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QWE: Top questions answered
06 October 2022

QWE: Top questions answered


Published on 06 October 2022
Qualifying Work Experience SQE preparation

Here in this article, Alice Payne, Head of Business Development and Marketing, answers the most asked questions the College receives about Qualifying Work Experience (QWE). You can also read all the facts about QWE in the College’s QWE Hub.

If you are interested in learning more about Qualifying Work Experience, then join the College’s webinar with Accutrainee’s Susan Cooper at 12.30pm on 20th October. Register here.

 

What type of work counts as QWE? 

 

There is a huge variety of work that can count as QWE, it can be voluntary or paid, and based anywhere in the world. This work can be work completed prior to starting the SQE. The main thing is that the work that you do involves legal services and develops some of the solicitor’s competences outlined by the SRA.

You need two years QWE, full time or equivalent if you are working part time. You can count experience in up to four organisations, although you may get experience in more than that. We would recommend your keep a QWE record as you go and you can decide which to rely on as QWE your point of submission for qualification. You can use the SRA template for your record.

While it’s likely that you’ll want to include your QWE experience on your CV when applying for a NQ position after qualifying,  its worth saying that your QWE for admission does not have to be in the field in which you hope to practice. Here are some common examples of legal work, that are likely to count as QWE:

  • Legal writing and reviewing legal documents
  • Legal research, analysing and assessing documents to extract relevant information
  • Recording meetings and client communications
  • Client support and engagement and relationship management
  • Client advice/recommendations informed by analysis
  • Drafting of legal documents including legal and factual issues, using clear and accurate language
  • Advocacy including organising facts, presenting arguments, responding to questions or arguments
  • Negotiating, including identifying interests, developing and responding to options
  • Planning and managing legal cases and transactions, including applying processes and procedures.

How do I get my QWE signed off? 

 

QWE needs to be confirmed by a SRA registered solicitor or a law firm compliance officer (COLP). They do not have to be your supervisor, but they do need to have direct knowledge of the work that you have carried out. They are confirming that your record is accurate so if they were not close to your work at the time you were doing it, you will need to ensure that they can either speak to, or receive feedback from, your supervisor at the time of the QWE.

 

My supervisor is refusing to confirm my QWE, what do I do?

 

As the SQE is new, we are finding that there are a number of candidates who are struggling to persuade their supervisors or individuals in their organisation to confirm their QWE. This may be due to the timeframe when the QWE was completed, or the move of individuals from the organisations concerned, or they perhaps just don’t feel that they have enough knowledge of the candidate’s work.

Firstly, we recommend that you share with them background information on QWE and what they do and do not need to confirm. The guidance from the SRA for employers is very clear on this. They don’t need to confirm the quality of your work, but they do need to confirm that you have completed it and have sufficient direct knowledge of the work involved from your supervisor. 

Secondly, as a registered solicitor with the SRA or a compliance officer, regardless of where they are now working or based, the SRA expects them to comply with their Principles and Code of Conduct, and should act fairly and honestly to confirm QWE if they are asked and have enough direct knowledge of your work. The SRA expects solicitors and COLPs to take reasonable and appropriate steps to confirm any retrospective requests. You can also share with them the QWE template and reassure them that the process is quick and straightforward.

If you find yourself in the situation where there is a refusal to confirm QWE, the SRA’s guidance might be helpful.

 

Top Tip for QWE

 

Our main recommendation is that you have early discussions with your supervisors or employers about any legal services work that you think might be QWE. Whether you are at University or beyond, it is worth speaking to the organisation concerned at the beginning of the contract and your supervisor at the beginning of the placement to agree that they will confirm it as QWE, and you get it confirmed and signed off as soon as you are able after the end of the placement.

You can submit QWE to the SRA, as you complete each placement through your SQE account, or wait until the end of your full two years of QWE and then decide which parts of your experience you will submit.

 

If you would like to find out more about QWE register for the College’s webinar on 20th October, jointly hosted with Accutrainee.