Legal Executive Job Description
Use this template to create a clear, role-specific advert for a Legal Executive who will manage casework, draft legal documents and support fee-earners across litigation, property or commercial matters.
What does a Legal Executive professional do?
A Legal Executive is a legally qualified or highly experienced fee-earner who handles substantive client work, prepares documents, conducts legal research and often manages their own caseload under supervision or with conduct of own cases in specified areas.
Legal Executive job description template
Use this employer-ready example as a starting point, then replace the placeholders and adjust the content so it accurately reflects your vacancy.
Legal Executive
About the role
[Company name] is seeking a Legal Executive to join our legal team in [Location]. You will manage a varied caseload, draft and review legal documents, advise clients under supervision, and support litigation/property/commercial matters. This role offers [Salary range] plus [Benefits]. We welcome applications from CILEx-qualified candidates or those with equivalent practice experience.
Key responsibilities
- Manage a personal caseload from opening to closing, ensuring deadlines and statutory timescales are met
- Draft, review and negotiate contracts, pleadings, statements of case, settlement agreements and other legal documents
- Carry out legal research and provide clear written and verbal advice to fee-earners and clients
- Attend court, tribunal or transactions as required and prepare bundles, witness statements and hearing materials
- Liaise directly with clients, insurers, expert witnesses and third parties, keeping accurate file notes
- Use case-management and document systems to maintain file records, billing entries and correspondence
- Ensure compliance with SRA/CILEx standards and internal quality-control procedures
- Support fee-earners with trial preparation and, where permitted, conduct hearings or advocacy within authorised limits
Essential skills and experience
- CILEx qualification, chartered legal executive status or equivalent recognised legal qualification OR demonstrable substantive experience in a UK law practice
- At least 2 years’ experience handling relevant matters in a legal practice or in-house legal team
- Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to explain technical points clearly to clients
- Experience of managing caseloads, meeting deadlines and maintaining accurate file records
- Familiarity with UK procedural rules and good practice in the relevant practice area(s)
Desirable
- Full CILEx membership or working towards further CILEx modules or Solicitor conversion
- Experience with legal case-management software, e-bundling and time-recording systems
- Specialist experience in conveyancing, litigation, family, employment or commercial law depending on role focus
- Previous experience supervising or mentoring paralegals or junior staff
- Advocacy experience or rights of audience in lower courts where applicable
What we offer
- Pension contributions (employer contribution placeholder)
- Annual leave package (e.g. X days + bank holidays placeholder)
- Flexible / hybrid working options (where applicable)
- CPD and membership subscription support (CILEx/SRA)
- Private medical insurance / income protection (optional placeholder)
- Season ticket loan or travel allowance (optional placeholder)
How to apply
Apply with your CV and any additional information requested. Make the interview process, closing date and any assessment stages clear where known.
Use this as a starting point rather than a final advert. The strongest version will reflect the real role, salary, location, systems, responsibilities, benefits and working arrangements.
What is a Legal Executive role?
Legal Executives are specialist legal professionals who provide substantive legal services in defined areas of law. They prepare documents, manage client files, conduct legal research and may represent clients or appear at hearings where authorised. Legal Executives often work alongside solicitors in private practice or in-house teams and can hold chartered status through CILEx or equivalent qualifications.
Typical day
Balance casework, client calls, drafting documentation and file administration; prepare hearing bundles and support fee-earners with court deadlines.
Main duties
Drafting contracts and pleadings, legal research, client liaison, managing filings and ensuring compliance with professional standards.
Professional status
Often CILEx-qualified or holding equivalent legal experience; some roles require or support progression to higher qualifications.
Team fit
Works closely with solicitors, paralegals and support teams; may supervise junior staff and coordinate external advisers.
Typical Legal Executive responsibilities
Responsibilities should reflect the real scope of the vacancy rather than every task someone in this profession might ever complete.
Manage a personal caseload from opening
Manage a personal caseload from opening to closing, ensuring deadlines and statutory timescales are met
Draft
Draft, review and negotiate contracts, pleadings, statements of case, settlement agreements and other legal documents
Carry out legal research
Carry out legal research and provide clear written and verbal advice to fee-earners and clients
Attend court
Attend court, tribunal or transactions as required and prepare bundles, witness statements and hearing materials
Liaise directly with clients
Liaise directly with clients, insurers, expert witnesses and third parties, keeping accurate file notes
Use case-management
Use case-management and document systems to maintain file records, billing entries and correspondence
Ensure compliance with SRA/CILEx standards
Ensure compliance with SRA/CILEx standards and internal quality-control procedures
Support fee-earners with trial preparation and
Support fee-earners with trial preparation and, where permitted, conduct hearings or advocacy within authorised limits
Legal Executive skills and experience to look for
Keep the essential list focused on what the person really needs to perform the role. Move useful-but-trainable experience into desirable criteria.
Usually worth prioritising
- CILEx qualification, chartered legal executive status or equivalent recognised legal qualification OR demonstrable substantive experience in a UK law practice
- At least 2 years’ experience handling relevant matters in a legal practice or in-house legal team
- Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to explain technical points clearly to clients
- Experience of managing caseloads, meeting deadlines and maintaining accurate file records
- Familiarity with UK procedural rules and good practice in the relevant practice area(s)
Useful where relevant
- Full CILEx membership or working towards further CILEx modules or Solicitor conversion
- Experience with legal case-management software, e-bundling and time-recording systems
- Specialist experience in conveyancing, litigation, family, employment or commercial law depending on role focus
- Previous experience supervising or mentoring paralegals or junior staff
- Advocacy experience or rights of audience in lower courts where applicable
See our guide to what to include in a job advert before publishing.
How to write a Legal Executive job advert
Small role-specific details can make the advert much easier for suitable candidates to assess.
Be explicit about practice areas
State which areas (conveyancing, litigation, family, employment, commercial) the post covers so candidates can self-select appropriately.
Clarify level of responsibility
Explain whether the role will manage own cases, have conduct of matters, or work under a supervising solicitor to set expectations.
List technical and soft skills
Include required drafting, case-management and client-facing skills alongside attention to detail and time-management abilities.
Mention CPD and progression
If you offer CILEx subscription, training or support towards further qualifications, state this to attract committed candidates.
Use placeholders for employer specifics
Keep salary, location and benefit fields as editable placeholders so the template fits your exact vacancy details.
Legal Executive salary considerations
Legal Executive pay varies widely depending on practice area, level of responsibility and employer sector. Rather than a single market figure, consider the following factors when setting a salary for this role.
depending on experience
- Use a genuine range
- Separate variable pay
- Avoid “competitive” alone
- Match salary to seniority
What Legal Executive candidates will want to know
Practical details can influence whether a suitable candidate applies, even when the title and salary are attractive.
What practice areas will I work on?
Candidates will want to know whether the role focuses on conveyancing, litigation, family, employment, commercial or a mixed caseload.
Who will I report to and how much autonomy will I have?
Experienced Legal Executives will ask whether they manage cases independently, have conduct of matters or work under close supervision.
Is training, CPD and CILEx support provided?
Candidates look for employers who fund or facilitate continuing professional development and support qualification progression.
What are the working arrangements and location flexibility?
Provide clarity on hybrid working, remote days, required office presence and any travel to courts or client sites.
What are typical hours and case-load expectations?
Experienced applicants will want to know billable targets, average caseload size and expectations for out-of-hours work.
How is pay structured and are there bonus schemes?
Clarify whether salary is fixed, includes performance-related bonus, and how overtime or out-of-hours work is compensated.
Where to post a Legal Executive job
Legal Executive vacancies reach suitable candidates through a mix of broad and specialist channels. Use UK-wide job boards for scale, legal-sector boards and CILEx/Law Society networks to target qualified applicants, and LinkedIn or professional groups to reach passive candidates and experienced fee-earners. Local advertising and university law careers services are useful for early-career hires or to attract regional talent.
Related legal / professional services job descriptions
Recruiting for a slightly different role? These templates may be a closer fit.
Legal Executive job description FAQs
Do Legal Executives need to be CILEx-qualified?
Many Legal Executive roles expect CILEx qualification or progress towards it, but some employers accept equivalent practical experience. State your requirement clearly: whether full CILEx membership is essential, desirable or considered with relevant experience.
Can Legal Executives appear in court?
Some Legal Executives have rights of audience in lower courts and tribunals depending on their training and permissions. Specify in the advert whether advocacy or court attendance with conduct is expected or provided for.
How should I set the salary in the advert?
Avoid guessing market figures. Instead, set a salary range based on location, practice area and level of responsibility, and note any bonus or benefits that form part of total reward.
What should I include about career progression?
Outline clear routes such as CILEx module support, mentoring, supervisory responsibilities and opportunities to progress to senior executive, practice manager or solicitor conversion where available.
Which documents should candidates submit?
Request a CV and a concise covering statement setting out relevant experience and the specific practice areas they have worked in. Specify any documents required for eligibility checks.
Ready to recruit a Legal Executive?
Use this template to assemble your advert, customise the placeholders for salary, location and benefits, and choose the right channels to reach qualified candidates. If you need help posting across multiple boards or want support with shortlisting, consider professional recruitment services.
