The Institute - About our history and objectives
The Institute of Legal Executives (WA) (Inc) was formed in 1965 by a number of Managing Clerks, some of whom had been members of the Institute of Legal Executives (United Kingdom). The Institute of Legal Executives (Victoria) was also incorporated the same year. The Institute of Legal Excecutives (Australia) was incorporated in 1994.
There are similar Institutes of Legal Executives in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Ireland, Canada and the United States. We stay in contact with our overseas counterparts to discuss matters of mutual concern, and for the advancement of our membership.
Our Institute is a non-profit organisation and was incorporated with various aims in mind. The original Rules state the objectives for which the Institute was founded and include:
To provide and maintain an organisation for that branch of the legal profession comprising persons employed under supervision or direction of a legal practitioner and those who have been awarded the Diploma of Legal Studies (however described) and to advance and protect the status and interest of that branch of the legal profession.
To promote professional unity, co-operation and mutual assistance in our membership.
To promote education, whether general or legal, and professional advancement of persons with a view to assisting them
to become proficient in the law and to qualify as Legal Executives and, in particular, either alone or jointly with any other
body, to arrange, establish and conduct educational schemes, conferences, lectures and examinations.
To give and award diplomas, certificates, prizes, scholarships, bursaries and other rewards to persons showing
proficiency in the study of Law.
The Institute has always been concerned with academic, as well as practical training being available to members. Its first achievement was to provide courses of instruction, which were delivered at the Law Society’s Hall. The WA Education Department realised the potential and with the Institute's consent and ongoing consultation took over the running of the course at Perth Technical College which is now Central TAFE (Perth Campus).
The current course, the Advanced Diploma of Business (Legal Studies) has exit points at the Certificate IV and Diploma levels. This course replaces the Advanced Diploma of Business (Legal Practice) which itself took the place of the Associate Diploma of Business (Legal Studies) and before that, the Diploma of Legal Studies and the Certificate of Legal Studies respectively.
