A political start that sparked a legal calling
Ashleah's route into law wasn't a traditional one. His early career began in the heart of British politics as a caseworker for MP Kate Hoey, a role that helped shape his passion for helping others ad opened the door to a future in law. "My role as a casework for an MP inspired my career in law. I had a lot of support in that direction."
Ashleah's work with Kate Hoey extended beyond her time as an MP. When she was elevated to The Right Honourable Baroness Hoey, in the House of Lords, Ashleah followed, continuing to support her as a staff member.
Overcoming personal challenges
Ashleah's journey is made even more remarkable by the personal challenges he has faced along the way. He lives with epilepsy, a condition that impacted his education and meant he left school without any qualifications. But it was also this condition that first brought him into contact with Kate Hoey, who took him on as an Advisor on Disability and Welfare benefits in 2006. His lived experience gave him a unique insight into the challenges faced by others, which shaped both his advocacy and later, his legal career.
Ashleah's condition has even been referenced in Parliamentary debates, helping to raise awareness and further validating his role as a paralegal. "Kate has done so much to raise awareness of paralegals and has been a constant support for me on my journey."
Why CILEX Chartered Paralegal status matters
Ashleah has long recognised the importance of professional recognition in helping paralegals stand out. Before joining CILEX, he had applied for a Professional Paralegal Register (PPR) Practicing Certificate via the experiential route.
"Being part of a voluntary scheme whereby competency has to be demonstrated, to me is very important in providing evidence of my credibility." he says. That experience served him well when the opportunity arose to apply for CILEX Chartered Paralegal status via the Experience Assessment Route.
The CILEX Experience Assessment Route
Ashleah describes the Experience Assessment Route as "tough and vigorous as you would expect for someone going for Chartered status, but equally, I found it to be very fair too." Some elements of the application did pose challenges, particularly questions around budge restrains and commercial awareness, due to his public sector role, but he reflects that the CILEX team were supportive and helped him to understand how to address these areas within the context of his work.
A personal and professional milestone
Being awarded CILEX Chartered Paralegal status was a proud moment for Ashleah. "I feel totally honoured to be one of the first individuals to be awarded CILEX Chartered Paralegal status, I've worked so hard as a paralegal, and to get that recognised is amazing." He adds, "on a personal level it means a lot, on a professional level, it means so much to have my hard work recognised as true professional."
Advice for aspiring CILEX Chartered Paralegals
Ashleah encourages others to consider the Experience Assessment Route. "Believe in yourself and trust the process," he says. "The process may seem daunting and overwhelming, but the questions relate to your own work and your own experience and examples."