The SQE assessment allows you to advance your legal career by qualifying in two jurisdictions
The law of England and Wales has many benefits and is widely recognised internationally because it’s flexible, predictable and stable. The English judiciary and court system are also highly respected around the world.
At the same time, the legal market is changing radically. Clients need legal services on an international and global level. Our increasingly global society, therefore, means it’s no longer always enough to be qualified in just a single jurisdiction.
The better way to achieve success in your legal career is by opening yourself up to new career opportunities and becoming a dual-qualified lawyer.
English law is the most popular governing law for cross-border agreements and dispute resolution, with more than 40% of international corporations choosing to follow it for their commercial contracts.
At the same time, more than half of the FTSE 100 companies have their headquarters in London, marking England as an important hub for business.
The global preference for English law means dual-qualifying will improve your reputation, and bring you more opportunities outside of your local area such as:
With globalisation at play, a large and ever-increasing number of businesses now deal in international trade.
As a result, there’s a large market for lawyers who are dual-qualified in English law.
There are lots of opportunities for dual-qualified lawyers, from acting as a font of knowledge to advise on your own jurisdiction legalities vs English law, to working with international companies operating across the world.
If you want to carve out your place in the legal world, you need to go beyond the norm.
SQE is the route to qualification for any aspiring solicitor in England and Wales, including foreign qualified lawyers (who previously had to take the QLTS). The assessment is designed to make the process of dual-qualifying smooth.
As part of this, foreign qualified lawyers are automatically exempt from the SQE’s qualifying work experience (QWE) requirement as the SRA recognises your experience and qualification in your own jurisdiction. At the same time, you might be eligible for an exemption from other parts of the SQE, depending on your legal background and experience.
Even though you might have years of experience working as a foreign lawyer, preparing for the SQE is vital to your success. The assessment tests your knowledge of English law, how you apply it to facts-based scenarios, and whether your legal skills are good enough to practise as a solicitor.
Our SQE prep courses will show you what’s expected of you during the assessments, including getting you familiar with the question formats and how to answer them properly.
We make studying easy, covering all the topics you need to know to pass. Whatever your background and experience, we’ve got the right course for you.
We’ve helped thousands of foreign lawyers qualify in England and Wales through the QLTS route for more than a decade, and we’re here to support you on your journey.
