The following describes the various stages along the path to formal legal qualifications:
Intermediate legal and paralegal apprenticeships
SQE preparation courses There are a range of SQE preparation courses for law and non-law graduates, including those designed for students who want to gain a master’s qualification. The courses differ in length, price and content. You can search SQE preparation courses via LCN’s course search tool. Pupillage Pupillage is a compulsory, year-long period of on-the-job training before qualification as a barrister. QWE QWE is a period of training before qualification as a solicitor. It can be completed in up to four separate placements (eg, paralegal work or volunteering at a law clinic) taking place before, during and/or after SQE study. That said, many law firms prefer to train their future lawyers themselves via a formal training contract. Find out more about QWE on LawCareers.Net. Barrister
GCSE The foundation of your career and essential first step. A level Universities and employers will likely look at your A-level grades. You don’t need to study A-level law to become a lawyer. Non-law degree You don’t have to study law at university to become a lawyer. A non-law degree can be followed by a law conversion course or non-law specific SQE preparation course. Law degree The qualifying law degree (LLB) covers seven compulsory subjects: constitutional/ administrative law, criminal, contract, land, equity and trusts, EU law, and tort law. Law conversion A law conversion course packs the key learnings of a law degree into one year (if studying full time). Under the SQE, non-law graduates no longer need to complete a law conversion to become a solicitor (although a law conversion or SQE prep course is recommended). Bar course The mandatory stage of training to become a barrister that follows your law degree or law conversion course. There are a range of options at different law schools, serving different learning styles and budgets. SQE The SQE is the assessment you must pass to qualify as a solicitor. You’ll need a university degree (law or non-law), to pass the SQE1 and SQE2 exams, pass the SRA’s character and suitability assessment and have completed two years’ QWE.
A legal apprentice starts their career straight from school. You receive paid on-the-job training in legal and commercial skills, and professional conduct. For more on the different types of apprenticeship, see page 6 and read The Law Apprenticeships Guide. Solicitor apprenticeship The solicitor apprenticeship is a six-year programme of paid training, integrating a law degree, which ends in qualification as a solicitor. The entry requirements are usually five GCSEs graded 9 to 4 and three A levels (grade requirements vary), or equivalent work experience. They must pass the SQE to qualify. Graduate solicitor apprenticeship The graduate solicitor apprenticeship is a new way to qualify as a solicitor. It’s open to candidates with a qualifying law degree (or equivalent qualification) and non-law graduates who’ve completed a conversion course, and can take between two to three years to complete. It works in a similar way to the traditional training contract and involves on-the-job training and preparation for the SQE Paralegals have traditionally worked as support staff, but in practice many experienced paralegals do the same work as solicitors. Paralegal roles provide a good route into the profession for students and graduates, either as valuable work experience before applying for a training contract or as a way to gain QWE as part of the SQE. assessments. Paralegals
Barristers offer advice on specific legal issues and represent clients in court. Solicitor Solicitors give advice and
assistance on matters of law; they’re the first point of contact for those seeking legal advice and representation. CILEX Lawyer A CILEX Lawyer is a qualified lawyer (although not a solicitor) who’s trained to specialise as an expert in a particular area of law. The CPQ provides three outcomes: CILEX Paralegal, CILEX Advanced Paralegal and CILEX Lawyer.
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