Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) Explained: Rules, Examples and How to Get It Confirmed
Qualifying work experience (QWE) is the practical experience requirement for becoming a solicitor in England and Wales through the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) route. Candidates need a total of two years’ full-time (or equivalent part-time) experience providing legal services, which gives them the opportunity to develop the competences set out in the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA) Statement of Solicitor Competence. QWE can be gained with up to four different organisations, can be paid or unpaid, can be completed before, during or after sitting the SQE assessments, and must be confirmed by a solicitor or the organisation’s compliance officer for legal practice. Unlike the old training contract, QWE doesn’t have to follow a fixed structure, so roles such as paralegal positions, law clinic work and in-house placements can count if they meet the requirements.
This guide is for law students, graduates, paralegals and career changers planning their route to qualification. It explains the QWE rules, what kinds of roles can count, who can confirm QWE, how to plan and record it, and common mistakes to avoid. Rules can change, so always check the SRA’s current guidance before relying on any arrangement.
The core QWE rules
| Rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| Duration | Two years full-time, or the part-time equivalent |
| Organisations | Up to four separate organisations or placements |
| Nature of work | Providing legal services, with the opportunity to develop the competences in the Statement of Solicitor Competence |
| Timing | Can be completed before, during or after SQE1 and SQE2 |
| Pay | Can be paid or unpaid, though employment law may require payment in many situations |
| Location | Can be gained in England and Wales or elsewhere, if the requirements are met |
| Confirmation | Must be confirmed by a solicitor of England and Wales or a compliance officer for legal practice (COLP) |
You don’t need to develop every competence fully in each placement. The requirement is that, across your QWE, you have the opportunity to develop some or all of the competences, and that the confirming solicitor can confirm this based on your work.
What the Statement of Solicitor Competence covers
The SRA’s Statement of Solicitor Competence describes what solicitors need to be able to do. It’s organised around four broad areas:
- Ethics, professionalism and judgement: acting honestly and with integrity, maintaining knowledge and skills, applying legal knowledge to problems.
- Technical legal practice: obtaining and analysing facts, advising clients, drafting documents, undertaking legal research, negotiating and advocacy.
- Working with other people: communicating clearly, building client relationships and working effectively with colleagues.
- Managing themselves and their work: planning workload, keeping records, managing risk and meeting deadlines.
When you plan and record your QWE, map your tasks to these areas so your confirming solicitor can see how your experience fits.
What kinds of roles can count as QWE?
Many types of legal work can count, provided they involve providing legal services and the opportunity to develop the required competences. Examples include:
- Training contracts at law firms, which typically satisfy QWE requirements.
- Paralegal roles in private practice, in-house teams or public bodies.
- Legal assistant or caseworker roles where you carry out substantive legal work.
- University law clinic work, if supervised and involving real legal services to clients.
- Placements during a sandwich degree or a solicitor apprenticeship.
- Volunteering with advice organisations, if the work involves legal services and can be confirmed.
- In-house legal roles at companies, charities or government organisations.
- Work overseas, if it meets the requirements and can be confirmed by an eligible solicitor.
What matters is the substance of the work, not the job title. A “legal assistant” doing mainly administrative tasks may not gain qualifying experience, while a “case handler” managing legal matters might.
Who can confirm QWE?
QWE must be confirmed by a solicitor of England and Wales or the COLP of the organisation where you gained the experience. The confirming solicitor doesn’t have to have supervised you directly, but they must be able to confirm the experience based on reviewing your work and feedback from those who did supervise you. If your organisation doesn’t employ a solicitor, for example a charity or some in-house teams, you may be able to arrange confirmation from an external solicitor who reviews your work and receives feedback on it.
When confirming, the solicitor confirms:
- the details of the work experience, including dates and duration,
- that it provided the opportunity to develop some or all of the prescribed competences,
- that no issues arose that raise questions about your character and suitability to be admitted as a solicitor.
The confirming solicitor isn’t confirming that you’re competent to practise; that’s assessed through the SQE. They’re confirming that the experience took place and provided the relevant opportunity.
How to plan your QWE
Because QWE is flexible, planning helps you avoid gaps and make sure you can get each period confirmed.
Step 1: Map your options
List the roles and placements available to you: training contracts, paralegal positions, law clinic work, in-house placements and apprenticeships. Consider which employers have solicitors who can confirm your work.
Step 2: Check each role’s content
Before accepting a role, ask what tasks you’ll do and how much legal work is involved. Will you research, draft, advise or manage matters, or will the work be mainly administrative?
Step 3: Track your time and organisations
Remember the limits: two years in total and up to four organisations. Plan so you can reach two years without needing a fifth organisation.
Step 4: Agree confirmation early
Discuss QWE confirmation with your employer at the start of each role. Find out who will confirm it, how they’ll review your work and when confirmation will happen.
Step 5: Record your experience
Keep a log of your tasks, matters, skills developed and feedback, mapped to the Statement of Solicitor Competence. It makes confirmation easier and provides evidence if questions arise later.
Recording QWE: a simple template
| Date | Task | Competence area | Evidence | Feedback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Example (illustrative) | Drafted a letter of advice on a lease dispute | Technical legal practice: advising and drafting | Draft reviewed by supervising solicitor | Clear advice; tighten structure |
| Example (illustrative) | Interviewed a client at a law clinic | Working with other people: communication | Attendance note | Good rapport; ask more open questions |
Many training providers and employers provide their own templates or portals. Whatever format you use, record entries regularly rather than reconstructing them months later.
QWE vs the training contract
Before the SQE, most solicitors completed a two-year training contract with one firm after the Legal Practice Course (LPC). QWE replaces the training contract for SQE candidates, though many firms still run training contracts that count as QWE. Key differences:
| Training contract | QWE | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of organisations | Usually one | Up to four |
| Structure | Usually structured seats across practice areas | Flexible |
| Timing | After the academic and vocational stages | Before, during or after SQE |
| Types of role | Formal trainee role | Training contracts, paralegal roles, clinics, placements and more |
| Confirmation | Signed off by training principal | Confirmed by a solicitor or COLP for each placement |
Transitional arrangements allow some candidates who started the older route before the SQE was introduced to complete it. Our SQE route guide explains how the SQE and QWE fit together.
Examples of QWE combinations (hypothetical)
Because QWE can be gained with up to four organisations, candidates can build it in different ways. These examples are illustrative; always check that each role meets the requirements and can be confirmed.
Example 1: the traditional route. A graduate secures a two-year training contract with a commercial firm, which counts as QWE. The firm confirms the full two years at the end.
Example 2: the paralegal route. A graduate works for 12 months as a paralegal at a high-street firm handling conveyancing, then 12 months as a paralegal in an employment team at another firm. Each firm’s solicitor confirms their period, giving two years across two organisations.
Example 3: combining study and work. A student volunteers at a university law clinic for the equivalent of six months, completes a six-month placement at a local authority legal team, then works for a year as a legal assistant in-house at a company with a solicitor who can confirm the work. That totals two years across three organisations.
Example 4: the apprenticeship route. A solicitor apprentice gains QWE throughout their programme with one employer, confirmed by the employer’s solicitor.
Talking to employers about QWE
When applying for paralegal or legal assistant roles that you hope will count as QWE, raise the topic early and professionally. Ask what proportion of the role involves substantive legal work, which solicitors you would work with, and whether the organisation has confirmed QWE for other employees before. Some employers are familiar with the process and have clear procedures; others may be unsure, so it helps to point them to the SRA’s guidance and explain that confirmation doesn’t make them responsible for your competence. Agree how often you’ll share your QWE log, and ask whether the confirming solicitor can review samples of your work during the role rather than only at the end. Clear expectations at the start make confirmation straightforward and avoid disappointment later, especially if your manager leaves before your placement ends.
Common QWE mistakes to avoid
- Assuming all legal roles count. Purely administrative work may not provide the opportunity to develop the required competences.
- Leaving confirmation too late. Supervisors move on and firms change; arrange confirmation while you’re still with the organisation or soon after.
- Not keeping records. Without a log, it’s harder for a solicitor to confirm your experience.
- Using up the four-organisation limit with very short placements, leaving you without options later.
- Ignoring part-time calculations. Part-time work counts on a pro-rata basis, so plan the total duration carefully.
- Relying on outdated guidance. Check the SRA’s current rules, as guidance can be updated.
How employers view QWE
Employers vary in how they approach QWE. Many large firms continue to run structured, two-year training programmes that function much like training contracts. Others, particularly smaller firms and in-house teams, may hire paralegals who build QWE over time and later qualify in-house. Some candidates find that QWE gives them more flexibility to qualify without a traditional training contract, which can open the profession to people who struggled to secure one. However, qualifying through QWE doesn’t guarantee a newly qualified solicitor role, so it’s important to keep developing skills and relationships throughout. Our guide to becoming a solicitor covers the wider qualification journey, and our paralegal career guide explains how paralegal roles can lead to qualification.
Practical tips for getting the most from QWE
- Seek variety where possible, for example contentious and non-contentious work, to broaden your skills.
- Ask for feedback regularly and record it.
- Request work that develops gaps, such as drafting or client contact, if your role leans heavily toward one type of task.
- Build relationships with solicitors who can confirm your work and act as references.
- Plan your SQE timing alongside QWE so study doesn’t clash with busy periods at work.
FAQ
Can paralegal work count as qualifying work experience?
Yes, if it involves providing legal services and gives you the opportunity to develop the required competences, and an eligible solicitor confirms it.
Does QWE have to be paid?
QWE can be paid or unpaid under the SRA’s rules, but employment law may require payment in many situations. Check your rights before accepting an unpaid role.
Can I gain QWE before taking SQE1?
Yes. QWE can be gained before, during or after the SQE assessments.
Can work outside England and Wales count?
It can, if it meets the requirements and an eligible solicitor of England and Wales or COLP confirms it.
Do I need to complete all QWE in one practice area?
No. You can gain QWE in different practice areas and organisations, as long as the total meets the requirements.
Takeaway
Qualifying work experience gives SQE candidates a flexible way to gain the two years of practical experience needed to qualify as a solicitor. Plan your placements carefully within the four-organisation limit, choose roles with substantive legal work, keep detailed records mapped to the Statement of Solicitor Competence, and arrange confirmation while you’re still in each role. For entry points that can build QWE, see our list of entry-level legal jobs.
