SQE vs LPC: How to qualify as a solicitor

The main difference between the LPC and the SQE is that the SQE is an assessment, not a course.

The NLS LPC is a one-year LLM course which may also be studied over two years part-time.

• The LPC consists of three elements: the compulsory subjects (Business Law, Property Law and Litigation); the elective subjects (students pick three electives from a choice of subjects); plus skills, solicitors’ accounts, wills and administration of estates, conduct and regulation.
• The main assessment points are in the spring (when the compulsory subjects are assessed) and the summer (when the electives are assessed). Other assessments are taken throughout the academic year.
• The LPC assessments are set by NTU.
• The LLM element (a dissertation or project) is completed after the compulsory and elective subjects are assessed.
• The fee for the LLM LPC includes the costs of the assessments and the dissertation/project and books.

The SQE is a centralised assessment. There are two parts to the SQE.

• SQE 1 tests applied legal knowledge through two multiple-choice examination papers of 180 questions each.
• SQE 2 assesses legal skills in five distinct subject areas.
• SQE 1 is assessed in January and July each year.
• SQE 2 is assessed in January, April, July and October each year
• The fee for the SQE assessments does not include the costs of any SQE preparation courses.
• The SQE assessments are set by Kaplan on behalf of the SRA. Find out more about the current costs of the SQE.

Find out more about the SQE

Technically, the SRA does not require you to undertake an SQE preparation course. However, most people would not sit any other kind of professional examination without ensuring that they have undertaken the necessary study over a sufficient period of time to gain the requisite knowledge and skills.

At NLS, we recommend that you undertake our SQE 1 and SQE 2 preparation courses before you sit the SQE assessments. We make this recommendation for four main reasons:

• First, the SRA only allows three attempts at the SQE.  The assessments are rightly designed to be rigorous and therefore you will need to work hard to maximise your chances of passing first time.  Should you need to re-sit, this will incur further assessment costs which could be substantial.
• Second, most law degrees are assessed by way of essays, problem questions and dissertations.  This means that the SQE 1 skill of answering 180, wide-ranging, multiple-choice questions as part of a timed assessment will be a new one for many students.  Practising these skills and obtaining feedback on your performance will be vital to your success.
• Third, although you may have excellent subject knowledge in one area, you may be weak in another.  Having access to expert tuition to support you in your weaker areas in order to raise your grades will be a key component to your success.
• Fourth, SQE 2 will require you – amongst other things – to demonstrate your competence as an advocate.  In order to succeed, you will need to show that you have a high level of subject knowledge, an ability to apply that knowledge to a practical problem, and the self-awareness and confidence to hold your own in the court room.  Before putting yourself forward for such a serious assessment, you would be well advised to develop and refine your grasp of these skills.

Yes, completing a SQE preparation course is an additional expense, on top of the fees payable to Kaplan for sitting the SQE. However, for the reasons given above, we think students are best advised to undertake a period of preparation before taking the SQE. If you are going to spend this money, you need to make sure that you pay for a course that is delivered by an institution with a track record of excellence in legal education, such as Nottingham Law School, where quality and expertise are our watchwords.

The good news is there is some financial help available for students:

• Some NLS SQE courses are eligible for the UK Government postgraduate loan.
• NLS offers a range of Scholarships

It depends on your personal circumstances and a number of other factors including the type of law firm you would like to work for, whether you have any legal experience, for example. If you would like to discuss your choice further, please contact the course team: NLS.LPC@ntu.ac.uk

If you fall within the transitional arrangements and are considering qualifying via the LPC please note that September 2024 will be the last intake at NTU on to our full time and part time LPC courses.

We recommend that you begin to undertake your own research. You can do this by identifying the employers that you are interested in and finding out from them what their expectations are around the LPC/SQE.

Good ways of finding out what an employer wants include:

• Attending law fairs (in person or virtually) and making a point of visiting that employer’s stand and speaking to their representatives. This is a great opportunity to ask questions.
• Studying their website to see what information they have posted about training at their firm.
• Reading up about the firm in the Legal 500 or similar publications.
• Talking to the NLS Employability team.
• Attending Employability events run by employers.

You must qualify via the SQE route.

You do not need to have a law degree to qualify as a solicitor. You just need any undergraduate degree (or equivalent qualification or work experience) however the SQE will assess your knowledge of the foundation law subjects traditionally taught as part of an undergraduate law degree. You may wish to consider one of our law conversion courses.

In addition to the guidance on this page and the useful links below, for further advice and guidance about which course is right for you, please contact NLS.LPC@ntu.ac.uk