SQE: How to qualify as a solicitor
There are currently two routes to qualifying as a solicitor: the Legal Practice Course (LPC) and the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE).
The LPC is being phased out and only those who fall within the SRA’s transitional arrangements can now qualify via the LPC.
The SQE will become the sole route to qualification for all.
The main difference between the LPC and the SQE is that the SQE is an assessment, not a course.
The SQE is a centralised assessment. There are two parts to the SQE.
- SQE 1 tests applied legal knowledge through two multiple-choice examination papers of 180 questions each.
- SQE 2 assesses legal skills in five distinct subject areas.
- SQE 1 is assessed in January and July each year.
- SQE 2 is assessed in January, April, July and October each year
- The fee for the SQE assessments does not include the costs of any SQE preparation courses.
- The SQE assessments are set by Kaplan on behalf of the SRA. Find out more about the current costs of the SQE.
Technically, the SRA does not require you to undertake an SQE preparation course. However, most people would not sit any other kind of professional examination without ensuring that they have undertaken the necessary study over a sufficient period of time to gain the requisite knowledge and skills.
At NLS, we recommend that you undertake our SQE 1 and SQE 2 preparation courses before you sit the SQE assessments. We make this recommendation for four main reasons:
- First, the SRA only allows three attempts at the SQE. The assessments are rightly designed to be rigorous and therefore you will need to work hard to maximise your chances of passing first time. Should you need to re-sit, this will incur further assessment costs which could be substantial.
- Second, most law degrees are assessed by way of essays, problem questions and dissertations. This means that the SQE 1 skill of answering 180, wide-ranging, multiple-choice questions as part of a timed assessment will be a new one for many students. Practising these skills and obtaining feedback on your performance will be vital to your success.
- Third, although you may have excellent subject knowledge in one area, you may be weak in another. Having access to expert tuition to support you in your weaker areas in order to raise your grades will be a key component to your success.
- Fourth, SQE 2 will require you – amongst other things – to demonstrate your competence as an advocate. In order to succeed, you will need to show that you have a high level of subject knowledge, an ability to apply that knowledge to a practical problem, and the self-awareness and confidence to hold your own in the court room. Before putting yourself forward for such a serious assessment, you would be well advised to develop and refine your grasp of these skills.
Yes, completing a SQE preparation course is an additional expense, on top of the fees payable to Kaplan for sitting the SQE. However, for the reasons given above, we think students are best advised to undertake a period of preparation before taking the SQE. If you are going to spend this money, you need to make sure that you pay for a course that is delivered by an institution with a track record of excellence in legal education, such as Nottingham Law School, where quality and expertise are our watchwords.
The good news is there is some financial help available for students:
- Some NLS SQE courses are eligible for the UK Government postgraduate loan.
- NLS offers a range of Scholarships
To find out whether an employer wants you to have completed the LPC or SQE you should:
- Attend law fairs (in person or virtually) and make a point of visiting that employer’s stand and speak to their representatives. This is a great opportunity to ask questions.
- Study their website to see what information they have posted about training at their firm.
- Read up about the firm in the Legal 500 or similar publications.
- Talk to the NLS Employability team.
- Attend Employability events run by employers.
You must qualify via the SQE route.
You do not need to have a law degree to qualify as a solicitor. You just need any undergraduate degree (or equivalent qualification or work experience) however the SQE will assess your knowledge of the foundation law subjects traditionally taught as part of an undergraduate law degree. You may wish to consider one of our law conversion courses.