1. Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE)
Maxine Warr
Policy Manager
Solicitors Regulation Authority

3. What is the SQE?
A common assessment for anyone wishing to qualify as a solicitor
It consists of stage one and stage two
We will introduce it after a period of development and testing of the design and content of the SQE with an appointed assessment organisation – target date 2020

4. Why did we make this decision?
To provide a gold standard for consumers and ensure consistency
To give students more choice
To give students a fair opportunity to qualify as a solicitor
To give law firms will have a better guarantee of standards, a wider talent pool, better information about the performance of individual candidates and individual law schools and more flexibility to tailor their training in a way which suits their businesses
Education providers will have more flexibility about how they train

5. SQE: four requirements for admission

6. A possible structure for the SQE

7. A possible structure for the SQE

8. Possible new routes to qualification

9. Transitional arrangements
We will consult on transitional arrangements later this month. We will propose a transition period which would allow people who have commenced training under the existing system to complete their training
Anyone who has started a Qualifying Law Degree or a Graduate Diploma in Law before the implementation date of the SQE (target September 2020) will be able to continue to qualify under the current system (subject to a long stop date)

10. Further work
We are in the process of appointing an assessment organisation to develop and run the SQE
We will work with stakeholders to develop a package of information and support materials for students, trainers, law firms, careers advisers

11. Key milestones