CILEx Regulation Limited (CRL) has set out its priorities for the coming year, and said its focus will be on securing litigation rights for legal executives following “the massive upset” caused by the Mazur judgment.
Writing in its 2026 plan, the regulator said it had been “working tirelessly to communicate with the regulated communities, Stakeholders, Government, CILEX and a huge number of organisations and representative bodies with a vested interest in the ruling.”
The organisation added:
“CRL has already acquired additional resource to manage the increased level of enquiries and Practice Rights applications, and we will prioritise the issuing of litigation rights to those who want them consistent with maintaining high standards of consumer protection. We will also work with the LSB and others to learn and apply the lessons from the judgment.”
The 2026 corporate plan sets out what CRL says is an ambitious programme of work for delivering the second year of its 2025-2027 corporate strategy.
Alongside a focus on the response to Mazur, CRL said it will continue to prioritise improvements within its Enforcement Team to improve efficiency and reduce timescales for handling misconduct cases.
Improving the user experience, implementing a refreshed equality, diversity and inclusion strategy, ‘engaging constructively’ with CILEX on the future regulatory landscape, and continuing an outreach programme to enhance stakeholder engagement are all priorities for the coming year, CLR said.
Jonathan Rees, CRL chair (pictured), commented:
“In the last year we have successfully promoted access to justice and consumer empowerment, for instance improving the transparency of information, making complaints handling better, and publishing research on digital exclusion. We have also significantly upped our regulatory performance, shortening the time needed to gain practice rights, and increasing CPD compliance while also contributing to the growing debate on the future shape of the 2007 Legal Services Act.
Looking forward to 2026, our first priority will be to assist legal executives to gain litigation rights following the massive upset caused by the Mazur judgment. We have made a good start in reprioritising resources, and I am confident we now have the necessary systems in place. Alongside that we will review our enforcement activity, implement our refreshed EDI strategy, continue with our plans to be an authoritative inclusive and capable organisation, and contribute actively on how to improve the system of legal regulation.”
The budget for the corporate plan will be delivered predominantly from the practising certificate fee for 2026, supplemented by charges for particular services. CRL has proposed a 2.6% increase in its practising certificate fee budget to reflect additional costs, bringing the total budget to £1.79 million.
“This is an ambitious programme of work for a small organisation,” CLR said. “As we have seen in 2025, external events may necessitate reprioritisation of resources as we go through the year.”
