Sutherland, Kate

Position: CILEx Course Director
Department: Applied Legal Studies
Email: K.Sutherland@westminster.ac.uk
Room: 2.24
Tel: +44 (0)20 7911 5000 ext 2717
Fax: +44 (0)20 7911 5821
Office hours
Mondays and Wednesdays, 4-5pm

Biography

I first became aware of the legal career options available to those studying CILEx (formerly known as ILEX) qualifications whilst performing the role of PA to the senior partner in the Paris office of a major law firm whose central office is in the City of London. 

Following my return to London, I pursued CILEx studies whilst working as a fee earner in private practice specialising in the areas of Corporate Immigration and Employment Law. 

After qualifying as a Fellow of The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives, I continued with my studies and qualified as a Solicitor (gaining SRA exemption from the Training Contract by virtue of being a FILEX prior to completion of my studies). 
After nine years of working in private practice in law firms based in The City and West End of London, I decided to pursue a teaching qualification so to enable me to teach law.   After completing a PGCE Higher Education teaching qualification, I taught at Middlesex University before joining University of Westminster in 2006.

I am very enthusiastic about my role at University of Westminster.  I strongly believe that CILEx legal qualifications offer an excellent, flexible and inexpensive way to qualify as a legal professional.   I also believe that the initiatives borne out of The Legal Services Act 2007 will herald new opportunities for Legal Executive lawyers for the future.    On a personal note, given my background, I can fully empathise and seek to cater for students, some of whom are combining CILEx studies with work and a domestic life.  I can also vouch for the fact that the effort involved is worth it in qualifying as a Legal Executive Lawyer and taking your rightful place amongst other legal professionals.