SQE Update for People in Law - Morette Jackson - Director of Business Development Ben Taylor-Campbell - Account Manager May 2021
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SQE Update for
People in Law
Morette Jackson - Director of Business Development
Ben Taylor-Campbell - Account Manager
May 2021
1
IN TODAY’S SQE UPDATE...
1. Recent announcements from SRA
2. When to switch to SQE and market trends?
3. Prep course options – sponsored and apprenticeships
4. Paralegals seeking to qualify via SQE2 and QWE
5. Replacement of QLTS – re-qualifying and exemption
We will circulate slides after this morning’s talk. Please ask any Qs in
the chat box
2
17
RECENT ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM SRA
Sitting SQE
• Venues - SQE1: across UK and internationally, SQE 2 – London, Cardiff and
Manchester only
• Consider – demand for places and cost of travelling to assessments for trainees
• SRA will allow employers and training providers to book and buy vouchers in advance
for students
• Check position for your students/apprentices
Assessment Dates
• Limited opportunities to sit
• By 2025 there will be 2 sittings of SQE1 and 4 sittings of SQE2 per year
• Consider – when will your trainees/apprentices get their results?
• Consider – opportunities to resit if they fail/miss an exam
3WHEN TO SWITCH TO THE NEW REGIME?
1 Sept
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
Any candidate starting a law degree, From this date:
GDL, LPC or training contract before 1. Anyone starting a law degree or non-law conversion course
this date can choose to continue on 2. All apprentices, and
the existing regime 3. All QLTS candidates who have not yet passed part of QLTS
must follow SQE
4WHEN TO SWITCH TO THE NEW REGIME?
2019/20 recruitment 2020/21 recruitment 2021/22 recruitment 2022/23 recruitment
2022 trainee intake 2023 trainee intake 2024 trainee intake 2025 trainee intake
Both law and non-law Law graduates still to complete: Law graduates can still Almost all trainees will
graduates complete [GDL], • 21/22 - Yr 3 LLB complete LPC or SQE. have completed SQE
LPC, PSC & training Most non-law graduates will rather than LPC.
• 22/23 - LPC or SQE
contract. have had to sit SQE by this
• Sep 23 – join firm
(In theory, could take SQE. point.
In practice very unlikely) Non-law graduates still to
complete:
Most law firms will need to
• Summer 21 - graduate
transition to SQE by this
• 21/22 – law conversion course intake.
• 22/23 – SQE
As a result, firm could move
this whole intake to SQE.
BUT if non-law grads accept a
place on a GDL by 31 st August
21, starting before 31 st Dec 21 or
accepted offer of TC before 1 st
Sep 21, they can still sit
• 21/22 – GDL
• 22/23 – LPC 5MARKET UPDATE
• SQE programmes are now live!
• Small cohort of apprentices and self-funding students in 2021
• 2021/22 is last year of GDL. Students must be enrolled by 31 August 2021
• LPC and PSC will run for several more years for students that need/want it
• Most firms with intakes of 5+ trainees each year say they will move all students to
SQE in one go
• Consider reviewing your offer letters/graduate recruitment materials for next
round of campus recruitment
• Be prepared for outliers who may need/want to take a different route to
qualification
6OVERVIEW OF PROGRAMME OPTIONS
Non-Law Grads SQE Apprentices Beyond SQE
• Most firms still • Individual prep • Full solicitor • Trainee
want to recruit courses for SQE1 programme – 6 development
non-law and SQE2 years from A levels programmes
graduates • Additional revision to qualification • SQE for
• Depth and support? • Graduate-level
LLB entry international
breadth of
SQEGDL • Or, complete for law and non-law lawyers
or shorter,1+2
more programme grads. 2-3 year
focussed course? incorporating programme
SQE1, SQE2 and • Block and day
additional content release models
to replace LPC available
electives and train • Use of levy to pay
in skills and for training /
behaviours Non-law
assessment fees.
conversion
• Consider mode – FT / PT
• Consider format – blended face-to-face or online – students views on experience of
COVID-19
• Consider revision and student support
7PARALEGALS/LEGAL ASSISTANTS
• If your firm employs paralegals with the LPC
• SRA has changed its position this year
• Now, if you have the LPC the SRA can recognise 2 years' qualifying work
experience and passing SQE2 as equivalent to a period of recognised training - Link
• NB – QWE is a lower bar than ‘equivalent means’. It might involve only one type of
work.
• No limit on how far back the QWE can be accrued but must be signed off by firm
• Consider:
• Agreeing a policy on who can sign off QWE
• Agreeing a policy on study leave/sponsoring staff to sit SQE2?
• Can they continue to work as a paralegal once admitted? See link from SRA
8REPLACEMENT OF QLTS
• From Sep 2021, lawyers qualified outside E&W will need to pass the SQE to re-
qualify in E&W, unless they are exempt
• SRA has confirmed:
• Lawyers from N. Ireland and Republic of Ireland exempt from SQE
• Lawyers from Scotland will have to sit SQE1 (unless they can prove individual
exemptions) but are exempt from SQE2
• HK and Singapore exemptions under consideration
• No exemptions for barristers or legal execs
• All other lawyers can apply for individual exemptions based on their own
qualifications or experience
• Link to SRA webpage
9FINALLY...
• Thank you for your time
• Any questions?
• We will circulate slides after the event
• If you want a longer conversation, please get in touch or leave a
message in the chat box:
• Morette.Jackson@law.ac.uk
• Ben.Taylor-Campbell@law.ac.uk
10BIOS
Morette Jackson, Director of Business Development, The University of Law
Morette is a qualified solicitor having previously worked at Davies Arnold Cooper (now DAC Beachcroft)
and has 20 years’ experience of legal education at the University (formerly the College) of Law. During that
time, she has taught and managed many aspects of the University’s operations including the LPC, GDL
and other programmes and has been the Director of the Moorgate Centre. As Director of Business
Development, she has extensive experience of working with law firms developing their SQE strategy and
is heavily involved in the development of the University’s SQE programme portfolio (Email:
Morette.Jackson@law.ac.uk)
Ben Taylor-Campbell, Account Manager, The University of Law
Ben joined the University in 2009 and worked in a number of roles across the business before joining the
Business Development team in December 2016. Ben is responsible for a broad portfolio of clients
supporting all of their legal training needs. He has worked extensively with the University’s law firm clients
to meet their GDL, LPC, Professional Development and SQE needs and has also been involved in the
growth of the University's legal apprenticeships programmes. Ben also has a particular interest in the
development of legal technology working closely with the University’s ULTRA team (ULaw Legal
Technology Research Academy). (Email: Ben.Taylor-Campbell@law.ac.uk)
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