Many people want to become solicitors. They see these men and women clad in suits and talking on behalf of other people, and instantly, they wish they can be them. Not many people have ever taken the time out to consider what it takes to become a Solicitor. If you are one of those people, then stick around. Before we get to what it takes to become a Solicitor, there is one question we need to answer.
Who is a Solicitor?
A solicitor is a legal professional who is qualified after successful completion of a professional examination, to provide specialist legal advice to persons in need in different areas of law, and is responsible for representing and defending the interests of a client. In the United Kingdom, a solicitor carries out the duty of taking instructions from clients, ranging from groups, individuals and even to public sector organizations and private companies to advise them on necessary legal actions to take.
Solicitors cover a broad range of actions ranging from divorces to wills, mergers and acquisitions and all legal actions. If you get qualified, it opens a wide range of options to you to practice either as an in-house counsel to corporations and companies, to have a private practice or even to work as an officer in the Court.However, if being a solicitor is the end game, there are steps that you must take, and perhaps the most difficult and intense hurdle to pass, is the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), and this can be done through the QLTS course.
SQE – What is it all about?
The SQE is the newly introduced professional examination to become a Solicitor in England and Wales, introduced by the Solicitors Regulation Authority in September 2021. Before now, the Legal Practice Course (LPC), was responsible for admitting people into the ranks of solicitors. However, it is believed that by 2032, this baton would fully have been handed over to the SQE. What does this mean for you?
It means that the route for qualification to become a solicitor is changing, and the sooner you jump on the bandwagon with the SQE, the better for you. The main difference between the SQE and the LPC is that while the LPC is a course of study, the SQE is a set of ‘qualifying examinations’ that must be passed to earn the title of Solicitor.
By the new rules put together by the SRA, to become a solicitor through the SQE, you need to:
- Obtain an Undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in any subject
- Pass the SQE1 and SQE2 assessments
- Undertake and prove that you have completed minimum of two years Qualifying Work Experience
- Meet the SRA’s character and suitability requirements.
Each SQE assessment is tailored to test different knowledge and skills deemed necessary to become a solicitor. But what exactly do they test?
SQE Route – SQE1 and SQE 2
The SQE is divided into two categories, created to test your legal knowledge on every front. When you’re done with both parts of the SQE route, you would have arrived at your destination of becoming a solicitor.
SQE1
The first part of the journey is SQE1. This examination tests your ‘functioning legal knowledge’ (FLK), and consists of two FLKs, spread across 180 multiple-choice questions. This exam intends to test your ability to apply your knowledge of the law, the fundamental legal principles and rules and more generically, to demonstrate the competencies you have built in order to be admitted as a qualified solicitor of England and Wales.
The questions reflect what it is reasonably expected that you will encounter in practice, so think of the examination as real life, treat the scenarios as such, and you just might ace it with ease!
The two multiple-choice assessments cover:
- Business law and practice; dispute resolution; contract; constitutional and administrative law; tort; legal system of England and Wales and EU law and legal services.
- Property practice; wills and the administration of estates; land law; solicitors’ accounts; trusts; criminal law and practice.
Beyond these, Ethics and professional conduct questions will be interspersed pervasively across the two assessments. The legal profession is a noble profession, and if you aspire to become a solicitor, you must, in addition to the technical knowledge possessed, also have the strength of character and moral aptitude for integrity and honesty in accordance with the SRA standards and regulations.
SQE2
The second part of the journey is the SQE2. This part is curated to test not just your theoretical knowledge of the law, but also your ability to apply the knowledge so acquired to the everyday circumstances that will come your way.
The assessment of SQE2 is divided into two main parts, albeit having the same, general passmark:
- SQE2 oral – four oral legal skills assessments which will take place over two half days, covering: interview and attendance note/legal analysis advocacy
- SQE2 written – 12 written legal skills assessments which will take place over three half days, covering: case and matter analysis; legal research; legal writing; legal drafting and advocacy
Your job as a candidate is to prepare adequately and show to the examiner that you can apply the basic legal principles in the skill-based situations in a way that satisfies the desires of your client. One thing you must understand is that a solicitor’s job is to address the concerns of your client. You must be able to connect legal principles to existential situations, creating a carefully tailored solution that is both relevant and legally sound.
CONCLUSION
Are you truly aspiring to become a Solicitor? This is the route you must follow. The days of the LPC are quickly rounding up, and now is the perfect time to key into the SQE to get your license to practice as a Solicitor in England and Wales. You should start your preparation today. Use this route as a guide as you prepare to ace your exams! Good luck!
