Solicitors Qualifying Exam Part 1: What is it?

In this episode, ReImagineLaw’s Nigel Spencer is joined by special guests Liz Ritter and Lisa Slater to discuss the change in how you qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales, the move to the new “Solicitor’s Qualifying Examination” of “SQE”. 

Liz and Lisa looks at a number of areas to de-mystify the new examination:

·      What is the SQE, and why is the profession’s regulator, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) making the change?

·      What do the two parts to the new SQE examination, “SQE1” and “SQE2” include?  

·      What will you need to know, and how is it assessed?

·      How are the requirements for gaining workplace experience changing under the new SQE regime?

In addition, the episode clarifies the timelines for the different pathways open to students, the “old” Legal Practice Course” (LPC) route and the transition period to the new SQE, and what students who have not studied law can do as a next step.

Actions for listeners:

·      Do your research: be clear what type of legal role you are interested in, the firm you might like to join, and check what they are doing about the SQE.

·      Check the skill-sets now being considered for lawyers of the future (the “O-Shaped” Lawyer initiative as one example, a group set up by clients of law firms to discuss what skills they would like lawyers to possess).

·      Reach out to firms and ask what the options are for the SQE pathway if you were to join their firm.  Do they offer apprenticeship pathways, sponsor students through the SQE, or is there another approach?

Useful Resources: 

·      Understand the key building blocks of the SQE from the profession’s regulator, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).

·      About the SQE – information for students from BPP.

·      “O-Shaped Lawyer” skillsets for the future.