How should a firm manage qualifying work experience records?
My firm recruited a paralegal who hasn’t yet taken the Solicitors Qualifying Examination, but aspires to become a solicitor. How should we manage records for employees who wish to undertake qualifying work experience?
Firms and in-house legal departments will need to consider how to manage requests from paralegals or other staff who may wish to have their work confirmed as qualifying work experience (QWE).
To assist our members in responding to such requests, we produced guidance on qualifying work experience for paralegals.
QWE forms a key element of the statement of solicitor competence required by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), so accurate record keeping is essential.
Candidates are responsible for keeping their own records, which should outline:
- the length and timing of their work
- the tasks they have undertaken, including their specific role in relation to those tasks, and
- how the tasks provided the opportunity to develop the competencies as set out in the statement of solicitor competence
The SRA has produced a training template for accurately recording QWE.
For more information, read our guide on qualifying work experience for paralegals.
Disclaimer
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this article, it does not constitute legal advice and cannot be relied upon as such. The Law Society does not accept any responsibility for liabilities arising as a result of reliance upon the information given.
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