Criminal Litigator Pathway

A downloadable calendar, course overview and a range of study planner options to successfully plan and track your progress. Your tutor will also assist you in creating a study plan based on your personal and professional circumstances.

Recorded lectures providing an introduction to and summary of each of the topics to be studied.

The core learning content for each topic is provided in an engaging and interactive way through our e-learning application, and available as downloadable course notes.

Lexis+ UK is a leading research platform from LexisNexis. Lexis+ UK provides the largest collection of UK law, up-to-date legislation, case law, commentary and comprehensive practical guidance. Learners can also obtain Lexis+ certification for both Legal Research and Practical Guidance, which is nationally recognised by law firms and demonstrates expertise to future employers. Access will be provided to Lexis+ UK during the period of the course up to the completion of the final assessment to allow for additional reading where required to assist in your depth of understanding.

Designed to assess understanding and recollection of the learning content and identify areas to revisit. Available to complete and repeat at any time, answers are automated with the correct answers and explanations provided.

Mock assessments are provided for each unit based on the learning outcomes required for the final assessment. 1:1 tutor feedback is provided on the attempt to assist in preparation for the final assessment.

48hr email response time from specialist tutors (Mon-Fri) to help with any course-related queries for each provided subject area.

You will need to complete at least 2,300 hours qualifying experience to apply to become a Chartered Legal Executive Litigator and Advocate (Criminal Litigation).  If you have passed the LPC or BTC you can claim a reduction of 644 hours for attendance on those courses (must not be concurrent to a period of Qualifying experience claimed.

To acquire ‘Qualifying Experience’, you will need to be undertaking work that ‘contributes to the provision of legal services’. This involves undertaking tasks that require the application of the law, legal practice, or procedure in areas such as:

• taking instructions from clients;
• advising and making recommendations to clients;
• drafting legal documents;
• undertaking legal research;
• corresponding with the parties to a legal matter;
• making decisions in a legal matter based on legal principles or rule of law;
• representing clients in negotiations and submissions.

To apply to have your experience assessed, you will need to complete and submit a Qualifying Experience Application Form with a reference from your supervisor and a non-refundable assessment fee to CILEX Regulation.

Your application will be assessed by a CILEX Regulation Officer who may write to you to ask for more information regarding your role(s). You will be notified of the Officer’s decision in writing.

As part of your journey to becoming a Chartered Legal Executive Litigator (Criminal Litigation), you will be required to compile two portfolios: a portfolio of work and a portfolio of litigation experience.

Within our course you are provided with structured support to help you prepare these portfolios, including guidance on how to organise your evidence, how to structure each example, and what types of content are most effective in demonstrating the required competencies.

A summary of each portfolio is noted below:

i) A portfolio of your work demonstrating competencies: An essential part of your application to become a Chartered Legal Executive Litigator (Criminal Litigation) is the portfolio of work. The purpose of the portfolio of work is to show that you can:

• identify, research and apply law and legal procedure;
• communicate with and represent your client effectively;
• understand your client and their expectations, evaluate their options and provide them with clear legal advice;
• manage your workload;
• understand the business environment in which you work;
• understand and comply with the professional conduct rules and equality legislation and issues;
• evaluate your professional skills and knowledge;
• establish effective professional relationships and an understanding of what information can/may be provided to others.

You will need to demonstrate this by meeting the competencies and outcomes.  You are required to demonstrate meeting 6 competencies, which are broken down into 25 compulsory outcomes plus 1 optional outcome. To do this, you must provide:

• 3 examples of meeting each outcome in competency 1, using 3 different types of documents used in Criminal Litigation activities; and
• 1 example of meeting each of the outcomes in competencies 2 to 6.

In total, you will need to provide 35 examples.

For each example you submit to demonstrate achieving each outcome, you need to submit a completed logbook sheet and supporting evidence. The outcomes must be achieved within 2 years prior to the date of your application.

ii) A portfolio of work demonstrating litigation experience: You must also submit a portfolio demonstrating your litigation experience which should comprise of 5 cases in which you demonstrate your experience of litigation during the 2 years proceeding your application. For each of the 5 cases included in your portfolio demonstrating your litigation experience, you need to set out the following:

• a concise description of the case, its progression and the outcome;
• the law arising in the case and its application to the facts;
• procedural or process issues, including the court and, where relevant, the track to which the case was allocated;
• evidential issues arising in the case;
• ethical or conduct issues arising in the case;
• funding issues arising in the case;
• research undertaken in the case, relating to law or procedure;
• decision making in the case and any advice taken on strategic issues in the case;
• any training or development needs identified, arising from the case

To apply to become a Chartered Legal Executive Litigator (Criminal Litigation) you need to submit the following:

• evidence of your qualifications
• a copy of the letter you received from CILEX Regulation confirming that you have met the minimum requirement of 2,300 hours of qualifying experience.
• a reference from your supervisor
• your portfolio of work against the competencies
• your portfolio demonstrating litigation experience
• completed application form

A non-refundable fee is charged by CILEX Regulation for assessing your application. Once you have submitted your application, an invoice will be raised and payment instructions will be provided.

Upon authorisation, you will be admitted as a Chartered Legal Executive Litigator (Criminal Litigation) and a Practice Rights certificate will be emailed to you.

As a Chartered Legal Executive Litigator (Criminal Litigation), who has been authorised by CILEx Regulation to undertake litigation (Criminal Litigation) practice rights, you will be able to undertake the following activities:

• Conduct litigation in all criminal proceedings.
• Administration of Oaths

Gaining practice rights is a significant milestone in your professional development. Authorisation as a Chartered Legal Executive Litigator (Criminal Litigation) confirms that you are legally permitted to conduct litigation in criminal proceedings, a reserved legal activity.

It demonstrates to employers, clients and the courts that you have met the rigorous standards set by CILEX Regulation in terms of knowledge, experience and professional competence. Your Practice Rights certificate is therefore not just a regulatory requirement; it is formal recognition of your status as an authorised legal professional.