Qualifying Work Experience (QWE): Rules, Sign-Off and How to Log It

Short answer: Qualifying work experience is two years' full-time equivalent of legal work in which you develop at least two of the competences in the SRA's Statement of Solicitor Competence. It can be paid or voluntary, in England and Wales or overseas, in up to four organisations, and before, during or after SQE1 and SQE2. Each placement must be confirmed by a solicitor of England and Wales or a Compliance Officer for Legal Practice, who does not need a practising certificate or to work at the same organisation. You only need to register it by the time you apply for admission, and there is no limit on how far back it can reach. Every rule in that paragraph is the SRA's own, as published on 21 September 2026; the rest of this guide is what the rules mean in practice.

What Is Qualifying Work Experience (QWE)?

Qualifying Work Experience is the practical requirement for admission as a solicitor in England and Wales under the SQE. It replaces the training contract, which was a fixed two-year contract with a single firm that was expensive for firms to offer and hard for candidates to secure; QWE is designed so that a wider range of legal work counts, including roles that were previously not recognised at all.

The fundamental requirement is two years' full-time or equivalent Qualifying Work Experience, in which you have the opportunity to develop some or all of the competences in the SRA's Statement of Solicitor Competence. The minimum is two: you do not need every competence from a single placement, and you do not need to cover them all across your QWE. A role involving only a single competence will not count.

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, and it does not need to cover English and Welsh law. Overseas experience can count provided it involves providing legal services and is confirmed by a solicitor of England and Wales or a COLP.

What Specifically Counts as QWE?

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

1. Involves providing real legal services (simulated legal services do not count), and
2. Gives you the opportunity to develop some or all of the competences in the SRA Statement of Solicitor Competence (at least two)

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 a solicitor of England and Wales or a COLP can confirm the experience.

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 can count as QWE if it involves providing legal services and a solicitor of England and Wales or a COLP can confirm it.

Overseas Legal Roles

Overseas legal work can count, provided the sign-off requirements are met. Lawyers already qualified in another jurisdiction are different: the SRA says they do not need QWE at all. Our guide to SQE1 for international lawyers and non-law graduates covers that route 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 SRA's minimum is two, and a role involving only a single competence will not count. Whether you are competent is determined by passing the SQE, not by your QWE.

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 or a Compliance Officer for Legal Practice (COLP). They do not have to hold a practising certificate.

It can also be a solicitor who does not work for your organisation but is willing to confirm it. They will need to have reviewed your work during the period and received feedback from the person supervising you. A barrister or a lawyer qualified elsewhere cannot confirm QWE unless they are also a solicitor or COLP regulated by the SRA.

What the Sign-Off Involves

The solicitor or COLP is confirming:

1. The length of your work experience
2. That it involved providing legal services and that you had the opportunity to develop some or all of the solicitor competences (at least two)
3. That no issues arose during it that raise questions over your character and suitability to be admitted as a solicitor

They are not deciding whether you are competent: the SRA says competence is determined by passing the SQE assessments. Nor are they judging the quality of your experience or the standard of your work.

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, or a solicitor outside it who can review your work and receive feedback from your supervisor, and make contact with them directly. Explain your situation, provide your records, and ask whether they will confirm it.

How to Log and Register QWE with the SRA

The SRA does not require you to register QWE placements as you go: you only need to register your full two years by the time you apply for admission as a solicitor. You record each completed period through your mySRA account, in an application called "Notify us of your qualifying work experience". There is no fee, and each period needs its own application.

For each period you will need:

• Your organisation's details and the type of experience (for example paid, placement or volunteer)
• The start and end dates (the end date must be in the past), your work pattern, and the total months and weeks completed
• The name and SRA number of the solicitor or COLP who will confirm it; they are contacted once you submit

The SRA also has an optional template for recording your experience against the competences. 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. The requirement is two years' full-time or equivalent, and part-time work can count. The SRA does not prescribe what full time or equivalent means: it expects employers and those confirming QWE to take a common-sense view, so agree how your part-time work will be counted with the person who will confirm it.

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.

Can Overseas Work Count as QWE?

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

The key requirement is that a solicitor of England and Wales or a COLP can confirm the experience. They do not have to hold a practising certificate, and the work does not need to cover English and Welsh law.

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

If you are already a qualified lawyer in another jurisdiction, you do not need QWE at all. For everyone else, overseas experience can 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 involve providing real legal services, must give you the opportunity to develop at least two solicitor competences, and must be confirmed by a solicitor of England and Wales or a COLP.

Misconception 6: You Register QWE Placements as You Go

You only need to register your two years' QWE by the time you apply for admission. You record each completed period through mySRA.

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. (Students: the law student SQE timeline shows where clinic work and QWE slot into your degree years.)

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 SQE1 question bank and study notes.

How International Candidates Can Navigate QWE

If you are already a qualified lawyer in another jurisdiction, you do not need QWE. The SRA says that, unlike other SQE candidates, qualified lawyers do not need two years' qualifying work experience.

Key points for other candidates based abroad:

• Overseas legal work can count, and it does not need to cover English and Welsh law
• It must be confirmed by a solicitor of England and Wales or a COLP, so find out early who can do that
• If you relocate to England and Wales to work, your UK-based experience may be easier to get confirmed
• You can combine overseas and 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
• Agree with the solicitor or COLP that they will confirm the period, while you are still in role or shortly after leaving
• Record the completed period in mySRA when it ends; they are contacted to confirm it once you submit

After Completing Two Years of QWE

• Check that every period of QWE is recorded in mySRA and has been confirmed
• Ensure you have passed both SQE1 and SQE2 (if not already)
• Apply to the SRA for admission as a solicitor

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, but the minimum is two.
• 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 can count. The SRA leaves what counts as full time or equivalent to a common-sense view.
• 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 full access plans.