History of ILEX
In 1892 there is the first recorded meeting of some 291 managing
clerks at The Girdlers Hall in the City of London. Managing
Clerks featured in Victorian and Edwardian literature.
Charles Dickens was a Solicitor's Clerk (he drew on his
experience for characters in his novels) and a solicitor's
managing clerk is featured in Galsworthy's Justice).
In 1928 managing clerks felt the time had come to regulate
their branch of the legal profession and to create a proper career
structure for themselves. This resulted in The Solicitors
Managing Clerks Association being incorporated as a
Company.
After the Second World War there was a hiatus in the legal
profession due to the lack of training of Solicitors during
the war years. This led to many Admitted Managing Clerks
being taken into partnership in their firms, but it also resulted
in people coming into the profession with little legal knowledge or
experience to carry out the work of a lawyer. Both the
Association, Law Society and Bar Council were powerless to
stop unsuitable (ie inexperienced) people calling themselves
Managing Clerks.
As a result, after consultation between the Council of the
Association and the Law Society, it was decided that the problem
should be resolved by creating a new form of lawyer known as a
"Legal Executive" . The Institute of Legal Executives was created
on 1st January 1963 with the full support of the Law
Society, the Bar Council and the Judiciary. From this
comparatively simple beginning the Institute has grown so
that in its 45th (or 80th or
116th) year it is now a major legal body serving a
profession of around 22,000 members.
Today our examination standards are similar to those of the Law
Society and are set at degree level. Like Solicitors and
Barristers, ILEX Fellows have to comply with continuing
education and meet a minimum of CPD (Continuing Professional
Development) points each year as a condition of their
Practising Certificates. ILEX members are encouraged to do Pro
Bono work (for which CPD points can be gained) and work regularly
with the other branches of the profession in promoting this to the
public.
Our Fellows are also Commissioners of Oaths and Advocates with
expanding rights of audience in the Courts - a far cry from
the limited rights of audience in Chambers of the early days! Many
Fellows have become Associates in their firms – the equivalent of
salaried partners and recognised as such.
ILEX Fellows are now able to practice on their own and not just
as employees of firms. As a professional body ILEX
is respected and recognised today as one of three branches of
the legal profession on equal footing with the Law Society and the
Bar Council. It is a full member of the Commonwealth
Lawyers Association. Its members can apply to become part of
the judiciary. It is consulted by government bodies and
its Law Reform Committee is regularly involved in advising on
proposed new legislation.
The Institute has come a long way and has no intention of
resting on its laurels. Its motto is "Progressus per
Peritiam" which translates as Advancement through Knowledge.
Our Coat of Arms has a wavy blue Chevron on the shield alluding to
the river bend – in Celtic Cembes from which Kemp in the name
Kempston is derived. The swords of Justice are inflamed in
allusion to the torch of knowledge, the furtherance of both justice
and knowledge being inherent in the principles of the
Institute. The sword of Justice is shown in the crest which
includes two branches of holly ILEX AQUIFOLIUM an allusion to
the abbreviation of the Institute's official title. Motto and
Coat of Arms represent our aims for both the present and the
future.
Joyce Arram F.Inst L.Ex., FRSA
Hon Vice President ILEX
Published in March 2008