Legal Services Board gives green light for CILEx fellows to be able to apply for standalone litigation practice rights

The Legal Services Board (LSB) has approved CILEx Regulation Limited's (CRL) application to authorise standalone litigation practice rights, following the decision in Mazur.

The changes, which take effect immediately, mean that CILEx members with Fellowship status can now apply for standalone litigation practice rights through one of three different assessment methods.

Under the changes, eligible CILEx members will be able to apply for litigation practice rights in regard to civil proceedings, criminal proceedings and family proceedings.

CRL – which regulates  Chartered Legal Executives as well as around 9,000 paralegals – applied for the change in the wake of Julia Mazur & Ors v Charles Russell Speechlys LLP [2025] EWHC 2341 (KB), in which Mr Justice Sheldon ruled that an employee of an authorised firm cannot conduct litigation simply by virtue of their employment, even if supervised by an authorised person.

CILEx members can be authorised via three different routes: assessment only, training and assessment, or via a portfolio.

The University of Law provides the assessment and training and assessment routes, while the portfolio route is managed by CRL.

CRL said it plans to "shortly" communicate directly with CILEx members about how to apply.

Commenting on the approval, Jonathan Rees, CILEx Regulation chair, said he was "pleased" the LSB approved the application "so quickly", adding: "The timing of this approval is particularly significant in the light of September's Mazur judgment.

"We recognise the huge distress and uncertainty caused to many of our regulated community by the judgment.

"The introduction of standalone litigation practice rights will give all those affected the opportunity to practise litigation independently. This will help to increase diversity in the legal profession and provide consumers with increased choice."

Rees also said CRL has diverted and increased resources to cope with the expected rate of applications and streamlined its assessment processes.

CRL began working on its application earlier this year, before the Mazur decision.

Its application was supported by consultation responses in which more than 95% of respondents welcomed the option to gain standalone litigation practice rights to enable further career progression.

Adam Carey