How to complain about a chartered legal executive
Three different bodies handle three different things, and sending a complaint to the wrong one costs months. This is which is which, from CILEx Regulation's own published rules and enforcement reports.
Who handles what
| Your complaint is about | Goes to |
|---|---|
| Service — delay, poor communication, bad value, work not done properly | The firm first, then the Legal Ombudsman. This is the route for most complaints. |
| Conduct — dishonesty, a conflict of interest, a breach of the Code of Conduct | CILEx Regulation, which investigates misconduct and can discipline or exclude. |
| Money lost through dishonesty by a CILEX-authorised firm | The compensation arrangements — but check the firm and area are covered. Many are not. |
The rule that stops most conduct complaints
CILEx Regulation rejects a complaint where "more than a year has elapsed since the conduct complained of took place". It also rejects where there is no evidence to substantiate the allegation, where the facts alleged do not disclose misconduct, or where it has no jurisdiction. If something happened more than a year ago, the conduct route is likely closed whatever its merits — which is a reason to raise things early rather than wait to see whether they resolve.
If your complaint is rejected
You have, in the regulator's words, "an absolute entitlement to ask the PCP to review the investigator's decision to reject an allegation" — the Professional Conduct Panel. That right is unconditional.
What the scale actually is
| CILEx Regulation, 2025 | |
|---|---|
| Misconduct cases handled | 116 |
| Reaching the Professional Conduct Panel | 26 |
| Disciplinary decisions published, all years | 58 |
So most complaints do not become a published decision, and the published record is a small fraction of the activity. An absence of findings against somebody's name is not evidence that nothing was ever raised.
Checking who you are dealing with, first
Before complaining it is worth establishing who regulates them, because that determines everything above. This page sets out how. A chartered legal executive is regulated by CILEx Regulation; a solicitor at the same firm is regulated by the SRA; and the firm itself may be regulated by either, or by neither.