Now working in the Casualty Team at DAC Beachcroft, Bethany reflects on her CILEX Journey so far, the support she received from the CILEX Foundation and why she would recommend CILEX to others looking to build a career in law.
Finding a route that worked alongside her career
Bethany began her CILEX studies at the age of 29, choosing to study the CPQ Advanced Stage.
For her, the appeal of the route was clear. It offered the opportunity to develop the technical knowledge and practical skills needed to progress as a legal professional, while allowing her to continue working.
“I chose this route because it provided the technical knowledge and practical application necessary to progress as a legal professional while allowing me to continue working,” she explains.
That combination of learning and practical experience has been particularly valuable as Bethany has developed her career in personal injury law.
Through the CPQ Advanced Stage, she strengthened her core legal knowledge and developed practical skills that could be applied directly to her work handling personal injury claims. Her studies also reinforced the importance of professional responsibility and ethics, essential foundations for anyone developing a career in the legal profession.
Turning qualifications into career opportunities
For Bethany, completing her exams and gaining her qualification represented more than an academic achievement. It gave her the confidence to take the next step in her career.
That confidence helped her secure her current position within the Casualty Team at DAC Beachcroft, following several years with a previous firm.
Her experience demonstrates the value of combining formal legal education with hands-on experience. Rather than putting her career on hold to study, Bethany has been able to develop her knowledge alongside her professional role – applying what she has learned to real-world work.
A bursary that made her studies possible
A key part of Bethany’s journey was the support she received from the CILEX Foundation, which provided a bursary to fund her CPQ Advanced Stage.
For Bethany, the financial support was transformative. It removed a significant barrier to accessing professional education and meant she could concentrate on her studies and the next stages of her development without the additional worry of how she would fund her qualification.
“The financial support was invaluable; it removed a significant barrier that allowed me to focus entirely on completing my studies and the next stages of the course,” she says.
“It is simply something that I would not have been able to do without the help of the CILEX Foundation.”
The bursary not only supported Bethany financially but helped make her ambitions feel achievable, demonstrating the difference that targeted support can make for aspiring legal professionals.
Continuing to learn and develop
Bethany’s development hasn’t stopped with completing her exams. As she has progressed into a new role, she has also made use of the CILEX CPD resources to keep her knowledge current.
This has been particularly valuable when moving into a new role and adapting to new responsibilities.
For Bethany, being a CILEX member also means being part of a professional community that champions accessible routes into law.
“Being a member means being part of a supportive professional community that champions accessible routes into law. It represents recognition of my hard work and provides a clear, structured framework for my ongoing development as a paralegal.”
A route she would recommend
Looking back at her journey so far, Bethany is clear that she would recommend CILEX to anyone considering a career in law.
“I would absolutely recommend it. It’s a fantastic route that allows you to gain qualifying experience while you learn.”
She acknowledges that balancing full-time work with study and exam preparation requires commitment and dedication. But for Bethany, the fact that her studies directly connect with her professional experience makes the effort worthwhile.
“The direct alignment between the course and real-world legal practice makes it incredibly rewarding.”
That balance between learning and doing has been central to Bethany’s journey, giving her the opportunity to build her legal knowledge while developing the practical experience and confidence needed to progress her career.
The importance of support
Alongside her bursary, Bethany highlights the wider support she received from the CILEX Foundation and CILEX as an important part of her experience.
“The support processes CILEX have in place are robust and practical,” she says. “Everyone that I’ve spoken to at CILEX and the CILEX Foundation genuinely wants to help, and that is clear. They are helpful, supportive and engage in a way that proves they care about the work they do.”
For Bethany, her journey into law is one that has combined determination, practical experience, professional study and the right support at the right time.
Having progressed from studying alongside her career to securing a new role at DAC Beachcroft, she is continuing to build her experience and develop as a legal professional – with her CILEX qualification providing a strong foundation for whatever comes next.
Thinking about your own route into law? CILEX offers flexible pathways that allow you to develop your legal knowledge and gain practical experience alongside your career. The CILEX Foundation support CILEX members, students and aspiring legal professionals by providing grants, scholarships and bursaries.