There are two main ways to gain professional qualifications to work in law firms, and refreshed versions only came on stream in 2021: the CILEX Professional Qualification (CPQ) and the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE). The former leads to qualification as a CILEX Lawyer and the latter as a solicitor.
Both a CILEX Lawyer and a solicitor are trained to the same advanced level, but they are very different paths leading to very different end-points.
CILEX Lawyers are trained to specialise in a particular area of law, while solicitors are generalists, even though most ultimately end up specialising after qualification. From the start, CILEX Lawyers earn money as they are learning. Despite the greater flexibility of the SQE, the traditional model of study and then work experience is likely to continue to dominate for solicitors.
At a glance
CPQ
- A three-stage qualification that allows for achievement along the way. Students can pause or stop altogether at the Foundation or Advanced stage with a qualification (CILEX Paralegal and CILEX Advanced Paralegal).
- Open entry – no prior academic achievement but candidates with law qualifications receive exemption to Foundation stage and start at Advanced stage.
- Designed to align with actual job roles.
- CPQ introduces mandatory elements of legal technology, business skills and emotional intelligence for the first time in any legal training.
- Three years of work-based experience is required which is combined with study. Most employers sponsor staff through CPQ and provide study leave.
SQE
- - A two-part qualification (SQE1 and SQE2) that focuses on the academic and skills elements required to qualify as a solicitor. It is not a qualification on its own.
- - Limited ability to focus on particular areas of law.
- - Candidates need a degree or equivalent Level 6 qualification, or suitable work experience. The latter is a high hurdle – the vast majority of would-be solicitors will remain graduates.
- - Two years of work-based experience is needed. SQE1 in particular is likely to be before beginning work. Large law firm employers will pay for the SQE.
COST
|
|
CPQ |
SQE |
|
Degree |
Not necessary |
£27,750 |
|
Registration fees |
£3,500 |
£4,115 |
|
Course fees |
£9,000 |
£8,000-£11,200 |
|
OVERALL TOTAL |
£12,500 |
£39,855-£43,065 |
N.B. CPQ course fees are those for CILEX Law School. SQE course fees are for the University of Law – cost depends on location of study, the cheapest being online and the most expensive are the study centres in London.
Pathways to qualification as a lawyer
| CPQ | SQE | |
| Qualification route |
3-tier progressive framework leading to professional designations:
|
A pass-or-fail qualification that leads to qualifying as a solicitor, replacing the previous Legal Practice Course (LPC)-plus-training-contract pathway |
| Work experience | Requirement for a period of relevant work experience | Requirement for a period of relevant work experience |
| Exams | Externally assessed examinations | Externally assessed examinations |
Entry requirements
| CPQ | SQE |
| No academic threshold for entry to the Foundation stage | Undergraduate degree or equivalent |
| Exemptions for candidates with law qualifications | Every candidate, regardless of whether they have a law degree, does the same assessments |
| Accelerated pathways for trainees with a law degree (LLB), Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL), Legal Practice Course (LPC), or Bar Practice Course (BPC) |
The bottom line
CPQ is a progressive qualification that allows assessments in single subjects to be sat when a trainee is ready. It includes a requirement to demonstrate workplace competences that go beyond knowledge and application of law and creates a CILEX Lawyer who is practice ready qualification. On completion of the CPQ Professional stage, CILEX Lawyers are qualified specialists with a broad legal education to support their area of specialism.
SQE is a generalist qualification, an ‘all or nothing’ hurdle that is part of the solicitor qualification process. It is only after qualifying that solicitors usually begin to specialise in a particular area of law.
Where to start becoming a lawyer
If you want to find out more about CPQ, we host a monthly webinar where our team members go into detail about the course, the entry points, and answering your questions. Register for the next webinar here.
Alternatively, download our CPQ prospectus.