Legal executives are fee-earning qualified lawyers who undertake similar work to solicitors, specializing in a specific legal area such as litigation or conveyancing.
Legal executives are typically employed by law firms, public sector organizations and the in-house legal teams of commercial enterprises in the private sector.
Duties
- litigation
- assisting solicitors
- giving legal advice
- researching and preparing cases
- writing legal documents
- High Court or county court work
- dealing with legal matters such as writing wills, property conveyancing, custody cases and divorce settlements
Qualifications
There are routes into becoming a legal executive for both graduates and school leavers. For non-law graduates or school leavers, it takes on average four years to complete the academic qualifications.
Skills
- Independence
- Team-working
- Organization skills
- Communication skills
- Discretion
- Investigative skills
- Negotiating skills
- Ability to work under pressure