Register of Fellows
IPS regulates all ILEX members. However the register of
Fellows is central to its success. The public, clients,
employers and the Legal Services Board must have confidence that
Fellows whose details appear on the register have all met the same
high standards to qualify; that they have maintained the standards
of competence and professional conduct required for them to remain
on the register; and that, where they fall below those standards,
effective arrangements are in place for them to be corrected.
In other words, that ILEX Fellows are fit to do the job today.
You can access the register of Fellows here. It shows any additional rights
achieved – qualification as an ILEX Advocate or membership of the
immigration advisors panel. There is also a link to information
about any disciplinary findings made against individual
Fellows. You can check if a member of ILEX has a disciplinary
record here.
Qualification
To qualify as a Fellow and be added to the register, ILEX
members must successfully complete the ILEX professional
qualification at Level 3 and Level 6 and have at least 5 years
experience in legal practice including 2 consecutive years after
the professional qualification has been completed. Full
details of the ILEX qualification can be accessed here.
Practice rights
Of all ILEX members, only Fellows and immigration advisors have
the status of Authorised Persons under the Legal Services Act.
This means they are the only ILEX members to hold certain
practise rights. All Fellows are Commissioners for Oaths.
Fellows who have qualified as advocates with ILEX can appear
in open court; and members of the immigration advisors' panel can
provide immigration advice and services. You can access further
information about the ILEX advocacy qualification here and the immigration practitioners'
panel here.
Legal services which are regulated by the Legal Services Act and
can be provided only by authorised practitioners (or under
their supervision) include: litigation, advocacy, probate,
conveyancing, the administration of oaths and notarial activities
and immigration advice.
Continuing professional
development
All Fellows must complete 16 hours of continuing professional
development (CPD) each year in order to remain on the register.
At least half of the hours must relate to the Fellow's
specialist area of work. ILEX Advocates must include 5 hours
of advocacy skills training as part of their CPD. Graduate Members
and Associates of ILEX must complete 8 and 12 hours CPD,
respectively, each year. Further details of the CPD
requirements can be accessed here. IPS will be reviewing these
requirements towards the end of 2010.