QWE Requirements Guide

What Is QWE?

Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) is the practical legal experience required for solicitor qualification in England and Wales. It replaces the traditional training contract system.

Key features:

• Two years full-time equivalent (FTE)
• Can be completed before, during, or after SQE assessments
• Can be gained at up to four different organisations
• More flexible than the old training contract

Requirements

QWE must:

• Total two years FTE: Can be accumulated over time
• Provide legal experience: Work that helps develop competencies
• Be confirmed by a solicitor: A solicitor must sign off on your experience

Timing Flexibility

Unlike training contracts, QWE can be:

• Full-time or part-time
• Paid or unpaid (though paid is preferable)
• Completed before law school, during, or after SQE
• Spread across multiple employers

What Counts as QWE

Experience counts if it helps you develop solicitor competencies:

Typical QWE Settings

• Law firms (any size)
• In-house legal teams
• Barristers' chambers
• Legal aid organisations
• Government legal departments
• Law centres and pro bono organisations

May Count (With Right Tasks)

• Paralegal work
• Legal clinic experience
• Compliance roles
• Certain non-legal roles with legal components

Unlikely to Count

• Pure administrative work
• Roles with no legal content
• Observational work only

Confirmation Process

A solicitor must confirm your QWE by signing a statement that you've completed the required experience.

Who Can Confirm

• A solicitor who has overseen your work
• They must hold a current practising certificate
• Different solicitors can confirm different placements

What They Confirm

The confirming solicitor states that you've had the opportunity to develop competencies. They don't need to guarantee competence - that's what the SQE tests.

Submission

Confirmations are submitted to the SRA as part of your admission application after passing SQE1 and SQE2.