Accelerated Pathway in Land Law and Conveyancing Practice
Conveyancing – Land Law and Conveyancing
CILEX Accelerated Pathway to Conveyancing Qualifications
The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives’ (CILEX) accelerated pathway in Conveyancing, delivers the knowledge and experience of Land Law and Conveyancing Practice in England and Wales. This Pathway educates on laws and acts governing land and property, property rights, property title and easement, leasehold and freehold estate and the effect of covenants, mortgages, trespass and entitlement.
Download our Conveyancing diagram for an overview of the pathway which prepares individuals for a legal career in conveyancing as a case worker dealing with the conveyancing process, compliance to building and planning regulation in relation to residential or commercial property sales transactions as well as property management arrangements.
The Accelerated Pathway in Conveyancing is wholly focused on qualifications and experience for a legal career in property. It does not include the wider breadth of law required for Chartered Legal Executive/CILEX Fellowship status but the option exists for individuals to top-up with qualifications to further a career in this way after becoming a qualified Conveyancing Practitioner or to combine the Accelerated Conveyancing Pathway with the Accelerated Pathway in Wills and Probate.
For key details and suggested course combinations for a career in Conveyancing, scroll through the sections on this page or click on the titles below to go directly to the right section on this page.
Conveyancing – School Leaver / 1st Job
To start out on a career in property law, we advise completion of 5 units at Level 3 for a CILEX Level 3 Certificate in Law and Practice with a specialist focus on conveyancing. This certificate addresses a growing need for a short but rounded introduction to Law and Practice, legal skills and a need for knowledge and experience within a specialist area of Law and Legal Practice.
School leavers and individuals starting out in their first job benefit from a broad introduction to Law qualifications at Level 3 in Land Law and Conveyancing (Practice) along with legal skills.
5 units, CILEX Level 3 Certificate in Law & Practice.
Entry level units recommended for the CILEX Accelerated Pathway to Conveyancing Qualification:
| Introduction to Law and Practice |
| Client Care Skills |
| Legal Research Skills |
| Conveyancing or Residential & Commercial Leasehold Conveyancing |
| Land Law |
- Recommended entry level: Starting or developing a career in Conveyancing.
- Role on commencement: Non-legal role, Legal Administrator or Legal Assistant, Legal Support role.
- Role on completion: Conveyancing Paralegal, Paralegal Assistant, Conveyancing Assistant.
- Level 3: Set and assessed at A-level standard.
- Duration: 12-18 months.
- CILEX Membership Grade; Student or Affiliate.
- Progression: The accelerated pathway progresses with focused Level 6 academic qualifications and practice portfolios of evidence to become a CILEX Conveyancing Practitioner and Qualified Conveyancer.
Conveyancing – Conveyancing Paralegal / Conveyancing Assistant
Conveyancing support workers who choose to progress with a career in property law, may wish to start with the Level 3 Certificate qualification outlined above or embark on four focused level 6 study units, complemented by 3 experience portfolios evidencing competence in Conveyancing Practice.
The same qualification pathway applies to Law Graduates.
1. The pathway requires successful completion of four CILEX Level 6 Certificate in Law qualifications focusing on Land Law and Conveyancing Practice:
4 Units recommended for the CILEX Accelerated Pathway to Conveyancing Qualifications
CILEX Level 6 Certificate in Law/Practice in the following:
| Land Law |
| Conveyancing |
| Client Care Skills |
| Legal Research Skills |
2. The above qualifications need to be supported by 3 experience portfolios evidencing:
- Experience in conveyancing
3. Applicants are required to provide qualification or portfolio evidence demonstrating their skills competence in the following areas:
- Interviewing, Advising & Communicating
- Costs & Funding
- Professional Conduct & Ethics
- Managing Conveyancing Work
- Legal Writing & Drafting
- Negotiation
- Entry level: Following completion of CILEX Level 3 qualifications or equivalent, conveyancing paralegals or administrators, law graduates.
- Role on completion: Senior Paralegal; fee earning time can be set at Grade C of the guideline hourly rates.
- Level 6: Set and assessed at Honours Degree level.
- Duration: 18-24 months.
- CILEX Membership Grade: Affiliate Membership.
- Progression: Apply for Conveyancing Practice Rights to become a CILEX Conveyancing Practitioner and qualified conveyancer.
Conveyancing – Law Graduates LLB/GDL/LPC/BVC/BPTC
Law Graduates wishing to concentrate their legal career in property can use the Accelerated Pathway in conveyancing to achieve specialist Conveyancing Qualifications and Practice Rights. The pathway offers 4 focused level 6 study units complemented by 3 experience portfolios evidencing competence in Conveyancing Practice.
1. The pathway requires successful completion of four level 6 qualifications focusing on Land Law and Conveyancing:
4 Units recommended for the CILEX Accelerated Pathway to Conveyancing Qualifications:
| Land Law |
| Conveyancing |
| Client Care Skills |
| Legal Research Skills |
2. The above qualifications need to be supported by 3 experience portfolios evidencing:
- Experience in conveyancing
3. Applicants are required to provide qualification or portfolio evidence demonstrating their skills competence in the following areas:
- Interviewing, Advising & Communicating
- Costs & Funding
- Professional Conduct & Ethics
- Managing Conveyancing Work
- Legal Writing & Drafting
- Negotiation
- Entry level: Law Graduates (LLB/GDL/LPC/BVC/BPTC.)
- Role on completion: Senior Paralegal; fee earning time can be set at Grade C of the guideline hourly rates.
- Level 6: Set and assessed at Honours Degree level.
- Duration: 18-24 months.
- CILEX Membership Grade: Associate Membership (ACILEX) for LLB/GDL; Graduate Membership (GCILEX) for BVC/BPTC – subject to successful exemption application
- Progression: Apply for Conveyancing Practice Rights to become a CILEX Conveyancing Practitioner and Qualified Conveyancer.
Conveyancing Professionals with significant experience in the specialist field of conveyancing and who can demonstrate competence can become CILEX Conveyancing Practitioners through five experience portfolios evidencing:-
- Experience in conveyancing
Applicants are required to provide qualification or portfolio evidence demonstrating their competence in the following areas:
- Interviewing, Advising & Communicating
- Costs & Funding
- Professional Conduct & Ethics
- Managing Conveyancing Work
- Legal Writing & Drafting
- Negotiation
The portfolios of evidence required provide a rigorous test of standards achieved in the profession through experience of applying Land Law and Conveyancing Practice, without further need for completion of academic qualifications.
Conveyancing Practice Rights Application
Conveyancing services are regulated under the Legal Services Act. Individuals need to be authorised to carry out services such as the preparation of instrument of transfer or charge, making or lodging documents for registration under the Land Registration Act, preparation of instruments relating to real or person estate under the law or relating to court proceedings in England and Wales.
CILEX Regulation can award Conveyancing Practice Rights to gain the required authorisation to provide the full range of conveyancing services to clients through a regulated firm, without supervision.
The scheme of Authorisation is open to all practitioners who can demonstrate the required competence through qualifications and/or experience as evidenced by portfolio. CILEX Membership is not strictly required and applications can be made irrespective of membership grade.
Individuals can apply to CILEX Regulation as a regulator of firms, for authorisation to set their own regulated business offering conveyancing services. Read more to find out about applying for regulation of firms.
Conveyancing – Top-up Qualifications for Chartered Legal Executive / CILEX Fellowship
Individuals can also follow the traditional CILEX pathway to become a CILEX Chartered Legal Executive with Conveyancing Practice Rights. The general pathway is designed to provide wider legal knowledge, that is not just specific to conveyancing and provide a broad-based foundation across key areas of Law and Practice, including mandatory core units in law. This ensures that CILEX Chartered Legal Executives and Fellows are well prepared for a career in law against the background of continuing changes in the legal sector.
The Conveyancing Accelerated Pathway is wholly focussed on a career in Conveyancing and Practice Rights. With top up units to provide the broader spectrum of core units in law along with proof of relevant experience, it is possible for Conveyancing Practitioners to qualify as Chartered Legal Executives and become a CILEX Fellow with designatory letters FCILEX.
CILEX also offers an Accelerated Pathway in Wills and Probate which can complement the Conveyancing Accelerated Pathway with additional focused legal qualifications and experience.
Get in touch with our experienced team of qualified advisers who are ready to advise you on the best way to develop a career in Conveyancing.