The SQE: Impact on universities and training providers

Did you know the way solicitors qualify is changing? Unless you’ve been living under a rock, I am sure you are aware that the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) have made the dramatic decision to change the way solicitors qualify by introducing the Solicitors Qualify Examination (SQE). The SQE, which will be launched in 2021, is a four-step process which will replace courses such as the Qualifying Law Degree (QLD) and the Graduate Diploma in Law, as well as the Legal Practice Course and a Training Contract.

Change can be risky, so LexisNexis is here keep you updated on what to expect from the SQE and help you stay ahead of the curve. In a two part series, Julie Brannan, Director of Education and Training at Solicitors Regulation Authority has answered some of the most pressing queries about the impact of the SQE on universities, training providers, legal training and law firms.

In part one Brannan, looks at the implications for universities, training providers and the SQE.

Key takeaways

In her interview Brannan addresses three top queries:

• What strategic decisions do universities need to make in preparation for the SQE?
• How will the shift in regulatory focus from training to assessment affect training providers?
• With the shift in regulatory focus now on the assessment, how will students ensure the quality of training with specific providers?

Key takeaways include:

• universities offering law programmes will no longer be authorised to provide qualifying law degrees
• by introducing the assessment, the regulator believes it will be easier to ensure that all solicitors who pass are ‘safe to practice’
• the regulator intends to publish the pass rates of each assessment. This will ensure clarity and transparency around the quality of the provider