Key routes to qualification as a solicitor in 2022
Guest written by Law with Sophie

This article sets out the key ways in which you can qualify as a solicitor, but NB: not everyone is eligible for all routes.

Educational requirements

First things first, to become a solicitor via any of the routes below, you need a degree or an equivalent qualification or experience. So, this could be:

• an undergraduate degree
• a Level 6 apprenticeship
• a Level 6 CILEx qualification

Qualifying as a solicitor

In September 2021, the SRA introduced the Solicitors Qualifying Examination ("SQE") which will eventually replace the current Legal Practice Course ("LPC").

The current paths to qualification available to you differ slightly, depending if/when you enrolled onto certain courses for study.

Put simply, if you enrolled on your LLB or Graduate Diploma in Law ("GDL") prior to September 2021 (or already have one of these qualifications), you can choose which route to pursue. If not, then you can't qualify via the LPC route, only the SQE route.

Can I take the LPC route? Pre-September 2021 (the LPC route)

If you've already got or have accepted a place on a qualifying law degree (LLB or some LLMs), or the Graduate Diploma in Law prior to September 2021, the following is one of the routes available to you:

• The LPC, followed by
• Your period of recognised training (the most established form of this is a “training contract”, where you have to be employed by a recognised training provider), and finally
• The Professional Skills Course ("PSC").

You have until 2032 to qualify as a solicitor through the LPC route as it's gradually being replaced – see below!

You can check eligible qualifying law degrees on the SRA’s website.

Post-September 2021 (the SQE route)

Following the introduction of the SQE in September 2021, the LPC is gradually being replaced. The requirements for qualifying as a solicitor are now:

• Pass the SQE1 and SQE2 assessments;
• Undertake two years' full-time qualifying work experience ("QWE"); and
• Pass the SRA's character and suitability requirements.

So if you haven’t yet enrolled for a qualifying law degree or the GDL, this is the route that will be available to you.

[If you do already have one of these qualifications, then you can choose which route to pursue.]

Can I mix and match? Yes!

If you choose to take the LPC, you will still be able to qualify without a training contract. If you have started or have an LPC but haven’t yet qualified you can switch tracks and complete your qualification via the SQE.

If you have completed the LPC, you are considered exempt from SQE1 and can move straight to SQE2, plus a period of qualifying work experience. If your LPC was some time ago, it is worth being aware that you will need to brush up on five areas of law as part of your preparation for SQE2. 

Do I need to do a prep course for the SQE?

Via the SQE route of qualification, your degree level qualification doesn’t need to be in law, and yes you could take the SQE assessments without any formal training. However in practical terms you will need to know a lot of legal knowledge to pass the SQE assessments – even with a law degree, the assessments are difficult because they cover 13 areas of law, that aren’t all covered in a law degree.

What type of preparation courses are available? The introduction of the SQE has led to a much wider range of law courses and programmes being available to candidates. There's a wide choice of courses available, and you can also work alongside many of them.

You can:

• Simply take separate SQE preparation courses (insert link to SQE page) involving materials and/or supervision; or
• Take an LLM in Legal Practice that includes SQE prep, and is eligible for a Masters loan, to give you a wider grounding in legal practice.

There are also available:

• Undergraduate law degrees that help you prepare for the SQE. For example, Solent Law School offers the College’s prep course in the third year of their law degree.
• For non-law students, you can still take a GDL, or shorter and more focused law conversion course, like the College’s Graduate Diploma in Law Programme.

Visit the SRA’s website for all the details on how to qualify.

This blog is guest written by Law with Sophie, it is part of a six-part series on Becoming a Solicitor, helping you consider whether it is the right career move for you.

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Last updated July 2022