If you have passed both the SQE1 and SQE2, congratulations! But if you think your journey to becoming a qualified lawyer ends here, think again. You will still need further 2 years of qualifying work experience (QWE) if you have not previously accrued any relevant legal experience.
However, the good thing is that you are allowed to start acquiring QWE even before you pass the SQE1 so long as your work experience is confirmed and signed off by a solicitor or compliance officer for legal practice (COLP). Therefore, if you have legal work experience in legal clinics, law centres, law firms or other organisations where you can demonstrate some of the 18 solicitor competencies across four key areas. Such work experience can be counted towards QWE. In other words, some SQE candidates will be able to qualify as a solicitor immediately after passing the SQE2. This is good news for those who have worked or have been working in the legal industry as paralegals or legal executives.
Another advantage QWE has over a training contract is that it can be part-time or gained overseas as long as it is confirmed by a solicitor of England and Wales. Candidates are no longer required to obtain a training contract which is a notorious requirement that puts off many aspiring solicitors who have passed the LPC but cannot obtain one.
The only limitation is that you can only accrue QWE at a maximum of four separate organisations. To put it simply, you can’t be too jumpy and may have to endure a badass boss for a little longer if this is the fourth organisation you work for to gain QWE.
Check out our SQE Preparation Package.
