Lawyer progression

Hi all,

I am currently in year two of a four year French degree, and have started to entertain the idea of becoming a solicitor. As far as I know, any undergraduate degree holder can now become a lawyer through sitting the SQE, but this is a very new concept to me and I would like a bit of guidance.

I’d greatly appreciate it if I could get some advice on how to work towards a career in law from the position that I’m currently in, and how to increase my employability and develop my progression.

Above all, though, I really want to know how I can increase my legal knowledge to such an extent where I can successfully sit and pass the SQE. Is it a matter of taking a conversion course? And, if so, which one?

Many thanks!

Hi @Abelhoward,

Before sitting the SQE you would need to pass a qualifying law degree which would most likely take place in the form of a law conversion course (PGDL). This is a 1 academic year course and gives you the basic knowledge of the main components of law. From this point, you would then be able to sit the SQE prep courses and the exams to begin qualifying as a solicitor.

In terms of boosting your employability, I would recommend getting as much experience as you can. Whether that is on Vacation schemes, shadowing or simply attending open court, all of these experiences will look great on your CV and, arguably more importantly, let you get a sense of the career and whether it is for you!

In terms of choosing a conversion course, there are lots of different options. If you want to get student funding, the best option for you may be an MA Law (SQE 1) which is the PGDL (qualifying law degree) component followed by a prep course for SQE 1 and the SQE 1 exam. Once you have done the SQE 1 exam and passed, then you would have to either self-study for SQE 2 and sit the exam or pay for a SQE prep course before sitting the exam.

I hope this has helped and good luck!

Sophie

Hi Sophie,

Thank you, this was a great response. So you’re saying that MA Law has both the PGDL and SQE 1 prep in it, and that it also includes the SQE 1 test itself?

Then, if I were to take MA law, are you saying that I would still not have (in theory) enough legal knowledge to sit and pass the SQE 2?

It seems like such an expensive process with many steps which need funding! I want to find the most efficient and economical way. Though, I have read that large London firms can often pay for conversion courses and SQE exams on behalf of the trainee… is that commonplace?

Best,

Abel.

Hi all,

I am currently in year two of a four year French degree, and have started to entertain the idea of becoming a solicitor. As far as I know, any undergraduate degree holder can now become a lawyer through sitting the SQE, but this is a very new concept to me and I would like a bit of guidance.

I’d greatly appreciate it if I could get some advice on how to work towards a career in law from the position that I’m currently in, and how to increase my employability and develop my progression.

Above all, though, I really want to know how I can increase my legal knowledge to such an extent where I can successfully sit and pass the SQE. Is it a matter of taking a conversion course? And, if so, which one?

Many thanks!

Hey!

I think that what you could do is try to get a TC offer before you graduate so that you get the law firm to sponsor the PgDL and the SQE. A good tip to follow is to attend career events from your uni because these might involve discussions with trainees or senior lawyers. You could also attend law firm Open Days and insight days to develop your knowledge of a firm's practice areas and discover whether you would like to work there or not. This could also give you an insight into the firm's culture and how it would be like to work there.

If you want more tips on law firm research, I could suggest the law firm profile and research course offered by Commercial Law Academy, which includes profiles of 90+ law firms.