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Cilex legal executive course advice please

5 replies

taylorsweet · 16/07/2013 16:29

Hi, I've been looking at both Legal executive and legal secretary courses at Cilex distance learning. Not sure which one is better? Has anyone studied with them and maybe can advise? From all research I've done it seems like salary for a secretary is almost same or even higher than a legal executive! Any tips would be appreciated. Thanks

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countydurhamlass · 16/07/2013 22:06

depends what you want to do. i was a legal secretary for 10 years. You basically are a secretary and are paid a secretary's wage. if you qualify as a legal executive then you can do pretty much a similar job to that of a solicitor (certain limitations apply) and work up to becoming a fellow of ilex and from there progress to be a solicitor. wages are better than a secretary but nowhere near a solicitor's wage. You do obviously have more responsibility and it would be an idea to get some work experience whilst you study.

again it depends what you want to do. if you want to be a legal secretary you dont necessarily need to do a course for it. You could get a job as a legal secretary whilst doing the executive course whereby you will get paid experience of the practical side of it

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taylorsweet · 17/07/2013 23:06

Thanks for the reply....I only saw it today! Would you say that it's quite a snobbish environment? People keep saying it's really stressful and lots of egos etc! I have always had an interest in law but that kind if outs me off!

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taylorsweet · 17/07/2013 23:08

Sorry I was meant to say puts me off

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countydurhamlass · 19/07/2013 00:47

it's very interesting, i have worked in a criminal law department and family law department. as a legal secretary you do have to be able to deal with difficult clients and it can be quite stressful as sometimes a solicitor wont want to speak to them, or that annoying client who is on the phone every day!

as a legal executive it's unlikely to be a 9am-5pm job. many legal executives and solicitors work until 9pm/10pm as many firms set you targets to meet which can be anywhere between 3-6 times your salary!

as for snobbish environment it depends! some law firms are quite relaxed (usually the smaller firms) but there are always some solicitors etc that are snobbish.

dont get me wrong, i have painted a bad picture but there are some positives, the rewarding outcomes when things go right, every day is different because you are dealing with different clients each day, for example one day it may be divorce based work, another may be care proceedings, one day you may have an emergency injunction (obviously in family department) so the variety keeps the job interesting. AND i did love my job. i have now left that sort of work because due to the changes in legal aid etc redundancies have been made and those left are expected to do more and take on more responsibility for no extra wages.

It is however a stressful job and the pay for a secretary is not good compared to other secretaries (eg medical secretaries) and PAs.

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taylorsweet · 19/07/2013 15:24

Thanks for your reply
Funny you say medical secretaries! I work in the nhs now and have thought of that but then I have no interest in medicine so it didn't appeal to me I only took the job as it was what I could get in these recession times !!!!
I don't dislike my job but I am not making good money so need to decide whether I would train more go into law or go and start a business if some sort!
Thanks for all your advice