How to Become a Solicitor

The legal services sector in England and Wales offers a wide range of opportunities for aspiring solicitors, from commercial law firms and high street practices to in-house legal teams, charities and public sector organisations.

Solicitors are one of the two main types of lawyer in the legal system in England and Wales. But how do you become a solicitor? In this guide we’ll explore the qualification process for solicitors – both with and without a degree. You’ll learn what qualifications you need to become a solicitor, how long it takes, and even how much it costs to qualify.

How to Qualify as a Solicitor

There are several routes to becoming a solicitor. The end result is the same: you’ll be a qualified solicitor with all that that entails, but the paths themselves are significantly different. If you want to become a solicitor, you should think carefully about which would suit you best.

Most aspiring solicitors now qualify through the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) route. This usually involves passing SQE1 and SQE2, completing two years of Qualifying Work Experience (QWE), and meeting the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s character and suitability requirements. However, some candidates may still qualify through LPC transitional arrangements, and some qualified lawyers may be exempt from parts of the SQE route.

Here’s an overview of the routes:

	Degree	Level 7 Apprenticeship	Graduate Apprenticeship	International Lawyer
Step 1	Undergraduate degree (Law not compulsory)	Solicitor Apprenticeship	Undergraduate degree (Law not compulsory)	Solicitors Qualifying Examination
Step 2	Solicitors Qualifying Examination	Solicitors Qualifying Examination	Graduate Solicitor Apprenticeship	Character checks
Step 3	Qualifying Work Experience	Character checks	Solicitors Qualifying Examination
Step 4	Character checks		Character checks

This summary is a good starting point if you want to know how to become a solicitor, but there’s a lot of nuance within each of these pathways. So let’s break them down in more detail, starting with the most common.

Degree Route

The degree route is probably the most common way to become a solicitor. It takes about 5-6 years in total.

Step 1: Degree

The degree route starts with…a degree! Students following this path start by completing an undergraduate degree – note that this can be in Law (LLB) or in anything else.

Once you’re qualified or applying for training contracts, employers might prefer candidates who have a degree in Law, or – if you did a different degree – those who have completed a conversion course (the GDL or PGDL, or Graduate / Postgraduate Diploma in Law). But since the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) reformed the qualification process for solicitors in 2021, there is no strict requirement for you to have done so in order to qualify.

Step 2: SQE

After your degree, the next step is to take the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE). This consists of two sets of exams:

• SQE1, which tests your legal knowledge through two 180-question multiple-choice exams
• SQE2, which assesses practical legal skills such as client interviewing, advocacy, legal writing, legal drafting, case and matter analysis, and legal research.

You have to pass SQE1 before you can take SQE2. The SRA envisages that most students will take SQE1 after a Law degree, conversion course, or other prep course. This is another reason why taking a Law degree remains a good idea even though it’s not compulsory, as it is very challenging to pass SQE1 without the kind of high-level legal knowledge that a Law degree affords.

In turn, the SRA expect most students to sit SQE2 after completing their two years of Qualifying Work Experience (QWE).

Candidates should also check the latest SRA assessment dates, booking windows and assessment specifications before planning their route.

Step 3: QWE

QWE is another compulsory part of the process for becoming a solicitor. You must complete two years of legal work experience. This can be completed in one organisation or across up to four organisations, and it can include paid or unpaid legal work in England, Wales or overseas.

Many budding solicitors will complete their QWE as part of a two-year training contract at a law firm. Once you’ve completed the training contract and passed your SQE exams, you’ll be a qualified solicitor. Unsurprisingly, training contracts are highly competitive – and not just at magic circle law firms, but at smaller and regional firms, too.

The other option is to complete your work experience through a portfolio method – for instance, spending a year as a paralegal, then six months working in a law clinic, and six months volunteering in a legal capacity at a charity. You can learn more about what counts as QWE on the SRA website.

Step 4: Character and Suitability Checks

The final stage is to pass the SRA’s Character and Suitability requirements. If you want to become a solicitor, you must disclose any relevant issues that could affect your character and suitability. This can include criminal convictions, serious financial issues, academic misconduct, regulatory findings or evidence of dishonesty. The SRA assesses applications case by case, so these issues do not always automatically prevent someone from qualifying, but they can affect the outcome.

Once you’ve passed these checks, you will have finally qualified as a solicitor!

Solicitor Apprenticeship Route

Solicitor apprenticeships are increasingly popular. One major advantage is no student debt – in fact, you’ll get paid at least the minimum wage as you work towards qualifying as a solicitor.

Solicitor apprentices can perform strongly in the SQE because their training combines legal study with practical workplace experience. However, pass rates vary by assessment sitting and candidate group, so applicants should check the latest SRA SQE data.

And finally, you’ll be working alongside solicitors and other legal professionals from the age of 18, gaining valuable practical experience.

Level 7 Apprenticeship

A solicitor apprenticeship is a level 7 qualification (equivalent to a Master’s level). It usually takes 5-6 years to complete and is open to anyone aged 18 or over.

The recommended entry requirements for apprenticeships are:

• 5 GCSEs at grade 4 or above, including Maths and English
• 3 A Levels (or equivalent) at grade C or above
• And/or one or more relevant work experiences or lower-level apprenticeships

Each employer will have their own application requirements, however.

An apprenticeship covers the QWE requirements, so you won’t need to do any extra work experience. And finally, you will take the SQE at the end of your apprenticeship – you can read more about that above. From January 2026, government funding for Level 7 solicitor apprenticeships is restricted to candidates aged 21 and under, those starting an apprenticeship aged 16–25 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan or are care leavers, and existing apprentices who had already started before the funding changes. Candidates aged over 21 may therefore need to find an employer willing to fund the apprenticeship or consider another route.

Once you pass your apprenticeship, SQE1 and SQE2, and the SRA’s character checks, you will become a solicitor.

Graduate Apprenticeship

Graduate apprenticeships are for people who already have an undergraduate degree – in Law or anything else. They usually last 2-3 years. As with the Level 7 apprenticeship, this covers the QWE requirements and you’ll take your SQE exams at the end of your apprenticeship.

Applying for a Solicitor Apprenticeship

More and more people who want to become a solicitor are cottoning on to the value and advantages of the apprenticeship route. This means that applications are becoming increasingly competitive – just as difficult as getting into a top university for law or getting a training contract, in some cases.

Applying for an apprenticeship is very similar to applying for a job. Law firms advertise vacant positions. Most apprenticeships start in September, and some employers will advertise positions as early as November in the year before.

The application process might involve:

• Submitting an online application / CV and cover letter
• Online test
• Interview
• Assessment day

Many law firms take on apprentices, as do some in-house legal teams. Before you start firing off applications, you should think carefully about the areas of the law you’re interested in. Do lots of research and speak to legal professionals if you can. Hopefully your prior legal work experience will have given you an idea of what you like. Then target your applications to those firms that specialise in your areas of interest.

International Lawyer Route

Qualified lawyers from other jurisdictions may be able to qualify as solicitors in England and Wales through the SRA’s qualified lawyer route. In many cases, this means passing SQE1 and SQE2, unless the candidate is eligible for an exemption. Qualified lawyers are not usually required to complete QWE, because their existing qualification and professional experience are considered separately. The exact requirements depend on the jurisdiction where the lawyer is qualified, their professional experience, and any exemptions granted by the SRA.

CILEX

If you want to become a lawyer, another non-degree option is to follow the CILEX route. CILEX lawyers are a third type of lawyer in England and Wales (in addition to solicitors and barristers). They do very similar work to solicitors, so if you’re interested in becoming a solicitor and don’t have a degree, this could be another option to consider.

We have a dedicated guide to CILEX qualifications if you want to learn more.

What Qualifications Do You Need to Be a Solicitor?

Since the SRA reformed the process for becoming a solicitor in 2021, all aspiring solicitors need:

• To pass the SQE exams (SQE1 and SQE2)
• Two years of Qualifying Work Experience (QWE)
• To pass the Character and Suitability checks

Before you can take the SQE, you will need to complete an undergraduate degree (not necessarily in Law) or a level 7 solicitor apprenticeship. Apprenticeships also cover the QWE requirements. Qualified lawyers from other jurisdictions may be able to qualify as solicitors in England and Wales through the SRA’s qualified lawyer route. They may need to pass SQE1 and/or SQE2 unless they are exempt, and they must still meet the SRA’s character and suitability requirements.

You will also most likely need GCSEs and A Levels (or equivalent) to follow any of these routes – learn more about the GCSEs needed to be a lawyer and A Levels needed for Law in our dedicated guides.

Can you still qualify through the LPC in 2026?

The SQE is now the main route for new candidates, but some people can still qualify through the LPC route under the SRA’s transitional arrangements. This mainly applies to candidates who had already started, accepted an offer for, paid a deposit for, or otherwise committed to a qualifying law degree, GDL, LPC or training contract before the SQE was introduced, provided they meet the SRA’s rules. Eligible candidates have until 31 December 2032 to qualify through the old route. However, most LPC providers have now stopped offering the course, and only a small number are authorised for 2026/27.

Skills Needed to Become a Solicitor

We’ve discussed the qualification process for becoming a solicitor in a lot of detail. But to qualify in the first place, and then to have a successful career, you’ll need the right skills and attitudes, too.

These include:

Determination and motivation

It takes six years or more to qualify, and you’ll need to be committed. In addition, being a solicitor can be a demanding role, with long hours and hard work often required.

Intellectual ability

The law is a highly complicated thing! The legal system in England and Wales dates back more than a thousand years and there are vast swathes of nuanced information, precedents, and arguments to get your head around.

Communication

You’ll need outstanding written and verbal communication skills to succeed as a solicitor. Whether you’re writing briefs for a barrister or advising a client who has no understanding of how the law works, you’ll need to make yourself understood by a very wide range of stakeholders.

Flexibility

No two days as a solicitor are the same. Even if you end up specialising in a niche and narrow area of the law, you’re likely to have to apply that knowledge in different ways and contexts on a day-to-day basis.

Personal integrity

The SRA’s character requirements aren’t just a box-ticking exercise. Lawyers need to take an ethical approach to highly sensitive and sometimes controversial issues – while still keeping an eye on the commercial interests of their firm. That’s a difficult balance to strike and it requires serious thought and care.

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