FAQs for qualifying under the LPC route

There are two key stages to qualifying as a solicitor.

The first is the academic stage. This is achieved by either completing a qualifying law degree or by completing the Common Professional Examination (CPE), sometimes referred to as the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL).

The second is the vocational stage. This is achieved by completion of the Legal Practice Course (LPC), a period of recognised training and the Professional Skills Course (PSC).

Further details about qualifying as a solicitor under the LPC route can be found in our student information pack. For qualifying through the current system, please see our SQE pages for more information.

It is the first stage to qualifying as a solicitor of England and Wales under the LPC route. 

It is achieved by completing a qualifying law degree or the Common Professional Examination/Post Graduate Diploma in Law sometimes known as a conversion course.

We do not specify or approve the form that assessments take on these courses. However, some form of assessment of the Foundation of Legal Knowledge (FLK) subjects is required, for example online, open book or remote assessments. By the time your students graduate, they must be properly assessed in all FLK subjects.

Training providers should tell us if they are introducing alternative assessment arrangements in the event of further local or national Government restrictions (for our information, not approval).

It is a conversion course that completes the academic stage of training under the old system for people who did not hold a qualifying law degree. 

It was also for individuals who have work experience or academic/vocational qualifications that we consider to be equivalent to an undergraduate degree. 

It is sometimes called a conversion course or Graduate Diploma in Law. 

Since the introduction of the SQE, candidates are no longer granted full or partial exemptions from the CPE. those who would have been eligible will no longer be able to qualify under the existing arrangements, unless they fall under the transitional arrangements because they have accepted an offer to start the LPC or a PRT.   If so, they should contact us.  

The CPE is the title given by the regulatory bodies, and is the professional name of the course.

However, organisations are permitted to embed this within their academic award frameworks by giving it an academic title. Many organisations choose to use the title Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL), but this is a discretionary decision for each organisation.

However, organisations are permitted to embed this within their academic award frameworks by giving it an academic title. Many organisations choose to use the title Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL), but this is a discretionary decision for each organisation. However, organisations are permitted to embed this within their academic award frameworks by giving it an academic title. Many organisations choose to use the title Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL), but this is a discretionary decision for each organisation. 

View a list of recognised providers:

CPE/GDL course providers.

The LPC is a practice-focused course which builds on student's academic knowledge of the law and prepares them for their period of recognised training and early years in practice.

View a list of recognised providers:

Legal Practice Course (LPC) providers.

No, there is no requirement to contact us before commencing the LPC.

If you know that you have a character and suitability issue, or are unsure as to whether you may have an issue, you can choose to submit an early disclosure before completing the Legal Practice Course. The fee for an early assessment is £100.

Further information can be found in our Student information pack. 

You can, but we will need to consider your character and suitability when you apply for admission to the roll.

You can apply to us for an early assessment of your character and suitability at any time before you apply for admission, using our Character and Suitability form.

If you meet the criteria you can apply for exemptions. 

Your course provider will be able to advise if you are eligible for partial exemptions. 

If you think you may be eligible for a full exemption from either all of stage 1 or stage 2 or both, you can apply to us. 

You must be able to demonstrate how you have met the course outcomes. More details can be found in our Equivalent Means guidance. 

The fee for this application is £600. 

Exemptions from certain elements of the LPC are currently allowed for BVC and BPTC graduates. 

Yes, you can commence your period of recognised training while you are completing the LPC. 

Your training principal would notify us by completing a Training Notification.

The fee for this application is £100.

Further information can be found in our Authorised training provider information pack. 

It consists of three compulsory subject areas and electives. Further information can be found in our Professional Skills Course information pack. 

If this does not happen, the training would not have to be extended but you would be unable to apply for admission until the PSC was completed.

as set out in regulation 3.1(b) of the SRA Education, Training and Assessment Provider Regulations 2019.

The PSC is designed to build on the Legal Practice Course (LPC), so completion of the LPC cannot be used as a basis to apply for exemptions from the core elements of the PSC.

If you wish to seek exemption you must submit an Equivalent Means - Professional Skills Course (not CILEX) application.

The fee is £210.

Those not required to enter into a period of recognised training, for example Chartered Legal Executives and Justices' Clerks' Assistants, are automatically exempt from the electives.  

It is the second of the two stages to qualifying as a solicitor under the LPC route.

The first is the academic stage and the second is the vocational stage.

The vocational stage is achieved by completion of the Legal Practice Course (LPC), a period of recognised training and the Professional Skills Course (PSC).

Details can be found in our Assessment of Character and Suitability Rules.

It is important that you disclose any character and suitability issues when you apply for admission to the roll. 

You should also tell us about any issues that may arise afterwards, before we make our decision. 

Failure to do so could affect your admission as a solicitor of England and Wales.

When you apply for admission to the roll of solicitors.

To have your character and suitability assessed early, at any time before you apply for admission. You will need to complete and Assessment of your Character and Suitability.

Further information can be found in our Student information pack. 

You should also tell us about any issues that may arise afterwards, before we make our decision.

Under the Equality Act 2010 course providers have a duty to make "reasonable adjustments" for disabled students. If you are a disabled student and need reasonable adjustments, then you will need to discuss these requirements with your course provider.

If you cannot agree on the reasonable adjustment with your course provider, you may be able to take further action to pursue your request.

You can:

• follow the provider's internal complaints procedures
• apply to the Office of the Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA)
• consider an action for unlawful discrimination in the courts.

Where an LPC provider shows repeated or systematic breaches of the Equality Act we may reconsider the arrangements for authorisation.

QLD (Qualifying Law Degree) and CPD (Common professional Examination) qualifications are overseen by the QAA (Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education).

Before we authorise them, we ask the provider to let us know:

• its equal opportunities statement/policy
• details of its approach to the promotion and monitoring of equality of opportunity for students and potential students with regard to all dimensions of diversity
• its approach to identifying the needs of students with disabilities
• the resources in place to support students with disabilities
• how any statutory duties to students with disabilities will be monitored and fulfilled.

our SRA Assessment of Character and Suitability Rules 2019.

However, providing you have no other issues to disclose, we usually uphold this decision when you apply for admission.

You may wish to do an early assessment and complete an Assessment of your Character and Suitability.

It is closely supervised and is usually for a period of two years if undertaken on a full time basis.

A trainee is required to gain experience in at least three distinct areas of English and Welsh law and practice if they commenced their training under the SRA Training Regulations 2014 - Qualification and Provider Regulations.

There is no requirement for three distinct areas of law if the trainee commenced their training from 25 November 2019, under the Authorisation of Individuals Regulations. The training must still meet the practice skills standards so a varied workload is still expected.

A training record must be kept throughout the training.

It is also possible to complete your training while studying the LPC.

Your organisation can, at its discretion, recognise relevant prior experience and take this time into account to reduce the period of training. 

The time can be recognised on a like-for like basis up to a maximum period of six months (183 calendar days). 

A full-time training period, in which you work five days per week, is for two years (730 calendar days, or 522 working days).

So, as a guide, if you work:

• two and a half days per week, the period is four years (1,460 calendar days)
• three days per week, the period is three years and four months (1,216 calendar days)
• four days per week, the period is two years and six months (913 calendar days)

Further information can be found in our Authorised training provider information pack. 

Further information can be found in our Authorised training provider information pack. 

and your training provider cannot provide you with experience in three separate areas of English and Welsh law and practice, or experience in the range of work required by the Practice Skills Standards, they must arrange for you to be seconded. During your secondment you must be:

• adequately supervised
• appraised regularly
• given training in English and Welsh law and practice.

Secondments do not have to be approved by us.

There is no requirement for three distinct areas of law if the trainee commenced their training from 25 November 2019, under the Authorisation of Individuals Regulations. The training must still meet the practice skills standards so a varied workload is still expected.

• satisfied the requirements of the academic stage through study or exemptions granted 
• completed the Legal Practice Course (LPC) 
• been engaged as a Chartered Legal Executive in the practice of law. 

You are automatically exempt from the elective elements of the Professional Skills Course (PSC). The mandatory elements of the PSC must be completed prior to applying for admission to the roll. 

When you apply to be admitted as a solicitor you will need to provide us with evidence of your qualification as a Chartered Legal Executive. 

Further information can be found in our Equivalent Means guidance.

• completed the academic stage 
• completed the Legal Practice Course (LPC) 
• before attending the LPC, you have served for at least five years out of the last 10 years in the Magistrates' Courts Service as an Assistant Justices' Clerk. 

You are automatically exempt from the elective elements of the Professional Skills Course (PSC). The mandatory elements of the PSC must be completed prior to applying for admission to the roll. 

Further information can be found in our Equivalent Means guidance.

You need to demonstrate you have achieved the outcomes that would have been gained by completing a period of recognised training. 

We call this 'Equivalent Means'. 

To apply for the exemption you must submit an Equivalent Means - Period of Recognised Training application. 

The fee is £600. 

Chartered Legal Executives and Assistant Justices' Clerks may automatically be exempt from a period of recognised training. 

Further information can be found in our Equivalent Means guidance.

To be admitted as a solicitor you must have completed: 

• the academic stage,and
• the vocational stage.

Applications for exemptions from any of the stages must be made on the relevant Equivalent Means form

Further information can be found in our Equivalent Means guidance.

You need to demonstrate you have achieved the outcomes that would have been gained by completing a period of recognised training. 

We call this 'Equivalent Means'. 

To apply for the exemption you must submit an Equivalent Means - Period of Recognised Training application. 

The fee is £600. 

Chartered Legal Executives and Assistant Justices' Clerks may automatically be exempt from a period of recognised training. 

Further information can be found in our Equivalent Means guidance.

• satisfied the requirements of the academic stage through study or exemptions granted 
• completed the Legal Practice Course (LPC) 
• been engaged as a Chartered Legal Executive in the practice of law. 

You are automatically exempt from the elective elements of the Professional Skills Course (PSC). The mandatory elements of the PSC must be completed prior to applying for admission to the roll. 

When you apply to be admitted as a solicitor you will need to provide us with evidence of your qualification as a Chartered Legal Executive. 

Further information can be found in our Equivalent Means guidance.

• completed the academic stage 
• completed the Legal Practice Course (LPC) 
• before attending the LPC, you have served for at least five years out of the last 10 years in the Magistrates' Courts Service as an Assistant Justices' Clerk. 

You are automatically exempt from the elective elements of the Professional Skills Course (PSC). The mandatory elements of the PSC must be completed prior to applying for admission to the roll. 

Further information can be found in our Equivalent Means guidance.