Peter Bland (pictured right), Head of Costs & Debt Recovery at Scott Rees & Co Solicitors has been accepted as a Fellow with the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) since 21st January 2020.
The accreditation comes following a period of change in the legal industry. Peter was previously involved in a number of legal hearings on behalf of the firm’s clients. Following the case of McShane v Lincoln in 2017, it became apparent that Peter was prevented from attending certain hearings due to not holding the required level of qualification.
In addition to funding the journey, the firm helped Peter to enrol on the appropriate course from CILEx. He was able to gain accreditation so that he could return to doing the work that allowed him to add value for the firm’s clients. Due to passing a number of exams – with some exemptions – and having 3 years of qualifying experience, Peter Bland has been welcomed as a Fellow to the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives.
For more than 50 years, CILEx has been the professional association for Chartered Legal Executive (lawyers, paralegals and other legal practitioners) in England and Wales.
Peter Bland said: “Scott Rees have supported me through the training I needed to obtain rights of audience in open Court. We identified that CILEx was the best route for me and the company both sponsored and supported me to make it happen.”
In addition to returning to Court for hearings, the new qualification and standing affords Peter the opportunity of career advancement, as he is now eligible to become a Partner in the firm should the opportunity arise in the future.
Royston Smith, Managing Partner at Scott Rees & Co solicitors said: “It is the ethos of our firm to support every team member in their professional development because that, in turn, supports our clients too. We’re very proud of the accreditation that comes with the award and the added value that Peter continues to bring to Scott Rees & Co solicitors.”