The ranks of legal executives are set to swell, as the number of people sitting Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX) examinations climbed 40% in 2010 compared with the previous year.

The examinations were taken for the Level 3 Professional Diploma in Law and Practice, which is equivalent to A-level standard.

ILEX chief executive Diane Burleigh said: ‘What is so brilliant about this increase is that more people are recognising the benefits of ILEX membership. Going to university is not the only route to a successful career in law and, with escalating concerns over student debt, many students are deciding to ‘earn as they learn’ and study with us.

‘For nearly 50 years, we have guided and trained 84,000 law students through what are effectively legal apprenticeships. ILEX qualifications are highly valued by employers, as trainee legal executives can be valuable fee-earners for their firms as soon as they have gained their initial qualification.

‘Last year we saw the first ILEX member to be made a judge [Ian Ashley-Smith was made a deputy district judge on the South Eastern Circuit in December 2010] and we now have over 100 ILEX members as partners in law firms. We will be building on this and expect to see more and more people choosing ILEX to start their career in law.’