Every ICPS applicant must meet a common baseline before tier-specific or pathway-specific criteria apply:
- Membership of the relevant local corporate/in-house counsel association
- Completion of the ICPS course and assessment
- A qualifying law degree and/or admission to the Bar
- Relevant in-house experience for the tier applied for
- Evidence of regional or cross-border capability corresponding to the tier applied for
- Compliance with the ICPS Code of Conduct
Additional eligibility – listed-company specialist pathway (AICP/L, AICS/L)
Candidates seeking the listed-company specialist endorsement – recognised as AICP/L (Accredited In-House Counsel Professional, with listed-company endorsement) or AICS/L (Accredited In-House Counsel Specialist, with listed-company endorsement) – must, in addition to the baseline above:
- Hold a current or recent role as Chief Legal Officer (CLO), General Counsel (GC), Deputy GC, Head of Legal, or equivalent, at a PLC or listing-ready company
- Show evidence of responsibility for board/committee support, disclosure controls, listing-rule compliance, market announcements, insider-trading controls, major transactions, or investor-facing legal support
- Complete the supplementary listed-company (specialist) modules and assessment
- Provide referee or employer confirmation of listed-issuer responsibilities