First Chartered Legal Executive awarded Honorary Queen’s Counsel
First Chartered Legal Executive awarded Honorary Queen’s Counsel
17 January 2020
Millicent Grant has become the first Chartered Legal Executive to be appointed an Honorary Queen’s Counsel.
Millicent, a Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) board member and a former CILEx President had her appointment approved by Her Majesty yesterday, along with 9 other Honorary QCs awarded to those who have made a major contribution to the law of England and Wales, outside practice in the courts.
Millicent was the first person from a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) background to lead a legal professional membership body and has worked to tackle diversity and inclusion in the legal profession and the judiciary. She gave evidence to the Constitution Committee regarding the eligibility of Chartered Legal Executives for judicial appointment and contributed to the Pre-Application Judicial Education (PAJE) group and programme.
Her commitment to supporting BAME lawyers and aspiring lawyers, and to championing diversity across the whole legal profession, led to her being awarded the UK Diversity Legal Awards of ‘Black Solicitors Network Lawyer of the Year’ in 2017.
She is an ambassador for social mobility and Chair of the Knights Youth Centre. She has provided coaching support to senior managers in the public sector and to employees wanting to progress in their profession, as well as working as a tutor to those studying for CILEx level 3 qualifications.
Honorary QCs are awarded by the Queen, on the advice of the Lord Chancellor. He is advised by a panel of representatives from the legal profession, civil service, judiciary, and academia.
Millicent Grant says, “It is an honour to be recognised for my work, both as an advocate for CILEx and for diversity in the legal profession more broadly. I am a big believer that there is more than one route into the law and that CILEx, with its diverse membership, has an important role to play in bringing people from a range of different backgrounds into the legal profession.”
Matthew Foster, President of CILEx says, “Millie has been a Chartered Legal Executive for over 30 years and is an inspiration to many of us. Her appointment as an Honorary QC, is richly and warmly deserved, as the first Chartered Legal Executive to achieve such an honour, it is a considerable achievement and recognition of the important role that CILEx have to play in our legal system.”
Professor Chris Bones, Chair of CILEx says, “This appointment demonstrates that the sky is the limit for Chartered Legal Executives. It shows there is space at the top of the profession for lawyers from all backgrounds, including those who have taken the CILEx route to qualification. It’s an important moment for our organisation and the membership.”
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Kerry Jack, Black Letter Communications on 07525 756 599 or email:
Louise Eckersley, Black Letter Communications on 0203 567 1208 or email:
The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) is one of the three main professional bodies covering the legal profession in England and Wales. The 20,000-strong membership is made up of Chartered Legal Executives, paralegals and other legal professionals.
CILEx members are regulated through an independent body, CILEx Regulation. It is the only regulator covering paralegals.
CILEx provides career support and training, with qualifications open to those holding GCSEs, A levels or a degree. Over 100,000 students have chosen CILEx over the last 25 years, with the majority studying whilst in full or part-time employment.
CILEx provides a non-graduate route to qualification as a lawyer, and those who complete the full CILEx qualification are known as Chartered Legal Executives. They can become partners in law firms, coroners, judges or advocates in open court.
Those who complete the full CILEx qualification are known as Chartered Legal Executives. They can become partners in law firms, coroners, judges or advocates in open court.
CILEx is committed to supporting members to deliver accessible legal services to the public.
The membership is diverse – 75% of members are women and 11% are from a BAME background.