What is QWE? – Understanding Qualifying Work Experience

Emily Jones

Hello and welcome. If you’re on the path to becoming a solicitor in England or Wales, you’ve likely heard the term QWE — or Qualifying Work Experience.

Emily Jones

But what exactly does that mean? What does it involve? And how does it fit into the bigger picture of qualifying under the new SQE route? In this session, we’ll break all of that down clearly and simply, so you know exactly how qualifying work experience works — and how you can make it work for you.

Emily Jones

Let’s start with the basics. Qualifying Work Experience is one of four key requirements to become a solicitor through the SQE route. At its core, QWE is about getting real, hands-on legal experience in a working environment. It's your chance to apply what you’ve learned, build your skills, and gain confidence by working with real clients and legal teams. It’s not just preparation — it’s progression.

Emily Jones

In terms of how much experience you’ll need, you’re expected to complete the equivalent of two years' full-time work. That could be a single role, or it might be made up of experience across up to four different organisations. What’s great is that QWE can be completed before, during, or after your SQE exams. It can be paid or unpaid — what matters most is that it’s relevant and properly supervised.

Emily Jones

Now, you might be wondering where this experience can come from. It doesn’t have to be a traditional training contract. In fact, QWE is purposefully designed to be flexible. You might already be gaining it as a paralegal, during a legal apprenticeship, while volunteering at a legal clinic, working in-house at a company, or even during a placement year at university — as long as the work involved legal tasks. As long as you're doing genuine legal work and being supervised by a solicitor or another qualified legal professional, there’s a good chance it counts.

Emily Jones

Throughout your Qualifying Work Experience, you’ll be developing the kinds of competencies expected of a newly qualified solicitor — the same ones you’ll be tested on in SQE2.This includes conducting legal research, drafting documents, interviewing clients, handling case files, and communicating effectively with clients and colleagues. The more opportunities you have to practice these skills, the better prepared you’ll be.

Emily Jones

When it comes to keeping track of your experience, you don’t need to get it signed off in advance — but you do need to log and confirm it correctly. Make sure to document your experience clearly: include the dates, the type of work you did, and the skills you developed. You’ll then need to ask a solicitor or a Compliance Officer for Legal Practice at your organisation to confirm it. Once that’s done, you’ll submit your qualifying work experience through the SRA’s online system. It’s important to note — this isn’t an assessment, it’s simply a confirmation that the experience happened as described.

Emily Jones

And finally, if you’re wondering when you can start gaining QWE — the answer is: any time. You don’t need a law degree to begin, and you don’t need to have passed the SQE exams either. So whether you're already working in a legal role, taking part in an apprenticeship, or volunteering at a legal advice centre — you could already be building your qualifying work experience without even realising it.

Emily Jones

To wrap things up, qualifying work experience is more than just a box to tick. It’s your opportunity to learn, grow, and prove that you’re ready for the next step in your legal career.Wherever you gain it — whether through a job, apprenticeship, or voluntary work — QWE gives you flexibility, real-world insight, and a clear path toward becoming a solicitor.Thank you for listening. And if you’d like more support on your legal journey, be sure to visit us at lawapprenticeships.co.uk.