ILEX Advocate-Managers
The Legal Services Board has approved an
application by ILEX Professional Standards to amend the Rights of
Audience Certification rules under which Fellows qualify as
advocates. ILEX members who are authorised advocates can now also
be ‘managers’ in legal practices and ‘managers’ who specialise in
litigation can become advocates. The decision of the LSB took
effect on 23 December 2010.
The revision to the Rights of Audience rules
tidies up an anomaly caused by changes in the legal services
legislation and the solicitors’ code which made it possible for
ILEX Fellows to become ‘managers’ in solicitors’ practices.
‘Managers’ in this context includes partners and owners in
practices regulated by the SRA. The rules previously required
Fellows to be employees. As partners or owners, advocates and
prospective advocates could not meet that technical
requirement.
The rule amendments do not substantively
change the position of Advocates. They must still work in legal
practices which are authorised to provide litigation services, with
solicitors or other authorised litigators, but now it may be either
as employees or managers. The change does not allow them to
practise as independent advocates.
The LSB Decision document is attached. For details
of the route to qualify as an ILEX Advocate click here.
Posted 23.12.2010