CILEx Regulation gains approval for new rights

CILEx Regulation (CRL) has announced that the Legal Services Board (LSB) has approved its application to authorise standalone litigation practice rights, a change that comes into effect immediately. This development aims to maintain high standards for authorisation in the conduct of litigation, thereby safeguarding the public interest and bolstering trust in the competence of providers engaged in reserved legal activities. Jonathan Rees, CILEx Regulation chair, expressed his satisfaction with the timely approval, stating "I am pleased that the LSB has approved so quickly our application for standalone litigation rights." The approval follows the Mazur case ruling, which is expected to catalyse a significant rise in practice rights applications.

In preparation for this influx, CRL has undertaken a thorough review of its processes to ensure that applications can be managed efficiently while upholding the necessary standards. CRL is collaborating with the University of Law (ULaw) on assessment and training routes, striving to optimise the capacity to accommodate the anticipated demand. Members of CILEX holding Fellowship status will now be eligible to apply for standalone Litigation Practice Rights, with direct communication regarding the application process to be sent shortly. Rees highlighted that the timing of the approval is "particularly significant in the light of September’s Mazur judgment."

He acknowledged the distress that the ruling caused for many within the regulated community and reaffirmed that the introduction of standalone litigation practice rights will provide affected individuals the chance to practice independently. "This will help to increase diversity in the legal profession and provide consumers with increased choice." In anticipation of high demand for these rights, CRL has allocated additional resources to manage the expected wave of applications while streamlining and accelerating the assessment processes. All interim guidance and further resources published by CRL are available on the Mazur Information Hub.