SQE - general discussion

[Popal]

Yes - that is a risk. Many firms don't want a two system process for qualification and therefore will switch everyone to the SQE together. As non-law graduates will only be able to take the SQE from January 2022 onwards, it means that the 2024 intakes are the first intake where the SQE will come in. Up until a few weeks ago it was going to the 2023 intakes, but the SRA extended the GDL route until 31 December 2021.

You will also need to sit SQE1 - you won't be exempt from that so it will be SQE1 + SQE2 + QWE.

Undoubedtly this may impact the firms you choose to apply to. Some firms will be willing to have a dual qualification process - but many aren't due to the complexities it brings and the differences in how the two sets of trainees will be treated.

Hi Jessica,

Sorry if I'm being slow, but I don't understand why the 2024 intake will be the first intake where the SQE will come in, if the first SQE exams are Jan 2022? Surely trainees can sit SQE1 in Jan 2022 and start a training contract in Septemebr 2022 (in theory) or at the very least September 2023?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

Sorry if I'm being slow, but I don't understand why the 2024 intake will be the first intake where the SQE will come in, if the first SQE exams are Jan 2022? Surely trainees can sit SQE1 in Jan 2022 and start a training contract in Septemebr 2022 (in theory) or at the very least September 2023?

The first set of SQE exams are currently November 2021 as I understand it (although could easily have been pushed back).

Firms could allow people to take the SQE route prior to 2024, but my point goes back to many firms not wanting dual qualification processes and also that many are super wary of the SQE - they have little trust in it at the moment.

So for many firms they are sticking to the existing route because it is far less risky. As the GDL can now be started next Autumn, it means non-law students graduating this year can still take the existing training contract route. Therefore the existing route is viable for anyone who wants to start a training contract before 2024.

By 2024, the non-law graduates who graduated in 2022 will only be able to take the SQE route (as the GDL won't exist for them anymore), so this is why many firms are changing their approach by then and switching to the SQE from 2024 onwards.

I think this is going to be a key consideration for people applying to firms at the moment though - whether they are willing to support you through different routes, or dictate which route you take. Also, it will be interesting to see how firms approach the SQE - it sounds like for some you will have to pass both SQE1 and SQE2 before evening joining, while others you will start your TC and undertake the SQE at the same time with the hope you will pass by the time your 2 year QWE is up.

 

[Staples]

The first set of SQE exams are currently November 2021 as I understand it (although could easily have been pushed back).

Firms could allow people to take the SQE route prior to 2024, but my point goes back to many firms not wanting dual qualification processes and also that many are super wary of the SQE - they have little trust in it at the moment.

So for many firms they are sticking to the existing route because it is far less risky. As the GDL can now be started next Autumn, it means non-law students graduating this year can still take the existing training contract route. Therefore the existing route is viable for anyone who wants to start a training contract before 2024.

By 2024, the non-law graduates who graduated in 2022 will only be able to take the SQE route (as the GDL won't exist for them anymore), so this is why many firms are changing their approach by then and switching to the SQE from 2024 onwards.

I think this is going to be a key consideration for people applying to firms at the moment though - whether they are willing to support you through different routes, or dictate which route you take. Also, it will be interesting to see how firms approach the SQE - it sounds like for some you will have to pass both SQE1 and SQE2 before evening joining, while others you will start your TC and undertake the SQE at the same time with the hope you will pass by the time your 2 year QWE is up.

I wonder what a non-law finalist who doesn’t manage to secure a TC this year (and therefore can choose more or less freely between self-funding a GDL/PGDL and an SQE prep course in 2021/22) should do... like, they can stick to the existing route, but should they – given that they’d be reapplying for 2024 TCs, when as you say firms would start switching to the SQE route for good?
I’m asking as a non-law (postgraduate) student who will graduate in 2021!

 

[Jessica Booker]

I wonder what a non-law finalist who doesn’t manage to secure a TC this year (and therefore can choose more or less freely between self-funding a GDL/PGDL and an SQE prep course in 2021/22) should do... like, they can stick to the existing route, but should they – given that they’d be reapplying for 2024 TCs, when as you say firms would start switching to the SQE route for good?
I’m asking as a non-law (postgraduate) student who will graduate in 2021!

you need to speak to the firms you want to apply to and see whether they are moving people to the SQE for 2024, and make a decision based on those responses. Not all firms are doing the same thing - it is just SOME firms have decided to not have dual qualification processes and therefore move everyone over to the SQE in 2024 as some trainees will not have the choice and will have to do the SQE.

 

[Jane Smith]

I hope someone knows the answer to this. I had been saying you choose the existing route ( GDL/LPC/TC) or from next year the SQE route and you cannot mix the two.
I was therefore very surprised to see this on the SRA website dated October 2020. It says if you have done the LPC you can then switch routes mid way and just take SQE2.

"LPC or SQE decision tree
Should I do the LPC or wait for the SQE?
This could help you when deciding what qualification route is best for you.

Your answer
You have done an LPC but not had an offer of a period of recognised training
If you want to qualify under the current route, you could consider Equivalent Means if you have relevant work experience. This involves compiling a portfolio to demonstrate how your experience is equivalent to a period of recognised training and submitting it to us for assessment. The fee for this is £600.

Or

We will also accept experience equivalent to the new qualifying work experience as a period of recognised training, so long as you have successfully completed the SQE2 assessment as well."


It is the last bit which surprised me- that if you have done the LPC you can then sit SQE2 and qualify. I thought once you went down the GDL/LPC route you could not change tracks.

 

[Jessica Booker]

F

I hope someone knows the answer to this. I had been saying you choose the existing route ( GDL/LPC/TC) or from next year the SQE route and you cannot mix the two.
I was therefore very surprised to see this on the SRA website dated October 2020. It says if you have done the LPC you can then switch routes mid way and just take SQE2.

"LPC or SQE decision tree
Should I do the LPC or wait for the SQE?
This could help you when deciding what qualification route is best for you.

Your answer
You have done an LPC but not had an offer of a period of recognised training
If you want to qualify under the current route, you could consider Equivalent Means if you have relevant work experience. This involves compiling a portfolio to demonstrate how your experience is equivalent to a period of recognised training and submitting it to us for assessment. The fee for this is £600.

Or

We will also accept experience equivalent to the new qualifying work experience as a period of recognised training, so long as you have successfully completed the SQE2 assessment as well."


It is the last bit which surprised me- that if you have done the LPC you can then sit SQE2 and qualify. I thought once you went down the GDL/LPC route you could not change tracks.

I am pretty sure to be eligible for SQE2 you need to have passed SQE1, and so I only read this as you waste your time completing both sets of examinations.

 

[Jane Smith]

That is what I thought. It would not surprise me if the SRA website were wrong then which I quote above. One one issue I had to email them and they took a month or two to reply and before I had the formal reply were not sure (on a different issue on timing). The quote above though says if you have the LPC you just need SQE2 it does not say you have to do SQE 1. May be it a a binding representation that if you have LPC and 2 years of proper experience all you need them to qualify is SQE2.

 

[Jessica Booker]

That is what I thought. It would not surprise me if the SRA website were wrong then which I quote above. One one issue I had to email them and they took a month or two to reply and before I had the formal reply were not sure (on a different issue on timing). The quote above though says if you have the LPC you just need SQE2 it does not say you have to do SQE 1. May be it a a binding representation that if you have LPC and 2 years of proper experience all you need them to qualify is SQE2.

Basically suggesting the equivalent means process is being replaced by SQE stage 2?

 

[Elle]

That is what I thought. It would not surprise me if the SRA website were wrong then which I quote above. One one issue I had to email them and they took a month or two to reply and before I had the formal reply were not sure (on a different issue on timing). The quote above though says if you have the LPC you just need SQE2 it does not say you have to do SQE 1. May be it a a binding representation that if you have LPC and 2 years of proper experience all you need them to qualify is SQE2.

I actually recall reading something like this recently on their LinkedIn page (that you can switch to SQE2 if you did the LPC & didn’t get a TC)

 

[Lawgirl123]

Hi all. I have a few SQE questions
1) If you take the GDL do you then have to do SQE1 and SQE2? So three years of studying in total?
2) If you are a non-law student, with no GDL, is there an extra pre-course and if so does this add an additional time onto your studies? I am confused as to whether SQE is meant to be 2 years for everyone regardless of law / non-law degree?

Any clarity would be much appreciated as it isn't that clear at the moment.

Many thanks

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi all. I have a few SQE questions
1) If you take the GDL do you then have to do SQE1 and SQE2? So three years of studying in total?
2) If you are a non-law student, with no GDL, is there an extra pre-course and if so does this add an additional time onto your studies? I am confused as to whether SQE is meant to be 2 years for everyone regardless of law / non-law degree?

Any clarity would be much appreciated as it isn't that clear at the moment.

Many thanks

If you have started the GDL, you could just take the existing qualification route. It would only be if you wanted to then convert to the SQE, then you would need to complete all the relevant stages. The SQE doesn’t have a fixed time of studying though - it could take as little as six months to complete SQE1 and SQE2, but you would need to gain 2 years of qualifying work experience too.

The SQE isn’t a formal course - it’s just a set of examinations. How long you take to prepare for those exams is very dependent on your individual circumstances and also if your employer is putting you through a prep course, and if so what that prep course consists of.

For instance, it would be possible to self study for the SQE and pass 1 and 2 within six months if you wanted to and were able enough to do that.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Interesting development from the SRA today that confirmed in a conference today:

For students who cannot obtain a training contract, but have completed their LPC, there is an option to progress towards completing two years of qualifying work experience and eliminate the SQE1, requiring only to take SQE2. Therefore, on completion of two years paralegal work experience, you need to apply to the SRA to confirm this was completed, due to not being able to secure a training contract. You can then proceed towards taking the SQE2 to qualify through the SQE route, eliminating the requirement to take SQE1. However, it is advised, throughout the two years QWE to still apply for a training contract.

 

[Jessica Booker]

I am starting to create some SQE content given next cycle we will see a lot of firms convert to SQE opportunities.

Please feel free to post any queries/concerns/questions in here - I might not have an answer straight away but it may help me build out some of the content we are planning.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Kelly_]

Hi all! I am currently debating whether to take the SQE or LPC. I am currently taking a year out, having graduated last year, so I definitely want to start either in the coming year. I am thinking of doing it part-time and working alongside as I don't see how I will otherwise be able to afford it, I also have not secured a TC yet. I was leaning towards the SQE because part-time this is shorter than the 2-year LPC (from what I believe but this is actually not clear from the university of law website). I also thought that it would be cheaper, however, the University of Law costs are still quite high in my opinion.
- The LLM SQE is £16,500 (same as LPC)
- SQE Prep 1 - £5,500
- SQE Prep 2 - £5,500
The prep courses separately do not cover the actual exam fees either, I am also unclear whether the LLM version does include the exam fees?

However, I am also very conscious that law firms are wary of the SQE and although I will be able to qualify as a solicitor due to the broad range of QWE this will not automatically mean that I will be able to obtain a NQ position within a law firm - and it will basically move the competition from applying for a TC further down the line (if that makes sense) - I also know that Alice has mentioned this issue on here before but I was just wondering if there were any new opinions or thoughts on this.

I am not sure if this all makes sense especially as I'm still very confused about the whole process myself 😂

 

[Jessica Booker]

Unless your QWE is over 4 months with each employer, with the type of firms you want to work for, and has high levels of responsibility, just because it may qualify as QWE don’t expect firms to recognise it as such.

You don’t need to do an LLM prep course though. There will be cheaper options out there if you do choose to do the SQE. Depending on what type of learner you are, you could technically self study and have no costs at all (although access to the information to learn is likely to be sketchy the first year or two).

The key factor for me at the moment is that if you do the LPC you will be exempt from SQE stage 1 but not the other way around. This is basically encouraging firms to move to the SQE model but allow the transition to work effectively at the same time.

 

[G P]

Hi there, just wondering if anyone can confirm/provide any suggestions on the following:
Am I right in thinking that if I sign up for the GDL this summer and begin in September, that I can then do the normal route of GDL/LPC/TC? For context, I am a non-law student who will graduate this summer, and though I have made several applications, have not yet secured a TC. I was hoping to get onto the last GDL cohort regardless of not having a TC offer yet, in order to avoid the uncertainty of the SQE...

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi there, just wondering if anyone can confirm/provide any suggestions on the following:
Am I right in thinking that if I sign up for the GDL this summer and begin in September, that I can then do the normal route of GDL/LPC/TC? For context, I am a non-law student who will graduate this summer, and though I have made several applications, have not yet secured a TC. I was hoping to get onto the last GDL cohort regardless of not having a TC offer yet, in order to avoid the uncertainty of the SQE...

You can do the normal route, but be mindful that some firms may ask you to complete the SQE route anyway if you are going forward for 2024 or later intakes.

The GDL on its own does not give you exemption from any part of the SQE, but if you go on to complete the LPC you would be exempt from SQE stage 1

 

[Rizwan]

You can do the normal route, but be mindful that some firms may ask you to complete the SQE route anyway if you are going forward for 2024 or later intakes.

The GDL on its own does not give you exemption from any part of the SQE, but if you go on to complete the LPC you would be exempt from SQE stage 1

Hi @Jessica Booker

Hope you are well, I had a few questions I was hoping to get your feedback upon.

I am currently enrolled in in January intake of the LPC (Part-Time) but due to familial issues I have the option to withdraw from the course. My initial thinking was to secure a TC whilst finishing the LPC and move form there but the SQE's introduction is making it tricky for me to come to a conclusion on what to do due to its uncertainty and also being so new which does not fill me with confidence

I understand that by the 2024-25 intake, most Law firms will be integrating the SQE and leave the LPC route. Would it be beneficial for me to withdraw and just hunt for a TC with the aim to secure one within 2024 intake so I can avoid the SQE or just persevere through circumstances, complete the LPC and attempt to secure the TC (harder now as I am working FT).

Doing the LPC now, not getting a TC by 2024 will most likely result in the firm I get a TC from requiring me to do SQE2 + potential QWE if my current experience does not fully count. What I found off-putting is to go through the LPC to then potentially still be liable to do the SQE regardless if the firm pays or not. Hence, I am tempted to take the gamble to withdraw from the LPC, fully hunt down a TC by next summer and just try and meet the criteria to still do this through the LPC route instead of the SQE route, which is a big gamble of course.

I understand this is a decision I can only take but a part of me wants to withdraw and focus on getting the TC before 2024 intake closes but if it does not pay off, I can be potentially into 2023 with no LPC, no TC and liable to do the SQE, which I don't feel confident in (at the moment).

The other part of me thinks finishing the LPC would be beneficial as I am comfortable in the course, can't make many but hope that I can secure one before the PT LPC finishes with a view to get into TC straight off the LPC qualification.

I am very torn due to the gamble I am inclined to take but also because I don't want to look back with no TC and regret not finishing the LPC and having to do the SQE through my own funding. Though, the idea to devote 25-30hrs a week in TC apps alone and a view to secure one before summer 2023 is tempting me to challenge myself and gamble my fate.

A few facts about me:
- Law grad;
- Currently a paralegal (FT) for a regional firm with another 2 years previously;
- 3 months into LPC course.

Apologies for this long essay, just wanted to provide as much info as possible. Thanks!

 

[r14n]

Based on what we know thus far, is the general consensus that LPC might be a better route if funding isn't the issue. SRA is being quite vague, not sure why!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Based on what we know thus far, is the general consensus that LPC might be a better route if funding isn't the issue. SRA is being quite vague, not sure why!

The better route is to wait until you know which way your future employer wants you to take, then do the course.

But if you are adamant in self funding, go with the LPC as it will exempt you for SQE1 but the SQE1 won’t exempt you from the LPC.