What to do if your training is terminated

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If your training contract is terminated before you’ve qualified as a solicitor, this is a difficult situation to be in and you need to know what to do next.

If your training offer has been withdrawn before you start, ask the organisation that made you the offer if they can help you.

If they cannot help, then you may need to apply to train with another organisation. See our advice on the period of recognised training and on qualifying work experience.

If you’ve started your training but have not completed the required two years, you may still be able to qualify through one of the following routes:

When your training can be terminated

The SRA states that trainee solicitors are common law apprentices, which means that you cannot be terminated as part of a redundancy process.

This gives you enhanced protections under employment law and you should have reference to the SRA’s authorised training provider information pack (2019 regulations).

An apprenticeship can only be brought to an end if:

  • you and your employer agree
  • your training contract is conditional on passing any of the academic stages of qualification or the Legal Practice Course (LPC), and you do not pass
  • you are not capable of meeting the Practice Skills Standards 
  • your conduct is unacceptable 
  • the training establishment business has closed or changed so much that it is not possible to properly train you

If you feel you have been unfairly dismissed, you should seek legal advice.

How to qualify if your training is terminated

Counting your time spent in training

If your contract is terminated before you finish your training, let the SRA know about your situation.

The time you have spent in training may be able to count towards any future period of recognised training, or help you meet the requirements for qualifying though equivalent means.

You should be able to calculate how many months’ training you have completed and should have kept a training record. This record should be verified by the training principal and your supervisors.

If you wish to use the time completed towards QWE for the SQE, you will need to have a solicitor or compliance officer for legal practice (COLP) confirm the experience. You can use the template provided by the SRA.

If your employer is unable or unwilling to sign off on your experience, you should follow the steps outlined by the SRA to resolve the issue.

Applying for a waiver

The SRA has the power to waive the requirements of the 2014 Training Regulations.

Consider applying to the SRA’s admissions authorisation team to see if some or all of the time left on your training period can be waived.

Find out how to apply

Qualifying through equivalent means

Equivalent means is a way of recognising education and work-based learning that fall outside the normal routes to qualification.

It allows you to show other ways you have met either the academic or vocational criteria to qualify as a solicitor.

You’ll need to prove to the SRA that you have skills and experience equivalent to those you would have gained from completing the period of recognised training. This means you must have:

  • two years’ experience
  • experience of three areas of English and Welsh law
  • evidence that your work experience was supervised

Find out how to apply on the SRA website

Qualifying through the SQE

If you cannot begin your planned training place, or you're unable to complete your training contract and do not meet the requirements for a waiver or equivalent means, you may be able to qualify through the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE).

If you choose to follow this route, and assuming that you've passed the Legal Practice Course (LPC), you'll only need to complete two years of qualifying work experience (QWE) and pass the SQE 2 assessment.

The requirements for QWE are more flexible than for a training contract, so you may be able to use work undertaken outside of your training contract towards the total two years required , so long as you are able to have this confirmed.

Employment law issues

Claiming against your firm

You may be able to claim against your firm for:

  • unpaid wages
  • payment for your notice period (breach of contract)
  • a redundancy payment

You can apply for compensation if you haven't been paid your notice and you have:

  • a National Insurance number
  • started a redundancy claim
  • received your claim reference number

See the government's guidance on claims for loss of notice pay.

The chances of recovering any compensation will depend on the firm’s financial position. See the government’s guidance on claiming money owed to you if your employer is insolvent.

Protection for employees when a firm is taken over

Where a firm is bought or ‘rescued’ by another, the new firm might be required to take on the old firm’s employees, under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE).

However, this is a complex area of law and there are some exemptions to TUPE conditions during insolvency proceedings. You will probably need independent legal advice to tell you whether you have a case.

See the government’s guidance on business transfers, takeovers and TUPE.

Liability for LPC or PSC fees

If your LPC fees were to be funded by your employer, whether you will have to pay any unpaid LPC fees depends on:

  • if you’ve completed the LPC
  • what your contract says about liability for paying the fees

If you’ve not yet completed the LPC, contact your LPC provider to find out if any fees are outstanding and who is responsible for paying them.

The LPC provider may not let you complete your course until any outstanding fees have been paid.

If you’ve completed the LPC but fees are outstanding, it's likely that the LPC provider will pursue the firm rather than you.

If the firm breaches their contract, leaving you to make the payment, you may have to make a claim through the courts. However, you may not be able to recover any sums that the courts award if the firm is in insolvency proceedings. 

You may also find that if you are able to move to a new employer to complete your period of recognised training, they may not be willing to take on your professional skills course (PSC) fees.

Resources

The Junior Solicitors Network is our community representing those on the pathway to becoming solicitors up to five years qualified. It has produced many resources which may be useful if you're experiencing issues with your training. 

Get legal advice from an employment solicitor using our Find A Solicitor service.

The SRA can help with equivalent means and regulatory issues.

LawCare is the mental wellbeing charity for the legal profession.

Law Society helpline

Call our pastoral care helpline if you're experiencing:

  • personal
  • financial
  • professional, or
  • employment difficulties

We’ll put you in touch with someone who can help.

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