SQE for foreign & qualified lawyers: cross-qualifying in England & Wales
If you already qualified as a lawyer in another jurisdiction, you are not starting from scratch. The SQE is your route to becoming a solicitor of England & Wales — and for most qualified lawyers, SQE1 is the main, often the only, exam hurdle. Here is the route, straight from the SRA.
The route for qualified lawyers
The SRA sets three things apart for qualified lawyers from other jurisdictions:
- You must pass SQE1. The Functioning Legal Knowledge exam applies to this route like any other — there is no general exemption from it. See the SQE1 guide.
- You can apply to be exempt from SQE2. Based on your existing qualification and experience you can apply for an exemption from SQE2, or sit it. Eligibility is assessed individually — check the SRA’s exemption tool.
- You do not need qualifying work experience. In the SRA’s words, "qualified lawyers do not need two years’ qualifying work experience". Your existing qualification stands in its place.
You will still need a degree or equivalent and to meet the SRA’s character and suitability requirements. Full detail is on the SRA’s qualified lawyers page.
Which means SQE1 is your hurdle
Put those together and the picture is clear: with SQE2 exemptible and no qualifying work experience required, SQE1 is frequently the single exam standing between a qualified lawyer and dual-qualification. And it is not a light one — it is a broad, applied, timed knowledge exam with a pass rate between 41% and 56% across the sittings since 2021.
This is what SQE1 asks — try one
This question is taken from the bank. Answer it to see the worked reasoning and the tutor. You do not need to sign up to try it.
Two individuals run a graphic-design business as a partnership. There is no written partnership agreement. One partner contributed £80,000 of the start-up capital and the other contributed £20,000. Over the first year one partner worked full time on the business while the other worked only occasionally, and the full-time partner now argues she should receive a salary for her extra work and a larger share of the £50,000 profit to reflect her capital and effort. The other partner disagrees. The partners cannot resolve the dispute and ask how the default rules of partnership law apply. Which of the following best describes the position under the default rules?
Preparing for SQE1 when you are already a lawyer
You already think like a lawyer, which is a real head start. But SQE1 tests the Functioning Legal Knowledge of England & Wales specifically — 137 topics across FLK1 and FLK2 — as single-best-answer questions at about a minute and a half each. The work is covering that breadth to the exam’s standard and answering at its pace, whatever your background.
That is what Lawdojo is for: a full-spec SQE1 question bank at genuine exam difficulty, every answer worked against primary law and written by a common-law-qualified lawyer.
Practise at the real standard
For a qualified lawyer, SQE1 is often the only exam left. Find out where you stand on it.
Complete includes
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One payment, nothing recurring. The 25-question diagnostic is free with no card.
Common questions
Do foreign qualified lawyers have to take SQE1?
Yes. Qualified lawyers from other jurisdictions must pass SQE1 to qualify as a solicitor of England & Wales. It is the Functioning Legal Knowledge exam and applies to this route like any other.
Can qualified lawyers be exempt from SQE2?
You can apply for an exemption from SQE2 based on your existing qualification and experience, or sit it. Whether you qualify for an exemption is assessed individually — check the SRA’s exemption tool before you plan your route.
Do qualified lawyers need qualifying work experience?
No. In the SRA’s words, "qualified lawyers do not need two years’ qualifying work experience" — unlike other SQE candidates. Your existing qualification stands in its place.
Is SQE1 the only exam a qualified lawyer has to pass?
Often, yes. If you are granted an exemption from SQE2 and do not need qualifying work experience, SQE1 becomes the single exam standing between you and dual-qualification. That is why it is worth preparing for properly.
What happened to the QLTS?
The SQE replaced the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme as the route for qualified lawyers to become solicitors of England & Wales. Qualified lawyers now cross-qualify through the SQE, with the exemptions above.
More: the SQE1 guide, the pass rate, the full syllabus, and SQE vs LPC.
Route facts as stated by the SRA (qualified lawyers route). Exemption eligibility is assessed individually by the SRA — confirm your own position via the official SQE site. Independent SQE1 preparation for study, not legal or immigration advice.