Qualifying as a Solicitor in England and Wales – What’s Changed This Year?

The start of the 2021-22 academic year has seen the launch of a new pathway to qualification for aspiring solicitors in England and Wales. Known as the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), this will replace the more familiar model involving the Legal Practice Course and the Graduate Diploma in Law (although there will be an 11-year transitional period in place for people who have already begun their legal training).

The good news is that these changes are designed to offer extra flexibility for Law students, with more options for qualifying work experience (QWE) and a simplified route to become a solicitor.

What’s changed?

Previously, the pathway to qualifying as a solicitor involved studying an undergraduate LLB degree then completing a Legal Practice Course (LPC) and a two-year training contract. Those who didn’t study Law at undergraduate level could complete a kind of postgraduate conversion course known as a Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) before doing the LPC and undertaking a training contract.

The recent changes to solicitor qualification have replaced the previous route(s) with a single exam called the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE). The reasoning behind this is to standardise the assessment framework for solicitors, with students taking part in the same qualification, whatever their background or experience.

These changes have also affected how qualifying work experience (QWE) is taken into account. Before, trainee solicitors needed to do a two-year training contract in order to qualify. Now, however, what counts as QWE has been broadened to encompass a wider range of work-based training. You’ll need to have two years (or equivalent) of experience in one of the following areas:

Law firm placements undertaken during a Law degree
Spending time at a law clinic
Working as a paralegal
Training contracts
Volunteer work at a charity

This experience can be gained before, during or after you do the SQE.

What are the entry requirements?

The main entry requirement for the SQE is a Bachelors degree in any subject (or an equivalent degree-level qualification). While it isn’t strictly necessary to have studied Law before doing the SQE, it’s definitely a good idea to have a solid grounding of legal knowledge before tackling the exam.

Many universities offer conversion courses that include an element of preparation for the SQE, with several listed here on FindAMasters.

How does the SQE work?

We’ve covered exactly how the SQE works in more detail over in our guide to the qualification, but this is a brief summary of what to expect from the exam.

SQE1 is the first assessment, taking place over two days and covering your functioning legal knowledge (FLK) via a series of multiple choice questions.

SQE2 is the second assessment and takes place over five days. This part of the exam involves a set of written and oral tests.

How much does the SQE cost?

The total fees for the SQE are £3,980:

SQE1 costs £1,558
SQE2 costs £2,442

These fees are paid separately when you book each stage of the assessment.

When can you take the SQE?

The first batch of SQE1 assessments will take place in November 2021. However, the deadline for booking these has just passed – the next available window is July 2022.

For SQE2, the next assessment window is April 2022, but booking hasn’t opened for this yet. You can find out more about times, dates and locations on the SRA website.

What if I’ve already begun my legal training?

There is a transitional period lasting until 2032, during which it’ll still be possible to qualify as a solicitor under the previous pathway if you’ve already started your legal training. This covers anyone who has started or completed a qualifying law degree (QLD), GDL, Common Professional Examination (CPE), LPC or a training contract.

However, this transitional arrangement does depend on the relevant courses still being offered by providers. It’s also worth noting that the SQE route will also be open to you.

What about the rest of the UK?

These changes don’t affect Scotland, which has a separate legal system to England and Wales. The same goes for Northern Ireland.

Find out more

Our dedicated guide to the Solicitors Qualifying Examination has more information on what to expect from the assessment. You can also check out courses that cover the SQE here on FindAMasters.