Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) for the SQE: What Counts, How to Find It, and How to Get It Signed Off in 2026

What Is Qualifying Work Experience (QWE)?

Qualifying Work Experience is a core requirement for admission as a solicitor in England and Wales. Under the Solicitors Qualifying Examination framework introduced by the SRA, QWE replaces the old training contract as the practical experience requirement for qualification.

The traditional training contract was a rigid two-year fixed-term contract with a single law firm, typically requiring the trainee to rotate through different practice areas. It was expensive for firms to offer, difficult for candidates to secure, and effectively locked out many otherwise capable people from the profession.

QWE is designed to be more flexible. The SRA's intention is that a wider range of legal work and legal experience should count towards qualification — including roles that were previously not recognised at all.

The fundamental requirement is that you must complete the equivalent of two years of full-time Qualifying Work Experience, demonstrating that you have developed some of the competencies in the SRA's Statement of Solicitor Competence. Note the word "some" — you do not need to evidence every competency from a single placement, and you do not need to cover all competencies across your QWE at all. The SRA expects competencies to be developed over time and across different roles.

How QWE Replaced the Traditional Training Contract

Prior to the SQE, the only standard route to qualification for most candidates in England and Wales was:

1. A qualifying law degree (or Graduate Diploma in Law for non-law graduates)
2. The Legal Practice Course (LPC)
3. A two-year training contract with an SRA-regulated firm

The training contract bottleneck was a serious problem. Each year there were far more LPC graduates than available training contracts, meaning thousands of people completed expensive postgraduate study only to find no pathway to qualification.

The SQE framework, which became available from September 2021, restructured the entire pathway. The LPC is no longer required. Instead, candidates must pass SQE1 (Functioning Legal Knowledge assessments) and SQE2 (practical legal skills assessments), and complete two years of QWE. Crucially, the QWE requirement is substantially more flexible than the old training contract.

The SRA's Flexible Rules: What You Need to Know

The SRA has been deliberately permissive in how it defines QWE, and it is worth understanding the key rules in detail.

Up to Four Organisations

You can complete your QWE across up to four different organisations. This means you could work as a paralegal at a high street firm, volunteer at a law clinic, work in an in-house legal team, and complete a placement overseas — and all four could count, provided each placement is signed off appropriately.

Paid or Unpaid

QWE does not need to be paid work. Voluntary and pro bono experience counts, provided you are doing genuine legal work and can demonstrate competency development. This opens the door for candidates who are building experience while working in another role, or who are completing law clinic placements as part of their studies.

Timing: Before, During, or After the SQE Exams

This is one of the most misunderstood aspects of QWE. You do not need to pass SQE1 before starting your QWE. You do not need to pass both SQE1 and SQE2 before completing QWE. You can be doing all three simultaneously, or in any order.

This matters enormously for candidates who are working as paralegals or in legal roles while studying for the SQE. All of that paralegal time can count as QWE, even if it pre-dates your SQE exams. While you are revising with SQE study notes or working through practice questions in the evenings, your daytime legal work may already be building towards your QWE requirement.

UK and Overseas Experience

QWE can include work done outside England and Wales. Overseas experience can count provided it is legal work and is signed off by a practising solicitor of England and Wales (or a COLP).

What Specifically Counts as QWE?

The SRA's position is that QWE includes any work that:

1. Is legal in nature, and
2. Allows you to develop some of the competencies in the SRA Statement of Solicitor Competence

Paralegal Work

Employed paralegal roles are probably the most common form of QWE for candidates outside the traditional training contract pathway. If you are working as a paralegal in a law firm — researching legal issues, drafting documents, assisting with client matters, attending hearings — this is exactly the kind of work the SRA has in mind.

In-House Legal Roles

Working in the legal team of a company, charity, government body, or other organisation counts as QWE. In-house lawyers deal with genuine legal work — contracts, employment issues, regulatory compliance, intellectual property, disputes — and the competencies developed are just as valid as those developed in private practice.

Pro Bono and Law Clinic Work

If you are volunteering at a Citizens Advice bureau, a university law clinic, a housing advice centre, or a similar setting, that work can count as QWE. The key requirements are that you are doing real legal work (not just administrative support) and that you can get the experience signed off by a practising solicitor or COLP.

Government Legal Roles

Working for the Government Legal Department, local authority legal teams, the Crown Prosecution Service, or similar public sector legal bodies counts as QWE. Government legal work often involves a wide range of competency areas and can be an excellent foundation for qualification.

Freelance and Consultant Legal Work

Freelance legal work — provided it is supervised by a practising solicitor and involves substantive legal tasks — can count as QWE.

Overseas Legal Roles

Overseas legal work can count, provided the sign-off requirements are met. This is particularly relevant for internationally qualified lawyers using the SQE route to qualify in England and Wales. Our guide to SQE1 for international lawyers and non-law graduates covers this in more detail.

The Competency Framework: What You Actually Need to Demonstrate

The SRA Statement of Solicitor Competence sets out the competencies expected of a day-one solicitor. These are organised into four main areas:

You do not need to demonstrate all competencies from a single placement. The SRA explicitly expects that candidates will develop different competencies in different settings. A paralegal role in a busy litigation team might develop strong competencies in B (drafting, research, advocacy) and C (client communication), while a pro bono clinic might develop strong competencies in A (ethics, judgment) and D (self-management under pressure).

You also do not need to evidence every single competency across your entire QWE portfolio. The requirement is to develop "some" of the competencies — the SRA is looking for you to demonstrate that you are developing into a competent solicitor, not that you have ticked every box on a comprehensive list.

Getting QWE Signed Off: The Practical Reality

The sign-off process is where many candidates encounter real-world difficulties.

Who Can Sign Off QWE?

QWE must be confirmed by:

• A solicitor of England and Wales who holds a current practising certificate and has directly supervised your work, or
• The COLP (Compliance Officer for Legal Practice) of the organisation where you worked, even if they did not directly supervise you day-to-day

What the Sign-Off Involves

The solicitor or COLP is confirming that:

1. You worked in a legal capacity at the organisation for the stated period
2. During that period, you had the opportunity to develop some of the solicitor competencies
3. They are satisfied that you did develop those competencies to an appropriate level

They are not certifying that you meet all competencies, or that you are ready to practise as a solicitor independently. They are confirming that the experience was genuine and appropriate.

Practical Tips for Candidates Without a Training Contract

Have the conversation early. Before or at the start of your role, talk to the relevant solicitor or COLP about QWE. Explain that you are on the SQE pathway and that you will need your experience signed off. Many solicitors are unfamiliar with the SQE framework — be prepared to explain it clearly.

Keep a written record as you go. Log the legal tasks you complete, the competencies they relate to, and any feedback you receive. This makes the sign-off conversation much easier and gives the signing solicitor confidence that they can confirm your competency development.

Do not leave sign-off until the last moment. If you leave a role and only then approach the solicitor for sign-off, you may find them unresponsive or no longer at the organisation. Build the relationship and request sign-off while you are still in role, or shortly after leaving.

If your supervisor is not a solicitor. Identify the COLP of the organisation and make contact with them directly. Explain your situation, provide your records, and request that they complete the sign-off.

How to Log and Register QWE with the SRA

The SRA does not require you to register QWE placements as you go. QWE is submitted as part of your application for admission to the roll, which comes after you have passed both SQE1 and SQE2 and completed your two years of QWE.

However, the SRA does expect you to have maintained good records. When you apply for admission, you will need to provide:

• Details of each QWE placement (organisation, dates, nature of work)
• The name and details of the solicitor or COLP who is confirming the experience
• A statement that the relevant competencies were developed

The practical implication is that you should treat QWE record-keeping as an ongoing task rather than an afterthought.

Can You Do QWE Part-Time?

Yes. QWE is measured in full-time equivalents. Two years of full-time work equals two years of QWE. If you are working part-time, the same total hours are required — they just take longer to accumulate.

For example, if you are working three days per week (0.6 FTE), your QWE will take approximately three years and four months to complete. The SRA calculates this on a proportional basis.

This is genuinely useful for candidates who are balancing legal work with study. If you are working part-time as a paralegal while preparing for SQE1 using mock exams and revision materials, both activities can be running in parallel.

There is no minimum hours-per-week requirement for a QWE placement to count.

Can Overseas Work Count as QWE?

Yes, overseas legal work can count as QWE, subject to important conditions.

The key requirement is that someone with a current England and Wales practising certificate must be able to confirm the experience. Specifically, either a practising solicitor of England and Wales or an England and Wales COLP must sign off the overseas QWE.

Practical scenarios where overseas QWE tends to work include:

• International offices of large English law firms (where England and Wales qualified partners are present)
• In-house legal teams of multinationals where an England and Wales qualified GC or senior lawyer can provide sign-off
• Secondments to overseas offices arranged through an England and Wales regulated firm

For international candidates who have practised law in another jurisdiction and are now qualifying in England and Wales via the SQE, overseas experience can therefore count — but only if the sign-off requirements are met. Our post on SQE1 for international lawyers provides additional context.

Common Mistakes and Misconceptions About QWE

Misconception 1: You Need All Competencies from One Role

This is false. The SRA explicitly expects that competencies will be developed across different placements and over time.

Misconception 2: Unpaid Work Does Not Count

Unpaid work absolutely counts, provided it is genuine legal work from which competencies can be demonstrated.

Misconception 3: QWE Must Be Done After Passing SQE1

There is no sequencing requirement between the SQE exams and QWE. You can start QWE before sitting SQE1, or complete all your QWE before taking either exam.

Misconception 4: You Need a Formal Training Contract for QWE to Count

A training contract is one form of QWE, but it is not the only form.

Misconception 5: Any Legal Job Automatically Counts

Not quite. The work must be legal in nature, must allow you to develop solicitor competencies, and must be signed off by a practising solicitor or COLP.

Misconception 6: You Register QWE Placements as You Go

The SRA does not have a real-time QWE registration system. QWE is submitted as part of your admission application after completing all requirements.

Strategies for Finding QWE Without a Training Contract

Apply for paralegal roles directly. Many law firms and in-house teams hire paralegals without any expectation that the role will lead to a training contract.

Target smaller firms. High-street and regional firms often have paralegal needs and may be more open to flexible arrangements than large City firms.

Law clinic work. If you are a student or recent graduate, university law clinics provide supervised legal work specifically designed to be accessible.

Citizens Advice and other advice organisations. These organisations often need trained legal volunteers and operate under solicitor supervision.

Government and public sector. Legal roles in local authorities, the NHS, government departments, and regulatory bodies are competitive but accessible.

Networking. Many QWE opportunities come through connections. Being active in legal professional communities, attending SRA and Law Society events, and maintaining contact with tutors and fellow SQE candidates can open doors.

Consider the cost picture. When planning your overall qualification budget, the bigger costs are the SQE assessments and preparation materials. For a full breakdown of what qualification costs in 2026, see our SQE cost breakdown guide. If you are looking for affordable SQE preparation, take a look at our pricing page.

How International Candidates Can Navigate QWE

International lawyers and internationally qualified solicitors face specific challenges around QWE, but the framework is genuinely accessible for those who plan carefully.

Key points for international candidates:

• Your existing legal experience as a qualified lawyer in another jurisdiction may already count as QWE, if you can get it signed off by an England and Wales practising solicitor
• You can continue to practise or work in your home jurisdiction and accumulate QWE there, if sign-off is possible
• If you relocate to England and Wales to work, your UK-based experience will be easier to sign off
• Some international candidates pursue a hybrid approach — part overseas QWE and part UK-based QWE across up to four organisations

For more detail on the SQE pathway for international lawyers, see our dedicated guide to SQE1 for international lawyers and non-law graduates.

Step-by-Step Timeline: When to Start, How to Track, When to Register

Before You Start Any Legal Role

• Identify whether the role qualifies as QWE (legal in nature, opportunity to develop competencies)
• Identify the supervising solicitor or COLP who could sign off the experience
• Have a conversation with them about QWE before or at the start of the role
• Set up a simple log (spreadsheet, journal, or app) to track your tasks and competencies

During Your QWE Placement

• Log legal tasks and link them to competencies from the Statement of Solicitor Competence
• Keep records of any supervision meetings, feedback, or appraisals
• Maintain records of start and end dates, hours worked per week, and any changes to your role

Approaching the End of a Placement

• Review your competency log and identify any gaps you want to address in a subsequent placement
• Request sign-off from the supervising solicitor or COLP while still in role or shortly after leaving
• Get the sign-off in writing (email is fine) and store it securely

After Completing Two Years of QWE

• Compile your QWE records: dates, organisations, nature of work, competencies developed, sign-off confirmations
• Ensure you have passed both SQE1 and SQE2 (if not already)
• Apply to the SRA for admission to the roll, submitting your QWE evidence as part of the application

Alongside QWE

While working towards your QWE, your SQE exam preparation can run in parallel. Study notes for SQE1 can be used alongside paralegal work, and SQE2 preparation — which focuses on practical legal skills — may actually benefit directly from the work you are doing in your QWE role.

Summary

QWE is one of the genuinely positive features of the SQE framework. The flexibility it offers — across up to four organisations, paid or unpaid, overseas or domestic, before or after the SQE exams — means that a far wider range of candidates can now find a realistic route to qualification.

The main things to take away from this guide:

• You do not need a training contract. Paralegal roles, in-house work, pro bono, law clinics, and government legal roles all count.
• You do not need to develop every competency. Develop some competencies across your placements.
• Start QWE record-keeping from day one of any qualifying role. Do not leave it until the end.
• Have the sign-off conversation early. Identify the right solicitor or COLP before you start.
• QWE can run in parallel with SQE exam preparation. Use the time efficiently.
• Part-time work counts on a pro-rated basis. There is no minimum hours-per-week requirement.
• Overseas experience can count if sign-off requirements are met.

For affordable SQE preparation resources — including study notes, practice questions, and full mock exams — visit our study materials, practice questions, and pricing page.