The route to becoming a solicitor
If you want to become a solicitor in England & Wales from 2021, you would need to make sure you know everything about this new route. The Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) is replacing all other routes into the profession. Find out more and test your knowledge on everything you need to know before you take the SQE.
Key facts about the SQE
The SQE is the Solicitors Qualifying Exam which is the new centralised assessment for all those who wish to become solicitors in England and Wales which will be introduced from September 2021 by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).
This is the regulatory body for all solicitors in England and Wales. It sets the standard for all solicitors in the profession and is behind the introduction and the development of the SQE. You can find out more about the background to its introduction here.
Kaplan is the exam provider that was appointed to administer both stages of the SQE exam. You can visit their website here.
The SQE is made up of two stages: SQE1 and SQE2. SQE1 will assess Functioning Legal Knowledge through a multiple-choice format of assessment. SQE2 will assess practical legal skills through a series of face-to-face and written assessments.
The SQE exam is a rigorous form of assessment that you may be looking for support in passing the exam to ensure your success. BARBRI has prepared over 1.3 million lawyers to pass their legal qualification exams through their experience in the field of exam preparation. You can find out what course options exist for the SQE exam here.
As part of your qualification, you would need to complete two years of Qualifying Work Experience (QWE). You can find out more here.
Wondering which SQE1 Prep course duration to take?
BARBRI has been preparing law students and lawyers for qualification exams for over five decades. We offer the SQE Prep course to help prepare future solicitors for this exam.
There is a range of course options for the first stage of the exam, the SQE1 Prep, to allow for greater flexibility. Check these out here.
What are the steps to qualifying via the SQE?
There are multiple stages to qualifying as a solicitor via this new route, aside from the SQE exams. This is the full path to qualification: