Principles of Qualified Lawyers consultation response - Final positions

Sep 26, 2026

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This document presents a structured response to a consultation on proposed amendments to the Principles for Qualified Lawyers seeking admission in England and Wales after the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) is introduced. It explains the rationale for aligning the principles with the SQE admission regulations and ensuring qualified lawyers demonstrate competence in English or Welsh, including exemptions. The report summarizes consultation outcomes, analysis against the Equality Act 2010 and Better Regulation Principles, and confirms the next approval and implementation steps subject to Legal Services Board review in 2020.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages26

Reading Time1 h 6 min

AccessFree to download

Executive summary

Who did we hear from?

Our final positions

Consultation proposal 1: Remove the requirement for qualified lawyers seeking an exemption from the SQE to be from a jurisdiction we recognise

Summary of responses

Analysis of our proposals in relation to the Equality Act 2010, our Regulatory objectives and Better Regulation Principles

Final versions of principles and guidance for demonstrating English and Welsh language

List of respondents

Principles of Qualified Lawyers consultation response June 2020 Contents Executive summary ................................................................................................... 3 Who did we hear from? ............................................................................................. 4 Our final positions ..................................................................................................... 4 Analysis of our proposals in relation to the Equality Act 2010, our Regulatory objectives and Better Regulation Principles............................................................. 13 Final versions of principles and guidance for demonstrating English and Welsh language ................................................................................................................. 19 List of respondents .................................................................................................. 25 Executive summary 1. This document outlines our response to our Principles of Qualified Lawyers consultation. 2. The short consultation proposed amendments to our Principles for Qualified Lawyers seeking admission in England and Wales after the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) is introduced. The principles outline our overarching requirements, our approach to exemptions and the recognition of professional qualifications, professional experience and language knowledge requirements. 3. The proposed changes are required so we can be sure that the professional experience or qualifications of a qualified lawyer provides them with the necessary skills, knowledge and competence for practice as a solicitor of England and Wales. 4. They were also designed to make sure that our principles align with Part 1 of our Authorisation of Individuals Regulations ('SQE admission regulations') and that all qualified lawyers are competent in the English or Welsh language. 5. We proposed to: 5.1 Remove the requirement for qualified lawyers seeking an exemption from the SQE to be from a jurisdiction we recognise. 5.2 Make clear that qualified lawyers can demonstrate the language requirement in either English or Welsh in line with our Authorisation of Individuals Regulations. 5.3 Extend the language requirement to qualified lawyers who are exempt from parts of SQE2 (as well as the whole of it, as originally drafted) where we have serious and concrete doubts about their language knowledge. 5.4 Remove the word “test” from the language requirement section. 6. The consultation included draft principles which set out our proposed amendments. We also asked for views on our proposed guidance for qualified lawyers on how they can demonstrate competence in the English or Welsh language. 7. We will proceed with our proposals having analysed each consultation response and considered how we can mitigate potential risks. We have included final versions of our principles and guidance for demonstrating English or Welsh language knowledge in this document. 8. The consultation did not identify any additional impacts or qualified lawyers from protected characteristic groups that prevent us from proceeding with our changes. 9. We will now apply to the Legal Services Board (LSB) for approval of these changes. We will do this through our second SQE application which will be submitted to the LSB in summer 2020. Subject to approval, our revised principles will take effect once the SQE is introduced. 10. We also published an initial impact assessment alongside our consultation. This document builds on that initial assessment and includes our final assessment of our changes against the Equality Act 2020, the Better Regulation Principles and our regulatory objectives. Who did we hear from? 11. The consultation was launched on 26 March 2020 and closed on 6 May 2020. 12. We promoted the consultation to our stakeholders through our social media channels and our newsletters. We contacted each

FAQs

What is the purpose of this consultation response?

It sets out the response to proposed amendments to the Principles for Qualified Lawyers, including how qualified lawyers’ experience, qualifications, and language knowledge will be assessed under the SQE framework.

How do the proposals ensure qualified lawyers can demonstrate English or Welsh competence?

They clarify that the language requirement can be demonstrated in either English or Welsh, extend the requirement for certain exemptions where there are serious and concrete doubts, and remove the word “test” from the language requirement section.

What happens next after the consultation analysis?

The document states that the changes will be submitted to the Legal Services Board for approval via a second SQE application in summer 2020, with effect once the SQE is introduced subject to approval.

Sep 26, 2026

Upload by Stanley