Legal Executive

IRISH RAIL

Hi guys just wondering if theres a difference between a soliciter and legal executive.
thanks

ParkRunner

A legal executive isn't a fully qualified solicitor..from my experience it is usually someone in the process of becoming a solicitor i.e doing their FE1 exams but they still work in a legal environment and do very similar work to solicitors

Our man in Havana

It is usually a title used on debt collection letters where a collection company does not use actual solicitors.

EdgarAllenPoo

Most of the time it's someone with a law or legal studies qualification. Though you don't really have to have any qualifications to get a job by that title in my experience.

Our man in Havana

A bit like installers masquerading as engineers. A self applied title to give an air of officialdom.

templetonpeck

Bond-007 wrote: »

A bit like installers masquerading as engineers. A self applied title to give an air of officialdom.

Working as a legal executive, for the past twelve years I strongly object to this remark.

I work in the conveyancing field and am extremely adept and skilled at my job, having achieved a diploma in legal studies and with a mountain of legal experience under my belt.

I certainly do not use any title to give myself an air of officialdom, I do what I am qualified to do and quite often end up showing solicitors where they are going wrong.

Our man in Havana

Sorry if I offended anyone.

I have had dealing with people calling themseleves Legal Executives who had no legal qualifications and it was obvious from my dealings with them. Normally people in the legal profession state their qualifications (solictors, barristers, legal studies etc) on their letters.

The point i was trying to make was that anyone can call themselves a legal exec. And in some instances the title could be used to frighten people esp on letters from debt collectors.

Maximilian

templetonpeck wrote: »

Working as a legal executive, for the past twelve years I strongly object to this remark.

I work in the conveyancing field and am extremely adept and skilled at my job, having achieved a diploma in legal studies and with a mountain of legal experience under my belt.

I certainly do not use any title to give myself an air of officialdom, I do what I am qualified to do and quite often end up showing solicitors where they are going wrong.

You are the exception to the rule I'm afraid. I've dealt with a lot of LE's and a great many don't know their ass from a hole in the ground, yet think they do. You could say the same thing about many solicitors & barristers too of course.

Out of interest, you've been doing this so long - why not go and qualify as a solicitor?

IRISH RAIL

Thanks very much guys I knew there was something up I owe u a pint

templetonpeck

Bond-007 wrote: »

Sorry if I offended anyone.

I have had dealing with people calling themseleves Legal Executives who had no legal qualifications and it was obvious from my dealings with them. Normally people in the legal profession state their qualifications (solictors, barristers, legal studies etc) on their letters.

The point i was trying to make was that anyone can call themselves a legal exec. And in some instances the title could be used to frighten people esp on letters from debt collectors.

An Institute of Legal Executives now exists and if a Legal Exec is truly serious about their position and worth their salt they'll join the institute, like I have.

I have worked, as I said, as a Legal Executive for 12 years now and any fellow Legal Executives I have dealt with have been extremely professional and easy to deal with.

Like every profession, you get those who are good at their job and those who aren't, doesn't mean you tar everyone with the same brush.

templetonpeck

Maximilian wrote: »

You are the exception to the rule I'm afraid. I've dealt with a lot of LE's and a great many don't know their ass from a hole in the ground, yet think they do. You could say the same thing about many solicitors & barristers too of course.

Out of interest, you've been doing this so long - why not go and qualify as a solicitor?

As I've said, I've dealt with plenty of legal exec's, the majority very capable and more importantly a lot of them willing to say if they don't know something and ready to refer to their solicitor. As you say, the same criticisms here could be made against any profession.

As a legal executive, it does annoy me that we aren't given full credit for the work we do.

I should have done my solicitor's exams a long time ago, but I've a mortgage to pay so I can't give up work to do a full time course, and as it can't be done part time, I've no choice.

But more importantly, I work in a small office and get plenty of experience and job satisfaction where I am.

walrusgumble

templetonpeck wrote: »

As I've said, I've dealt with plenty of legal exec's, the majority very capable and more importantly a lot of them willing to say if they don't know something and ready to refer to their solicitor. As you say, the same criticisms here could be made against any profession.

As a legal executive, it does annoy me that we aren't given full credit for the work we do.

I should have done my solicitor's exams a long time ago, but I've a mortgage to pay so I can't give up work to do a full time course, and as it can't be done part time, I've no choice.

But more importantly, I work in a small office and get plenty of experience and job satisfaction where I am.

with your experience i would i quess you would be a person your boss i.e. principal solicitor would speak to you and appreciate your judgement if say eg he or she was looking for new staff etc

my question is, in general, would spending 2-3 years as a legal ex(i heard you can't call yourself one until you enrol with the institute) or a role indentical (all but title), with a legal studies/law degree and good grades (fe1) and good experience in office and dealing with barristers etc and having strong pratical (adminsitrative side of things) and theorical experience of areas practiced by a potential employer would greatly strenghten/improve ones chances of getting an apprentice if offered by practices?

if one does not make it in the exams for solicitors or loses interst (lack of money being a major reason to continue studies) what is the attractions for yourself and potential employer to actually do the course and get registered as an legal ex ? or is it just a money scam by the institute, are there any real benefits? would it open more doors in the work place as oppose to the conventional solicitors office? (genuine question)

templetonpeck

walrusgumble wrote: »

with your experience i would i quess you would be a person your boss i.e. principal solicitor would speak to you and appreciate your judgement if say eg he or she was looking for new staff etc

my question is, in general, would spending 2-3 years as a legal ex(i heard you can't call yourself one until you enrol with the institute) or a role indentical (all but title), with a legal studies/law degree and good grades (fe1) and good experience in office and dealing with barristers etc and having strong pratical (adminsitrative side of things) and theorical experience of areas practiced by a potential employer would greatly strenghten/improve ones chances of getting an apprentice if offered by practices?

if one does not make it in the exams for solicitors or loses interst (lack of money being a major reason to continue studies) what is the attractions for yourself and potential employer to actually do the course and get registered as an legal ex ? or is it just a money scam by the institute, are there any real benefits? would it open more doors in the work place as oppose to the conventional solicitors office? (genuine question)

Sorry for taking so long to reply to you, I don't click in here very often

As regards your question about apprenticeships...it seems to me that no matter how much office experience and education you have under your belt it seems to be a system of who you know. We don't take on apprentices, strictly because we're a small office and haven't the room. However if we did and your application came through with all your experience both practical and theoretical yours would definitely be an application that would be given priority.

As regards the Institute of Legal Execs...they only people that say you can't call yourself a Legal Exec unless you're registered, is the institute themselves. Before the institute was founded plenty of people, including me called themselves Legal Executives because that is what you are.

Not many solicitors know about the Institute so I would doubt whether you're registered with them or not would have any great bearing on whether they would hire you. But it is a good thing to have on your CV and I do believe that in time more people will become registered with them and it will become a more regulated community.

As to whether it would open more doors, again I say, if you have two legal executives in front of you in an interview, both of equal standing, one has registered and one hasn't I would consider the former for the position, simply because they went to the bother to take their qualifications as far as they could.

I hope that answers your questions