More than 270 law graduates have embarked on the Institute of Legal Executives’ (ILEX) fast-track route to becoming a solicitor since its launch in 2009, the Gazette has learned.

Some 66 graduates applied for the scheme during the last quarter.

The ILEX fast-track qualification allows students who work as legal executives while studying the Legal Practice Course to dual qualify as solicitors upon completing the course, without the need to complete a training contract.

ILEX professional courses manager Rosemary Verlander-Smith said the fast-track diploma was an increasingly popular alternative for law graduates taking a ‘reality check’, rather than plunging further into debt by self-funding the LPC and then not securing a contract.

She said: ‘Two years ago we were seeing a handful of enquiries. Now we are seeing hundreds.’

  • The Solicitors Regulation Authority has said it has no plans to introduce an aptitude test for students seeking to study the LPC. The Bar Standards Board is currently trialling a test to assess the aptitude of students seeking to enrol on the equivalent training course for barristers.