From paralegal to solicitor via the SQE

If you're working as a paralegal and wondering whether that job actually counts towards qualifying as a solicitor, the short answer is yes, it can. Paralegal work is one of the most common routes into qualifying work experience (QWE), which is the practical experience half of the SQE route. The catch is that it has to be recorded and signed off properly, and it has to involve real legal work.

Here's how paralegal experience turns into QWE, what counts, and what a realistic paralegal-to-solicitor timeline looks like.

Does paralegal work count as QWE?

Yes. The SRA doesn't care what your job title is. QWE is defined by the work itself, not by whether you're called a paralegal, trainee, legal assistant, or volunteer.

To count, the work has to:

• Involve providing legal services (research, drafting, client contact, case preparation and similar tasks)
• Help you develop some of the competencies the SRA expects of a newly qualified solicitor
• Be confirmed by a solicitor or a Compliance Officer for Legal Practice (COLP), who signs off that the experience is genuine

That third point is the one people miss. It's not enough to do the work. Someone qualified has to confirm it happened and that it gave you exposure to the right kind of tasks.

What "sol/COLP-signed" actually means

You need a solicitor of England and Wales or a COLP to confirm your QWE. The SRA doesn't require them to hold a current practising certificate. This doesn't have to be your direct line manager, and it doesn't even have to be someone at your own organisation. It just needs to be a solicitor or COLP who reviewed your work and is in a position to confirm it was genuine legal work.

Practically, most paralegals get this from:

• A supervising solicitor in their team
• A partner who reviewed their work
• The firm's COLP, if the firm arranges sign-off centrally

The confirmation is a formal step submitted through the SRA's own process once you're ready to apply for admission, not just a verbal "yes, that's fine" from a colleague. It's worth asking early in a paralegal role who at the organisation is willing to be that confirming solicitor, so there's no scramble later.

How much paralegal experience do you need?

QWE requires the equivalent of two years' full-time work. The SRA doesn't fix an exact weekly-hours threshold for "full-time," it's assessed holistically rather than by a strict number. It doesn't have to be continuous, and it doesn't have to be at one employer. You can build it up across up to four different organisations, at any point before, during, or after your SQE exams.

That flexibility is genuinely useful for paralegals. A lot of people start as a paralegal before touching the SQE at all, sit the exams later, and their earlier paralegal years still count as long as they get signed off. Others do it the other way round: pass SQE1 and SQE2 first, then take a paralegal role specifically to bank the QWE hours.

Part-time paralegal work counts too, it just takes proportionally longer to reach the two-year equivalent.

What kind of paralegal work actually builds QWE

Not every task in a paralegal job will develop the competencies the SRA is looking for, but most substantive legal work does. Useful examples include:

• Drafting letters, contracts, or court documents under supervision
• Conducting legal research and summarising findings
• Attending client meetings or taking instructions
• Managing case files and correspondence
• Assisting with disclosure, due diligence, or transaction support

Purely administrative work like filing, scanning, or diary management on its own is less likely to build the competencies the SRA expects. In practice, most paralegal roles are a mix, and the SRA's approach is about the overall experience, not stripping out every individual task.

Recording QWE as you go

The SRA doesn't require a specific form during the work itself, but it strongly recommends keeping a QWE log or portfolio as you go. Waiting two years and then trying to remember what you did in month three is a bad plan.

A simple log covering dates, the organisation, the type of work, and which competencies it touched will save a lot of stress when it's time to get the final confirmation. Some firms provide a template for this; if yours doesn't, it's worth setting one up yourself from day one of a paralegal role.

A typical paralegal-to-solicitor timeline

There's no single required order for QWE and the SQE exams. Common patterns include:

1. Paralegal first, exams later: Work as a paralegal for a year or two, build QWE and save towards the assessment fees, then sit SQE1 and SQE2.
2. Exams first, paralegal work after: Pass both parts of the SQE, then take a paralegal or similar role specifically to accumulate QWE before applying for admission.
3. Parallel: Study for the SQE part-time while working as a paralegal, so the QWE clock and the exam prep run alongside each other.

The parallel route is common but demanding. Paralegal jobs, especially in busy litigation or transactional teams, can eat into study time. If you're going this way, a realistic weekly study plan matters more than it would if you were studying full-time. A free SQE study planner can help block out consistent hours around a working schedule rather than relying on catching up at weekends.

Costs to plan for

Paralegal roles are paid work, which is one advantage of this route over full-time study: you're earning while you build QWE. But the SQE assessment fees are a separate cost you'll still need to budget for, and they're rising from September 2026. It's worth reading a full breakdown of SQE costs before deciding when to book.

If you're weighing up whether to book before or after the fee change, or comparing exam windows, the 2026-27 SQE dates post lays out the sitting calendar so you can plan QWE and exam timing together.

Does the type of law matter?

No. QWE doesn't have to be in the practice area you eventually want to work in. A paralegal doing family law can still use that experience towards QWE even if they end up qualifying into commercial property. The competencies the SRA looks at (things like maintaining trust and acting with integrity, or delivering legal services effectively) are meant to be transferable, not practice-area specific.

That said, if you already know roughly where you want to end up, paralegal work in a related area can help build a CV and references, even though matching practice areas isn't a strict rule.

Common mistakes paralegals make with QWE

• Leaving sign-off too late. If the solicitor who confirms your work has left the firm, getting confirmation gets harder. Ask early.
• Assuming a job title guarantees QWE. Being called a "paralegal" doesn't automatically qualify the work; the substance of the tasks matters.
• Not keeping any record. Relying on memory two years later is risky. Log as you go.
• Ignoring the exam side entirely. QWE and the SQE exams are separate requirements. Strong paralegal experience doesn't reduce how much prep SQE1 or SQE2 needs.

Frequently asked questions

Does paralegal experience count as QWE for the SQE?

Yes. Paralegal work counts as QWE as long as it involves providing legal services, helps develop the SRA's specified competencies, and is confirmed by a solicitor or COLP. The job title itself doesn't matter.

Do I need a training contract to become a solicitor now?

No. Under the SQE route, QWE replaces the traditional training contract. QWE can be gained through paralegal work, volunteering, or other legal roles across up to four organisations, rather than through a single formal training contract.

How many years of paralegal work do I need before qualifying?

The SRA requires the equivalent of two years of full-time work (around 35 hours a week). This can be full-time or part-time, continuous or spread across multiple roles, as long as it's properly confirmed.

Can I do QWE before passing the SQE exams?

Yes. QWE can be completed before, during, or after SQE1 and SQE2. Many paralegals build most or all of their QWE before ever sitting the exams.

Who can sign off my QWE as a paralegal?

Any solicitor of England and Wales, or a COLP, who is in a position to confirm the work was genuine. The SRA doesn't require them to hold a current practising certificate. It doesn't have to be your direct manager, but it does need to be someone who can vouch for the substance of what you did.