LSB approves fast-track CILEX regulation bid following landmark Mazur judgment
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has approved a fast-track application from CILEx Regulation (CRL) to allow legal executives to obtain standalone litigation practice rights, marking a significant regulatory change in the wake of the Mazur judgment.
The decision, which takes effect immediately, enables Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) members who hold Fellowship status to apply directly for authorisation to conduct litigation, without the need to acquire advocacy rights at the same time.
CRL submitted the application in early October following the High Court’s ruling in Mazur v Charles Russell Speechlys LLP, which cast uncertainty over the scope of litigation rights for non-solicitor professionals. The LSB pledged to respond within 28 days, a deadline it has met.
In a statement accompanying the approval, CRL said it had prepared for a sharp increase in demand and had reviewed its internal systems to ensure that applications are processed “as efficiently as possible” while maintaining regulatory standards.
Embed from Getty Images
“CRL is seeking to ensure that standards for authorisation in the conduct of litigation are maintained to protect the public interest and maintain trust in the competence of providers of reserved legal activities,” the regulator said.
CRL confirmed it has been working with the University of Law (ULaw) to strengthen assessment and training routes for applicants seeking litigation rights and said further details would be announced once those arrangements were finalised.
The Legal Services Board, the oversight regulator for the legal profession in England and Wales, described the decision as “an important step” in addressing the uncertainty caused by Mazur.
In a public statement, the LSB said:
“This decision is an important step towards ensuring that legal professionals impacted by the Mazur judgment can obtain the relevant authorisation practice rights in a timely manner. It will also allow others who wish to qualify in this area a dedicated route to authorisation.
“It allows CRL to uncouple litigation and advocacy rights, which until now had to be obtained concurrently. The qualification requirements for obtaining authorisation remain the same, ensuring there will be no reduction in standards among providers of the reserved legal activity of conducting litigation.”
Jonathan Rees, chair of CRL, welcomed the LSB’s rapid response, describing the approval as a “timely and positive development” for the CILEX community.
“I am pleased that the LSB has approved so quickly our application for standalone litigation rights,” Rees said. “We began work on this earlier this year, and our application was supported by over 95% of respondents to our consultation who welcomed the option to gain standalone litigation practice rights to enable further career progression.”
Rees said the decision carried particular importance following the Mazur judgment, which had caused “huge distress and uncertainty” among many regulated professionals.
“The introduction of standalone litigation practice rights will give all those affected the opportunity to practise litigation independently,” he said. “This will help to increase diversity in the legal profession and provide consumers with greater choice.”
To manage anticipated demand, CRL said it had diverted and increased resources to support the application process, implementing streamlined assessment procedures while maintaining oversight to ensure quality.
CILEX also welcomed the approval, saying members had already begun preparing applications ahead of the decision.
“Members have been able to apply for standalone litigation rights through the CRL process since early October, in anticipation of the LSB’s decision,” a spokesperson said. “Our research shows that large numbers of our members will now apply, and we encourage them to refer to CRL’s latest guidance. There is more to do in response to Mazur, but this is a very positive step.”
The Mazur ruling, delivered in September 2025, has prompted widespread reassessment of practising rights and authorisation routes across the legal sector.