As a lawyer, you are a well-trained, trusted and hardworking part of a well-regarded and prestigious profession, working in a highly competitive environment.
You already know there is a heavy emphasis on Continuing Professional Development (CPD) or Continuing Legal Education (CLE) – developing and honing lawyers’ skills and legal knowledge. It goes without saying that forward-thinking lawyers are constantly building their portfolio of professional services and expertise, ever on the lookout for ways of advancing their legal careers and expanding their practice.
The days of your primary professional qualification being enough to secure your career are gone. The legal market – and indeed the world of business – is changing radically. If you want to carve out your place in the legal world, you need to go beyond the norm and differentiate yourself from other lawyers.
Many law graduates and lawyers opt for the academic route and pursue a Master of Laws (LLM) degree. There has, however, been a substantial increase in the number of lawyers who appreciate that the transformed and evolving legal market requires lawyers to develop and demonstrate a new way of thinking and working, based around enhanced skills and expertise, which directly benefit their firms and clients – far more so than another academic degree, which may not provide any practical advantages.
In this article, we discuss how becoming a dual-qualified English solicitor – a legal professional in the world’s most important jurisdiction and open business economy – will change the way you work and what you can do for yourself, your firm and your clients.
We will review the SQE (Solicitors Qualifying Examination), which will be introduced in England and Wales in September 2021 – that presents lawyers just like you with the opportunity to become an English solicitor in just a few months, without undergoing a traditional training contract, an internship or fulfilling any experience requirement.
Whether you are newly qualified lawyer or a senior partner, plan to live in London or develop your practice in your home jurisdiction, or whatever country you are qualified as a lawyer – be it in the U.S., Singapore, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Russia, China or elsewhere – becoming a dual-qualified English solicitor via the SQE will provide you with more legal knowledge, unique practising skills and an outstanding professional profile. It will also offer you a remarkable opportunity to hold one of the most prestigious titles in the legal profession – an English solicitor.
London as a Legal and Business Centre
The hub of many business negotiations, transactions and a pre-eminent forum for dispute resolution, London is unquestionably one of the command centres of the global economy. Over half of the FTSE 100 companies, one-fifth of Europe’s 500 largest companies and 75% of the Fortune 500 companies choose to base or have a presence in London. Five of the world’s 10 largest law firms are headquartered in London, whilst international law firms, are establishing a presence in the city so as to service domestic clients living or working in Europe, as well as competing for a share of the lucrative local legal market.
Whether it is finance, insurance, media, banking, trading, advertising or professional services, London offers a business-friendly environment and a central international location. With English law recognised as being the dominant law of business, London is both the natural choice and preferred city for dispute resolution – whether litigation or arbitration.
A survey conducted in 2010 by Queen Mary, University of London and sponsored by White & Case LLP: ‘Choices in International Arbitration’ – reveals that 40% of corporations use English law as the governing law of cross-border transactions, followed by 17% who use New York law as their law of choice.
Moreover, in the 2015 survey by Queen Mary, University of London and sponsored by White & Case LLP: ‘Improvements and Innovations in International Arbitration’ London was referred to as the most preferred and widely used seat of arbitration or litigation, with a reputation for a fair, efficient and impartial judiciary.
The Dual-Qualified Lawyer
With recent developments and globalisation trends in the legal profession, lawyers are no longer confined to the jurisdiction in which they were educated and qualified. Ambitious lawyers can now be found in major trade centres and legal capitals across the world.
An awareness of the local cultural, economic, political and social norms of each jurisdiction, therefore, is an essential component and a practical aspect of the legal services and advice provided by a lawyer.
To survive in the new legal order, the new breed of ”international lawyers” must provide sophisticated and specialised legal services to individuals and corporate clients of all sizes anywhere in the world, tailored perfectly to the clients’ individual needs.
While still few in number, the new breed of “international lawyers” are at the forefront of a movement that is fundamentally changing the legal profession. Demand for their skills and services has increased and is set to rise further.
To meet this international demand, “international lawyers” should have a working knowledge and experience of legal systems of their respective jurisdictions and have the legal and regulatory right to practise law in multiple jurisdictions unimpeded.
We have already discussed the requirements of the legal profession and the changes in the environment in which law firms operate today, but what about the clients?
Globalisation trends are changing what clients expect from lawyers. A German company may buy up property in Brazil, whilst a British electronics company may wish to source component parts from a specialist Chinese manufacturer. Meanwhile, a French company in dispute with a US corporation wishes to have their dispute resolved through arbitration in London. A glance at any good business newspaper will give you a flavour of just how borderless international business has become.
Clients today are sophisticated, their expectations are high and they demand effective, prompt and cost-effective results. Clients expect lawyers to make business happen by advising on risk, facilitating transactions and representing and protecting their interests.
Lawyers must cover all areas of a transaction, from employment to intellectual property and everything in between. This requires knowledge of local legal systems, international conventions and treaties and of the governing jurisdiction.
Today’s clients are looking for lawyers and law firms who offer a one-stop service, able to offer an intimate knowledge of their client’s business, the continuity and confidentiality of a full-service practice and the resources that allow every part of a client’s business and legal needs to be serviced by one provider.
Even relatively small clients now have activities that cross country lines, and they do not expect to require separate legal service providers for each country they operate in.
It is therefore apparent that in an increasingly competitive world, lawyers with dual-qualification have a competitive advantage over their colleagues and are, accordingly, able to offer a much more comprehensive service to their clients.
Why Become a Dual-Qualified English Solicitor?
By now, you probably understand why you should qualify in more than one jurisdiction. You might be wondering, however, why qualify in England?
Prized for its fairness, protection and impartial application, English law remains the preferred jurisdiction for global business.
The title of English solicitor is more than just an addition to your CV or resumé – it’s in fact a mark of global excellence. Through its historic dominance of maritime trade, English law has played a significant role in influencing the development of legal and regulatory regimes internationally.
Moreover, the training and qualification process in England and Wales is internationally well regarded.
There are several reasons and motivations why lawyers are looking to join the Roll of Solicitors in England and Wales:
- Opening up a variety of career opportunities in the legal marketplace
- Enhancing their professional profile, reputation and marketability in their home jurisdiction
- Offering a wider range of legal services to clients (whose preference today is to use a one stop-shop for their legal needs)
- Advising existing clients on matters of English law
- Working as a solicitor in London
- Getting more business and increasing revenues
Interestingly enough, the majority of lawyers seeking to become dual-qualified English solicitors do not intend to practise in London, preferring instead to stay in their home jurisdiction and utilise the skills, qualification and knowledge they have gained by qualifying as English solicitors.
The English Solicitors’ Profession
The solicitors’ profession is diverse. It ranges from sole practitioners working for local consumers, ‘boutique’ specialist outfits, mid-tier firms servicing a mixture of private and commercial clients in London and the regions, to large multinational firms acting for international clients.
There are currently over 150,000 solicitors licensed to practise in England and Wales, regulated under a single regulatory regime.
The trend towards globalisation and the major developments in the legal profession have suited the flexible legal system found in the UK. This flexibility allows lawyers, wherever they first qualified, to have access to proportionate and reasonable transfer arrangements and permits UK law firms to compete internationally for the best talent to complement their own domestic talent.
These trends led to the introduction of the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme (QLTS), in 2010 which was the fast-track route for international lawyers to re-qualify as English solicitors.
The QLTS is being phased out and replaced by the SQE assessments, which are substantially modelled on the QLTS.
The Benefits of Practising as an English Solicitor
Qualifying as an English solicitor takes your professional profile to the highest, most respected level. You’ll be able to work on a range of domestic and international matters, undertaking work restricted to those who hold the qualification. Whether you choose to work in a leading law firm in London or remain in your home jurisdiction and develop your legal career locally, being a qualified English solicitor will open doors for you.
Combined with your chosen specialism, you will be armed with important insights and advice on the legal and factual aspects of doing business across multiple jurisdictions. This can make the difference between a business enterprise profiting or plummeting, because you will be able to provide answers and advice on matters that only someone with your training and qualification can give.
Path to Dual-Qualification: The SQE
For many forward-thinking lawyers, the only consideration is which secondary qualification to work towards, the chief candidates being English law and New York law.
For many, this tilts the balance firmly in the favour of the SQE. Indeed, many New York lawyers themselves opt to qualify as English solicitors to expand their professional profile.
The SQE is your key for foreign and internationally trained lawyers to becoming a dual-qualified English solicitor – it unlocks the international career and professional benefits outlined in this article.
The SQE comprises assessments that test candidates’ application of knowledge of English law, as well as various practical legal skills required to practise as a solicitor. There are two sets of assessment under the SQE:
Candidates must first pass SQE1 before attempting SQE2.
Candidates have three attempts at each part of the SQE in a six-year period and they must complete the two SQE assessments within that period.
Domestic candidates must also complete two years’ qualifying work experience (QWE). This can be taken in the UK or elsewhere. Foreign qualified lawyers are exempt from QWE.
All candidates must also have a degree (or equivalent) and meet the SRA character and suitability requirements before they can apply for admission as English solicitors.
Taking the SQE Assessments
The assessments are offered in the UK twice a year by a sole assessment provider, Kaplan, which has been appointed by the SRA.. The SQE1 assessment and the oral element of SQE2 are also offered in a number of international locations. To ensure the integrity of the assessment process, Kaplan is not allowed to offer preparation courses for the SQE assessments.
It is therefore essential to prepare for the SQE assessments with an established course provider that will guide you through the assessment requirements, build your knowledge, skills and confidence, so that you can sit the assessments knowing that you are as fully prepared as you can be.
Preparing for the Assessments
QLTS School has prepared thousands of individuals lawyers and candidates from the world’s top law firms for the QLTS since 2011, and now focuses exclusively on offering courses for the SQE.
QLTS School’s preparation courses for the SQE are tailor-made to suit each candidate’s circumstances and are completely flexible in study and time requirements.
This means that candidates can begin preparation anytime they want and study at times that are convenient for them, from a variety of locations – whether at home or in the office, in the UK or elsewhere.
The SQE materials are suitable for candidates from a wide range of different backgrounds and varying levels of legal knowledge and experience in English law.
The preparation courses are based on professionally written textbooks, video tutorials, practice questions, mock exams, online resources and extensive tutor support. QLTS School offers several SQE course packages for each stage of the assessment.
Foreign qualified lawyers can complete the SQE preparation and other formal procedures in just a few months, following which they can apply to the roll of solicitors of solicitors.
For more information visit http://www.qlts.co.uk/sqe, request a free consultation, download a brochure, or get access to free SQE sample materials.
Summing it all up
The days of local lawyering are now firmly behind us. To stay relevant in the global business environment, ambitious lawyers should be looking to adapt to the ever-expanding needs of their clients.
English law remains the dominant choice of law for cross-border commerce, maritime and dispute resolution, and English law qualification therefore holds the key to offering clients a global approach to fulfilling their legal service requirements.
The SQE provides ambitious lawyers with access to that key, creating future-proof, client-focused, internationally-savvy dual-qualified lawyers. Ultimately, it’s your choice whether to invest in your legal career and acquire those skills of a ‘modern-effective lawyer’.
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