SQE prep for UK non-law graduates

Non-law graduates and the traditional route to qualification

The routes to qualify as a solicitor are diversifying and are now open to non-law degree graduates wishing to become a solicitor in England and Wales.

Until the introduction of the SQE, people who had a degree in a discipline that was not law, had to convert their degree through a programme known as The Common Professional Examination (CPE)/Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL), before going onto the LPC and completing the two-year training contract, like other law degree candidates.

The course was designed as an intense study programme covering roughly the same content as in a Law degree LL.B (Hons), with the purpose of allowing people with a greater variety of educational backgrounds to access the legal profession.

This further training added to the existing cost of qualification, however at the same time did not provide a sufficient level of assurance of consistent standards among newly qualified solicitors.

The new way to qualify as a solicitor

With the introduction of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), non-law graduates can undertake the SQE assessment like any other law graduate – no conversion course such as the GDL/CPE or LPC is required.

So if you have a degree in anything but law, you can still take the SQE and qualify as a solicitor after completing the qualifying work experience (QWE).

Having said that, if you do not have any previous legal background, you must allow yourself some time to learn the law to be able to pass the SQE. As a starting point, you need to prepare for SQE1 before you begin to work in a legal environment towards your work experience.

With the SQE preparation course, it doesn’t matter whether you have undertaken a previous study of law. Our materials are designed to offer anyone, whatever their legal and educational background, to quickly and comprehensively understand the principles and application of English law across the areas which are assessed as part of SQE1, and the practical skills assessed as part of SQE2.

You may wish to allow yourself a little more time to prepare than if you were a recent law undergraduate or have not been working in the legal sector, but don’t let this stop you from your aspiration of qualifying as a solicitor!

The SQE is background-agnostic, meaning that it is an assessment that acknowledges students may not have had extensive formal legal training beforehand, but still expects high standards which apply to candidates regardless of their origins. This is a good thing, and means that you have to work hard, but are not at a disadvantage.

Qualification and training

Our SQE preparation course can be used by students starting from scratch – that is with little to no formal legal training or experience, and presents the material in a comprehensive but accessible manner, along with resources and support to help you embed and recall your learning to the required standard under exam conditions.

Learn more how we can help you prepare for the SQE.

Access free sample materialFind out more
Download our SQE brochureDownload
Request a free consultationFind out more
sqe linkedin group
 
Access free sample materialFind out more
Download our SQE brochureDownload
Request a free consultationFind out more
sqe linkedin group

Download our SQE App

sqe app on google play
sqe app store
 
 
© 2024 QLTS School LLC. Registered in Delaware. All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Equality Information