Assessment Modules

CPQ contains three progressive qualifications: CILEX Diploma in Law, CILEX Advanced Diploma in Law and Practice and CILEX Professional Diploma in Legal Practice.

Each CPQ module has one online exam, with the exception of the Professional and Legal Skills modules at the Foundation and Advanced stages which have two online exams each, and at Professional stage where the Professional and Legal Skills module is assessed by an independent project.

CPQ exams assess knowledge and skills in a way that better reflects the realities of practising law. They become more complex at each stage and gradually shift in emphasis from testing knowledge of the law to focusing on how trainees evaluate and respond to complex problems or change; show informed, reasoned judgements; and present solutions to a client whilst considering their needs alongside any wider impact.

Foundation Stage: CILEX Diploma in Law

Foundation stage online exams test a trainee’s fundamental awareness of the law underpinning practice on the one hand and their regulatory responsibilities on the other. The exams will not only test recall of knowledge and understanding but will also include questions that test the trainee’s skill in analysing and applying the law. Exams F1, F2, F3, F4 and F6 contain multiple choice questions.

The modules in the Foundation stage are shown below:

– CPQ F1 Legal Systems
– CPQ F2 Law of Tort
– CPQ F3 Contract Law
– CPQ F4 Property and Private Client
– CPQ F5 and F6 Professional and Legal Skills

Advanced Stage: CILEX Advanced Diploma in Legal Practice

Advanced stage law and practice exams not only test a trainee’s knowledge of the law but also the application of the law to legal practice. Exams do this through a series of automated questions and a progressive case study. The case study focuses on a client from the start to the end of a case, or a procedure and tests a trainee’s ability apply the law, offer the correct advice to the client or identify an appropriate next step and to identify any ethnical, regulatory or risk related issues.

The Advanced stage skills module has two exams:

Exam one, ‘Succeeding in the Legal Environment’, can be taken in the context of Dispute Resolution or Criminal Law and Litigation. This exam has a focus on communication and drafting, as well as managing a client, risk, and ethical and regulatory responsibility.

The second exam, ‘Legal Accounts and Legal Research’, tests both a trainee’s understanding of the CILEX accounts rules and their competence in carrying out legal research and preparing a report.

The modules in the Advanced stage are shown below:
One optional module must be chosen.

– CPQ A1 Dispute Resolution and Litigation
– CPQ A2 Criminal Law and Litigation
– CPQ A3 Property and Conveyancing (optional)
– CPQ A4 and A5 Professional and Legal Skills
– CPQ A6 Will Probate and Private Client (optional)
– CPQ A7 Family Law and Practice (optional)
– CPQ A8 Business and Employment Law (optional)

Professional Stage: CILEX Professional Diploma in Legal Practice

Professional stage law and practice exams are designed to mirror a working day in legal practice. Client case study scenarios will be issued to trainees as pre-reading on the morning of the exam; tasks relating to those client scenarios will be assessed in the exam in the afternoon. Those tasks include drafting of correspondence and other key documentation.

The modules in the Professional stage are shown below:
One optional module must be chosen.

– CPQ P1 Professional Skills Project
– CPQ P2 Dispute Resolution (optional)
– CPQ P3 Criminal Law and Litigation (optional)
– CPQ P4 Residential Conveyancing (optional)
– CPQ A6 Will Probate and Private Client (optional)
– CPQ P5 Commercial Conveyancing (optional)
– CPQ P6 Probate and Private Client (optional)
– CPQ P7 Family Law and Litigation (optional)
– CPQ P8 Employment Law and Practice (optional)
– CPQ P9 Business and Commercial Law and Practice (optional)
– CPQ P10 Immigration Law and Practice (optional)

Professional stage exams are synoptic: this means they pull together the knowledge and skills developed whilst progressing through the CPQ, from both the Foundation and Advanced stage modules. The exams particularly focus on skills, application of the knowledge learnt across the practice pathway and the critical thinking skills which follow, communication and drafting.

The assessment of professional skills at the Professional stage enables trainees to produce a business report relevant to their employment. Drawing on learning and skills acquired through the CPQ, the trainee will define their research areas, considering a problem statement or, alternatively, an area of relevance to the firm/legal department in which they work.

CPQ and Professional Experience

CPQ is a qualification focused on developing skills, knowledge and behaviours employers have told us are essential. As such, CILEX views Professional Experience as fundamental to the attainment and demonstration of competence with their employer. With CPQ, there is an opportunity for a trainee studying and in employment to clearly articulate the level of competence they should be working towards and to map the progress they have made. At CPQ Professional stage Professional Experience is mandatory and fulfils the regulatory requirement of a CILEX Lawyer. Read more about the CILEX Regulations Professional Experience requirements here.

At Foundation and Advanced stages of CPQ, Professional Experience is optional and is completed at the discretion of both the trainee and their employer, should the trainee be working in a suitable role.

A trainee completing CPQ Foundation stage exams and Ethics without Professional experience will be awarded the CILEX Diploma in Law. On achievement of Professional Experience at Foundation stage, the full stage will be achieved and the membership designation CILEX Paralegal awarded.

A trainee completing CPQ Advanced stage exams and ethics without Professional experience will be awarded the CILEX Advanced Diploma in Law and Practice. On achievement of Professional Experience at Advanced stage, the full stage will be achieved and the membership designation CILEX Advanced Paralegal awarded.

Becoming a CILEX Lawyer

A CILEX Lawyer is a CILEX Fellow who can practise with equivalence to a solicitor, or other authorised person, in their area of practice or specialism.

CPQ is an approved route to studying and specialising in an area of law to become a CILEX Lawyer, with full practising rights where relevant.

Practice rights are available in the following reserved or regulated areas of activity:

• Reserved Instrument (Conveyancing) activities
• Probate activities
• Litigation & Advocacy for civil, criminal, or family proceedings
• Immigration and Asylum activities

Trainees wishing to qualify in the litigation pathways are required to complete the Advocacy course and pass the Advocacy assessment before becoming a CILEX Lawyer.

On completion of CPQ, which includes demonstrating achievement of Ethics and Professional Responsibility modules, Professional stage Pprofessional Eexperience and, for litigation pathways, an approved Advocacy course and Assessment, CILEX Regulation will grant authorisation.