How has the SQE impacted training contracts?

Dear Oracle

I’m qualifying via the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE), can I still do a training contract? 

The Oracle replies

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Ultimately, the SQE’s impact on training contracts has been minimal, with many law firms continuing to opt to train their future lawyers via the traditional two-year training contract.

There are various requirements to qualifying via the SQE – one of which is completing two years’ qualifying Work experience (QWE). This requirement aims to offer greater flexibility to the training opportunities available for aspiring lawyers – given that it can be completed in up to four organisations, rather than one law firm (ie, a formalised training contract), and can be taken before, during and/or after completing both assessments. However, the two-year training contract will remain a popular option for law firms and aspiring lawyers alike.

As many law firms began taking on their first SQE cohorts, the way that the SQE will, or won’t, impact training contracts has become clearer, making this question a lot easier to answer.

Read this short guide to find out whether the SQE will impact the way you train.

Traditional training contract

This will work in very much the same way that it has previously. You’ll apply for training contracts with your shortlisted firms; once you receive a training contract offer, it’s likely that the firm will require you to complete SQE1 and SQE2 before starting your training contract.

You’ll receive funding for the SQE from the firm you’re completing the training contract with and will be paid a trainee salary. In this sense, the way that future lawyers are trained will work in much the same way as it did with the Legal Practice Course (LPC).

Can I shorten my training contract if I already have some accredited QWE?

If you’ve already accumulated a chunk of the two years’ QWE required to qualify (eg, through working as a paralegal), some firms might have systems in place that mean the period of training you’re required to do at the firm can be shortened. However, this isn’t the case for every firm, meaning it’s likely you’ll still have to do the full two-year training contract in most instances. The preference at law firms is that they train you themselves.

Has the studying element on the path to qualifying changed?

Like with the LPC, the law firm’s partnership with their chosen law school will determine which law school you complete your SQE preparation with. While SQE preparation isn’t required, if you’ve secured a training contract with a firm, they’ll most likely require you to do a preparation course with their chosen provider before you start – the course selected will also vary depending on whether you’re a law or non-law graduate.

It’s important to note here, that unlike the LPC (which is a course, followed by exams), the SQE is just a series of assessments and the SQE preparation courses have been designed by education providers to ensure that aspiring lawyers have the best chance of passing the SQE assessments. Lots of firms will require their future trainees to complete SQE preparation ahead of completing the assessments in the same way you’d have had to complete the modules on the LPC before taking the exam.

Read our ‘guide to SQE preparation courses’ for more information on the SQE courses available.

What’s a graduate solicitor apprenticeship?

Despite the introduction of the SQE, the traditional training contract remains the go-to training method for many law firms. That said, some firms have replaced their traditional training contracts with graduate solicitor apprenticeships – the end point of which is exactly the same.

For example, Hill Dickinson LLP partnered with The University of Law to launch its graduate solicitor apprenticeship which has now replaced its training contract. The firm’s future lawyers study and sit SQE1 alongside completing a tailored, sector-focused Hill Dickinson Plus programme, which has been designed to prepare the apprentices for working at the firm. Following the completion of SQE1 and the plus programme, the apprentices will join the firm and get ready to take SQE2 while they’re completing their two-years’ QWE. Apprentices will be paid on the job, much like trainees. The salary will vary between firms depending on size and location, so check with individual firms for salary information.  

Solicitor apprenticeships for those who’ve not attended university are also a viable alternative.

Interested in finding out more about legal apprenticeships? Read the Law Apprenticeships Guide.

QWE as intended

The QWE element of the SQE was designed to offer increased flexibility to candidates so they can gain experience in multiple organisations, rather than just one (like the traditional training contract). As such, those employed as paralegals can record the work they’re undertaking, or have undertaken, to count towards their two-years' QWE.

Read ‘What counts as QWE?’ for more information on the type of work you can undertake and ‘How do I get my QWE accredited?’ for advice on how to record it.

The flexibility here makes becoming a solicitor for these candidates much more accessible, and also offers the chance for those of you who’ve completed paralegal work, or similar, in the past to record this as QWE. If you choose to acquire all of your QWE like this, a training contract isn’t required but you’ll have to fund the SQE preparation and assessments yourself, which is something to bear in mind.

SQE’s impact on training contracts: the verdict

So, in answer to your question – yes, you can still apply for a training contract and qualify as a solicitor via the SQE. In fact, the SQE opens a host of avenues to explore in terms of the way you train and build up your QWE. Do your research and pick the one that suits you and your circumstances.  

Still have questions about the SQE and QWE? Head to LawCareers.Net’s SQE hub, sponsored by The University of Law, for all the latest updates and advice on the new route to qualifying.