LPC or Solicitors Qualifying Exam? The Million-Dollar Question Answered

Nov 04, 2024

Written By Annabel Gooden

Deciding whether to proceed with the LPC or the SQE is an important step on the path to becoming a solicitor. You might be tempted to think that the SQE is simply an updated version of the LPC but there are significant differences. Both options have their own merits, so understanding their differences is key to making an informed decision.

Understanding the LPC

Traditionally, the LPC or Legal Practice Course, has been the standard route to qualification for solicitors in the UK. It was designed to prepare students for work-based learning covering two stages: core practice areas and skills and vocational electives.

Typically, the LPC is studied full time for one year. However, some providers offer accelerated or part-time study options and a choice of campus versus online learning.

LPC or SQE? =

Which option is right for you at this point in your legal journey? Use our ‘Should I do the LPC or SQE? platform to help you make this key decision!

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Exploring the SQE

The SQE is a new assessment-based qualification introduced to offer a more accessible path to becoming a solicitor.

SQE1 assesses Functioning Legal Knowledge (FLK). There are two closed-book, multiple-choice exams to test your knowledge of basic legal principles across a wide number of topics, as set out below.

FLK 1:

Business Law and Practice
Dispute Resolution
Contract
Tort
Legal System of England and Wales
Constitutional and Administrative Law
EU Law and Legal Services

FLK 2:

Property Practice
Wills and the Administration of Estates
Solicitors Accounts
Land Law
Trusts
Criminal Law

SQE2 comprises 14 hours of oral and written exams to assess the following six skills:

Client interviewing and attendance note/legal analysis
Advocacy
Case and matter analysis
Legal research
Legal writing
Legal drafting

It covers the following practice areas:

Criminal Litigation (including advising clients at the police station)
Dispute Resolution
Property Practice
Will and Intestacy, Probate Administration and Practice
Business organisations rules and procedures (including money laundering and financial services)

The main benefit to the SQE is the level of flexibility it gives you to study at your own pace, including the option to self-study.

Cost Considerations

There are a number of costs to consider before embarking on the LPC. As well as living expenses and study materials, you will need to pay tuition fees which will vary depending on your course provider. As an example, the University of Law’s fees for study in London are currently £19,500.

At first glance, the SQE looks cheaper. The SRA sets exams centrally, charging £1, 622 for SQE1 and £2,766 for SQE2. However, it’s recommended to complete some kind of preparation course before taking the assessments. This is because resitting the exams requires you to pay again to retake the section(s) you failed. Plus, if you fail more than three times within six years, you’ll need to wait until six years has passed before reapplying.

The University of Law’s LLM Legal Practice which prepares you for both SQE1 and SQE2 will set you back £16,950. Combined with an LLM preparation course, the SQE route can work out as a more expensive option.

However, there are cheaper courses available, including ULaw and BPP Law School’s preparation courses costing between £5,500 and £6,000. It is worth looking at ‘preparation’ or ‘intensive’ courses as these are likely to be cheaper than a traditional LPC. Bear in mind these newer types of courses won’t qualify for postgraduate funding.

A further consideration is that the flexibility surrounding when you take the SQE allows you more time to work alongside your studies.

Practical Training and Experience

The LPC has a practical component which must be completed after passing the relevant course. You will recognise this as the traditional two-year training contract. Under the new SQE system, candidates can gain Qualifying Work Experience in up to four different organisations, including pro bono work at a legal advice clinic, an apprenticeship and paralegal work.

Employer Perspectives

Legal employers have been quick to move over to the new SQE system with most now requiring future trainees to complete the SQE1 and SQE2. Instead of sponsoring the LPC, many firms are now paying for candidates to take the LLM Legal Practice (SQE1&2) and covering the cost of exams.

For those not yet sponsored by a law firm, it should reassure you that law firms will not prioritise individuals based solely on whether they did the LPC/SQE.

Pros and Cons

The LPC

You may be attracted by the well-defined path offered by the LPC route which follows a simpler one-year study programme and two-year training contract. It also avoids the extra stress of booking and sitting the new centralised SRA exams.

Potential cons include the high fees charged by LPC providers, close to £20,000. The practical component of this route is less flexible and comes with the pressure of securing a training contract, competition for which will be fierce.

The SQE

The SQE can be cheaper, depending on the type of preparation course you choose. It also offers more flexibility, in terms of how you study and how you complete your qualifying work experience.

If you do choose the new route, you will need to take the SRA’s exams. Recent pass rates are 51% for SQE1 and77% for SQE2. Be wary of attempting these without the necessary preparation or you may be faced with the extra stress and financial cost of resits. If you do qualify successfully, you will still need to secure a job as a newly qualified solicitor.

The Transition Period

Until the end of 2032 a transition period will allow candidates to qualify through either route. Most people will be required to take the SQE as only candidates meeting specific criteria (having started a legal course in 2021), will be able to proceed with the LPC route. For more information, check the SRA’s transitional arrangements here.

Conclusion: The Path Forward

If you are eligible to complete the LPC, you can still choose the new SQE route. As discussed above, there are a number of factors to consider. The cost may be marginally less than the LPC, but neither option is cheap and you should decide based on your own financial circumstances. Your personal goals, learning preferences and time commitments will also play a role in your decision-making.

One key difference is the level of flexibility offered by the SQE, in particular the qualifying work experience system.

If you are unsure, do seek advice from legal professionals, career advice teams and mentors. Choose the route that aligns with your own aspirations and circumstances and remember that either option can lead to a successful career in law.

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