CILEX Legal Executive Employment Contract UK

Responsibilities reflected in the contract

• Manage allocated legal matters within competence.
• Advise clients and progress procedural steps.
• Maintain accurate files deadlines and costs information.
• Protect privilege client money and confidential data.
• Complete CPD and escalate reserved or unfamiliar work.

A realistic working scenario

Working from the legal office, client meeting rooms or at court/tribunal, the Legal Executive (CILEX) opens and updates matters in the matter-management system, prepares and files court papers using the document-management and secure email systems, checks the conflicts register before taking instructions, monitors the matters’ deadline dashboards and immediately escalates any missed-handovers, client-money discrepancies, undertaking breaches or potential professional-conduct issues to the practice manager, partner or other authorised reviewer named in supervision arrangements.

Outputs to agree

• Accurate matter file entries and attendance notes in the matter-management system for each client interaction
• Filed court/tribunal documents and proof-of-service records uploaded to the document-management system and retained on the matter
• Conflict-checks (conflicts register) completed and recorded before new instructions are accepted
• Deadline register updates and calendar entries for hearings, limitation dates and contractual cut-offs
• Referral/escalation reports for client-money, undertaking breaches, missed deadlines or conduct concerns submitted to the authorised reviewer

Records and evidence

• Matter-management system file (client file, attendance notes, chronology).
• Document-management system copies of court papers, correspondence and signed settlements.
• Conflicts register checks and the recorded outcome.
• Deadline dashboard entries and evidence of calendar notifications.
• Client-money and undertaking transaction logs or referral forms.
• Client files.

Reporting relationship

Typically reports to Supervising Solicitor, Practice Manager, Legal Director or Head of Department. Confirm the employer's actual reporting structure in the builder.

Authority and escalation

• May progress routine client communications, draft documents and administrative steps recorded on the matter-management system and signpost clients within agreed supervision arrangements. Must not authorise release of client money, discharge undertakings, approve final settlement terms or close files without explicit approval from the named authorised reviewer (partner, practice manager or other authorised legal staff). All suspected client-money discrepancies, undertaking breaches, missed or at-risk deadlines, and any potential professional-conduct incidents must be escalated immediately using the employer’s escalation route.
• Obtain approval before committing expenditure, changing contractual commitments or making regulated or staffing decisions outside the assigned role.

Tools and systems

• Case management systems.
• Document management systems.
• Secure email.
• Legal research tools.
• Deadline or diary systems.

Workplace context

• Legal office, client meeting rooms, court or tribunal locations where required and secure administration spaces.

Contract priorities

• Progress legal matters, client communications and documents only within demonstrated competence and recorded authority limits
• Maintain accurate client files, attendance notes, court/tribunal/transaction records and key deadlines in the matter-management and document-management systems
• Protect legal privilege, client confidentiality, settlement discussions and matter strategy in all communications and file handling
• Complete conflicts checks and record outcomes on the conflicts register before accepting instructions
• Escalate client-money, undertaking, deadline or professional-conduct concerns promptly to the authorised reviewer

Information the employer should prepare

• the practice area and authorised activities
• the qualification membership and supervision
• the caseload advocacy and signing authority
• the billing target and client-money access
• the CPD indemnity and conduct arrangements