expertise without necessarily having academic qualifications. We offer you the opportunity to gain professional status as a CILEX Paralegal through the CILEX Experience Assessment, which focuses on the experience you’ve gained.
Of course, you can also take the qualification route to become a CILEX Paralegal. Explore the CILEX Professional Qualification here.
What is a CILEX Paralegal?
Paralegals typically work closely with lawyers, conducting research for case work, interacting with clients, handling legal documents and managing court preparation.
They are an integral part of legal teams, which is why we’ve provided a dedicated membership route to give the recognition that’s deserved.
Benefits of gaining CILEX Paralegal status
1. Gain formal recognition
As a CILEX Paralegal, your knowledge, experience and contribution will be formally recognised with a professional status that you can proudly showcase to employers, clients and colleagues.
2. Progression opportunities
Whether you aim to excel in your current role or advance your legal career, the CILEX Paralegal status has been designed with input from employers to ensure your technical experience is acknowledged and valued.
3. Visibility on a public register
All CILEX Paralegals are included on the CILEX Professional Paralegal Register, providing clients with visibility and reassurance about the level of service you will provide.
4. Join a professional community
As a CILEX member, you’ll join a community of 18,000+ legal professionals, giving you the opportunity to expand your network and share knowledge.
The Experience Assessment Route process
The Experience Assessment Route evaluates your professional competence through:
- An application – the submission of narrative examples, demonstrating your legal experience and competences.
- An interview – only if you don’t have a valid referee for the CILEX Paralegal application.
Across the assessment, applicants will be assessed on their ability to meet the professional competences, outlined in the CILEX Competence Framework and the duties and associated behaviours, as detailed in the CILEX Experience Route Handbook.
The duties and behaviours to demonstrate
To become a CILEX Paralegal through the Experience Assessment Route, you’ll need over 2 years’ experience working in a legal role, and be able to demonstrate the duties and behaviours outlined below:
CILEX Paralegal duties
- Conduct: Provide high standard of client care, acting in the client’s best interest and upholding ethical conduct.
- Performing routine tasks: Supports others to complete routine tasks, conducting legal research and analysis using digital tools.
- Working with legal documents: Processes and drafts legal documents, demonstrating and understanding of the purpose of the document.
- Working in the client’s best interests: Acts in the best interest of the client, applying their knowledge of the law correctly to the client matter.
- Working with stakeholders and other professionals: Supports the team and engages with stakeholders to move transactions forward.
- Processing cases: Demonstrates understanding of the principles of workload management and progression of legal matters using systems and management tools.
- Commercial awareness: Recognises and supports the organisation’s commercial strategy and how to contribute towards achieving the aims and objectives.
- Managing data risks and other risks to the organisation: Demonstrates understanding of ley legislation and regulation. Has an awareness of the risks of data breach, money laundering, fraud and cyber security and how to protect organisations from these.
- Knowing your limit: Identifies the limits of their personal professional experience and competences and escalates instructions that are beyond their scope.
CILEX Paralegal behaviours
- Collaborative: Builds positive working relationships, respecting the views and opinion of others.
- Critical thinker: Collects and understand information, analyses and challenges it.
- Influencer: Creates a positive impact, communicates with others in a clear, conscious and purposeful way.
- Driven to deliver: Takes accountability for quality of work, builds effective delivery frameworks, organises and prioritises.
- Authentic: Builds trusted relationships, offers appropriate advice, acts reliably and with credibility.
- Curious: Future-focused, inquisitive and open-minded, showing interest in what is happening around them.
Experience Assessment Route Fees
| Assessment fee | Resubmission fee | |
| CILEX Paralegal | £945 | £200 |
In addition to the Experience Assessment fee, once approved and awarded your grade, you will be required to pay your CILEX membership fee.
Your next steps
Take the next step to achieving the recognition you deserve.
Join CILEX
Now that you understand the role and career benefits of being a CILEX Paralegal, why wait?
Apply today to embark on the journey towards professional excellence.