Qualifying Work Experience: What You Need to Know

What is Qualifying Work Experience?

Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) is a compulsory element to your qualification process via the SQE, which is a minimum of two years required in up to four different legal positions, paid or unpaid. This experience would have to be signed off by a qualified solicitor and you may be exempt from this requirement.

What is Qualifying Work Experience?

QWE is the ‘work experience’ part of qualifying as a solicitor. This will be introduced in September 2021 along with the launch of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE). It involves at least two years’ full-time (or part-time equivalent) Qualifying Work Experience (QWE).

The competencies list is extensive and includes:

• ethics;
• professionalism and judgement;
• technical legal practice;
• working with others;
• managing yourself at work.

Your QWE must be confirmed by a solicitor or a Compliance Officer for Legal Practice (COLP). They will have to be either be working in the organisation where the QWE is obtained or have direct knowledge of the candidate’s work.

If you are unsure whether a role will cover all or any of these competences, you should ask your current employer, line manager or the hiring organisation for confirmation. You should also get their buy-in on confirming your experience because, without this, you will not be able to apply for admission as a solicitor.

We answer your questions, from what counts as QWE to whether your past roles can be signed off, on our FAQ page.

What Counts as Qualifying Work Experience and Do I Have to Complete All Two Years of My QWE with a Single Employer?

Qualifying Work Experience can be gained in a single two-year block or in stages across a maximum of four organisations. Some of your QWE can come from prior experience, before starting an SQE Prep course. This time can be ‘banked’ or even combined with your studies. It is also possible to complete your QWE between sitting your SQE1 and SQE2 exams. 

You can also obtain QWE in different roles within the same organisation. This applies when each role gives you an opportunity to develop a different competence. 

QWE can be paid or unpaid work and could include time spent:

• on placement during a sandwich degree;
• working in a law clinic;
• at a voluntary or charitable;
• organisation such as Citizen Advice or a law centre;
• working as a paralegal (either in a law firm or an in-house legal department);
• on a training contract.

Splitting your QWE across a maximum of four organisations is a flexible, new approach. However, if you chose to do this across multiple organisations, please mind the chosen area of law you eventually want to specialise in. The more aligned each role is to the area of law you want to practise, the better.

Remember your end goal is to secure a newly-qualified solicitor position. On top of the competences set out by the SRA, your experience should also aim to give you exposure to the practice area(s) you are interested in.

The same also applies to the types of clients you work with, and if appropriate, the sectors and industries they operate in. For example, if you aim to become a commercial solicitor, you may choose paralegalling in a commercial law firm over volunteering in a law clinic.

The legal job market is competitive, so you would need to ease your way into a role that is the closest match to the type of solicitor you want to become.

What are the Benefits of QWE?

What is refreshing about the new qualification is that achieving the required QWE quota is much more flexible than the previous LPC. This flexibility allows for parallel part-time study in preparation for the SQE assessments. Considering the SQE is more affordable than the current route, this promises a new generation of solicitors from a diverse range of backgrounds and circumstances. This can only benefit clients from all walks of life who want to identify with and draw upon the experiences of the counsel that represents them.

Equally, those who prefer to work part-time while studying for the SQE exam-based elements are also able to do so. They would have to be sure that their employment opportunities can count towards the QWE. See below what can count as QWE.

What are the Differences Between QWE and a Training Contract?

QWE under the new qualification system is more flexible than the traditional training contract route. In obtaining QWE, the aim is for aspiring lawyers to have the opportunity to develop the solicitor competencies required by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). It can include voluntary work and is not limited to work in one organisation. And, unlike a traditional training contract, QWE does not require experience in three different areas of law. The qualifying legal work experience can be accumulated over a maximum of four different positions and does not need to be done consecutively.

QWE can be undertaken before, during, or after the SQE1 and SQE2 exams. This means that you could already have, or be in the process of accumulating, your time for QWE since it is possible to claim it retrospectively. If you acquire the necessary two years’ worth of QWE before the introduction of the SQE in 2021, all that would remain for you to complete qualification is to pass the two-stage SQE. 

The benefit of QWE is that you have more options for acquiring the necessary experience without the obstacle of trying to secure a training contract within a very competitive environment. More firms will likely offer a wider range of options for obtaining QWE outside of a traditional training contract.

Can legal work experience obtained overseas count as Qualifying Work Experience?

In theory, yes. However, your experience must be confirmed by one of the following:

• a solicitor of England and Wales in the organisation you are working for;

• another nominated solicitor of England and Wales, outside your organisation, who has direct knowledge of your work;

• the Compliance Officer for Legal Practice, or COLP, (if your organisation has one) can confirm your experience. 

Please note that barristers are not eligible to take on this role of confirming.

If you are already a qualified lawyer overseas, then you do not need to evidence QWE and can proceed with the assessment stages. For more information on that, please visit the SRA website here.

Is there a cut-off point by which Qualifying Work Experience must be completed?

No, but from an employability perspective, it would be sensible to avoid a lengthy gap between passing your SQE exams and your QWE. If you complete your QWE with more than one organisation, then a short gap between each role is unlikely to put you at a disadvantage. However, you must try to avoid lengthy periods away from work or studies. This is a risk as it makes you less attractive as a candidate, particularly for competitive roles with high-profile employers.

Is there a preference as to the types of organisations Qualifying Work Experience should be gained in?

You can get QWE in various settings, including private practice, in-house legal departments, law clinics, and other charitable organisations. It can also include paid and non-paid experience, including paralegalling or a training contract. There is no preference for a specific type of organisation, the choice is yours. However, it is useful to think ahead to the area(s) of law you want to specialise in and the environment you want to work in, in the future.

For example, if your QWE comes from the not-for-profit sector, switching to the private sector, as a newly-qualified solicitor (NQ), may prove to be difficult.

Does working part-time in an organisation count as Qualifying Work Experience?

Yes. The Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA) requirement is for two years, or equivalent gained on a part-time basis. The SRA has not defined what full-time (or equivalent) means and expects employers or those confirming QWE to adopt a common-sense approach.

Does Qualifying Work Experience need to be paid?

QWE can be paid or on a pro bono basis. Pro bono work is when someone needs help but doesn’t qualify for legal aid and can’t afford to pay for legal advice. As a student, you can give free advice to the individual in question, under supervision. In return, you get the opportunity to put your skills and theory into practice. Plus, you will be able to meet qualified professionals working in this area and extend your network of contacts.

If you’re in a position to undertake voluntary work on an unpaid basis, the Citizen’s Advice Bureau partners with many legal organisations so that students can deliver pro bono advice to those in need.

There is also the opportunity to work with initiatives such as StreetLaw, which originated in the US and now operates across the globe. It links local community groups, such as schools and prisons, with students who can research and deliver workshops on a particular area of interest to them. Many universities also have free legal advice clinics where you help members of the public, while guided by qualified lawyers. Universities also often partner with miscarriage of justice programmes and other initiatives. It’s worth getting in touch with your legal career centre to find out what are the options.

Can my current or past paralegal role count as Qualifying Work Experience?

In theory, this should be possible. We recommend discussing this with your employer. Your QWE must be confirmed by a solicitor or Compliance Officer for Legal Practice (or COLP). They will have to be either be working in the organisation where the QWE is obtained or have direct knowledge of the candidate’s work. They will need to check your day-to-day responsibilities and how these have helped you to develop some or all of the SRA competences. From your perspective, you will need to keep an appropriate record of your experience.

The work carried out by paralegals can vary. Some roles involve more admin and have less exposure to the law and fewer interactions with clients. If you are currently applying for paralegal roles, pay particular attention to the job specification or description.

Consider discussing your needs with the recruiter in advance. This can help manage both of your expectations.

How do I prove Qualifying Work Experience if I am a solicitor from outside England and Wales?

If you are a lawyer from outside England and Wales, qualified overseas, your professional experience can be taken into account by the SRA. It would still have to:

• meet the competencies set out by the SRA; and,
• be signed off by a solicitor of England and Wales, or a COLP.

You may also need to prove English language proficiency through a test. You can contact the SRA directly for any further information on this.

There is also the possibility to apply for exemptions for the SQE exam-based elements. You can find out more information on this here.

So, there you have it – that’s SQE’s Qualifying Work Experience explained. If you have any further questions you can visit our QWE FAQs. Or if you would like more information about our upcoming SQE Prep courses, speak to our team here.

Who can approve QWE?

QWE has to be signed off by a qualified solicitor or a compliance officer, within or outside of the organisation, who has knowledge of your work. The purpose of this is not to assess the competence of the skills demonstrated, but rather ascertain the time of the experience, whether it developed any of the competencies outlined by the SRA, and that there are no character and suitability issues that arose.

How do I log my QWE?

You can work in up to 4 different places, over 2 years to build up your Qualifying Work Experience. All your experience has to relate to the SRA’s statement of solicitor competence and be confirmed by a solicitor, that is a lot of competencies to cross check and confirmations to manage. The Flex Legal Journal will let you record your experience, manage approvals, and track your progress online against the SRA’s framework.

Do I need to have completed the QWE before sitting SQE?

Qualifying Work Experience does not need to be completed before sitting the SQE. You can undergo your QWE before, during or after your SQE assessments.

It's only at the point of applying for admission as a solicitor with the SRA that you will need to register proof of your two years of QWE.

For more information on QWE, please visit the SRA website.

Careers + Employability Support

Does BARBRI help me with career options and advice around Qualifying Work Experience?

We are committed to opening opportunities to all and understand that navigating your journey through the SQE and obtaining QWE can be challenging. We have partnered with several industry-leading organisations to help you understand the range of QWE opportunities available including LawQWE, Strive, FLEX Legal, Taylor Root, MLA Global, Elevate, Reed, Accutrainee and LPCLaw, along with a job search engine powered by Indeed through the CareerHub.

In addition to this We offer one-to-one bookable appointments which last 30 minutes each, hosted via Zoom or telephone delivered by our experienced Careers Consultants. Students can take advantage of a broad range of topics, including advice and guidance around qualifying work experience.

We're here to help you on your career and employability journey by offering services at every stage of your education. We offer 1-2-1 career clinics, free career webinars and we've partnered with several highly respected legal recruitment experts to bring you great advice and useful resources.

All our students and alumni get access to BARBRI CareerHub, offering a wide variety of resources, including an AI-based CV checker, cover letter creator, interview simulator and psychometric tests along with tons of careers-focused content. It also includes a dynamic job search engine, which lists a range of vacancies across different sectors and practice areas.

Find out more about our Careers & Employability support here: SQE Careers Support

QWE Kickstart

We have joined up with The SQuarE Route to develop QWE Kickstart, an opportunity for our students to secure legal work experience. 

Find out more here: Secure a Minimum of 6 Months QWE with QWE Kickstart