If you are on the SQE pathway to becoming a solicitor in England and Wales, getting your Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) confirmed is one of the final steps before you can apply for admission to the roll. But for many candidates, especially those without a traditional training contract, it can be one of the most confusing.
This guide explains exactly what QWE sign-off involves, who can confirm your experience, and what options you have if things do not go to plan.
What Is QWE Sign-Off?
Under the SRA's current rules, every candidate qualifying through SQE must complete at least two years' full-time (or equivalent) qualifying work experience. That experience needs to involve providing real legal services — not simulated work — and must be formally confirmed before you can apply to join the solicitors' register.
Confirmation means that a solicitor (or Compliance Officer for Legal Practice) reviews your experience and certifies that it meets the SRA's requirements, including exposure to at least two of the competences in the Statement of Solicitor Competence.
Who Can Sign Off Your QWE?
There are two main routes to getting your QWE confirmed:
1. Your Employer
The most straightforward option is for a solicitor at your current or former employer to confirm your experience. This is typical if you work (or worked) in a law firm, in-house legal team, or other regulated legal environment where a qualified solicitor can speak to your competence first-hand.
2. An External Solicitor
If there is no solicitor at your workplace who can confirm your QWE — for example, if you gained experience overseas, in a non-regulated organisation, or your employer simply will not cooperate — you can use an independent external solicitor. The external solicitor will review your evidence, speak with your supervisor, and then provide the formal confirmation.
This is the service that QWE Confirmed provides: an SRA-regulated solicitor reviews your documentation and confirms your qualifying work experience on a fixed-fee basis.
What Evidence Do You Need?
There is no single prescribed format for QWE evidence, but you will generally need to demonstrate:
- Duration: At least two years' full-time equivalent experience (which can be spread across up to four organisations).
- Legal services: The work must have involved providing genuine legal services, not purely administrative tasks.
- Competences: Exposure to a minimum of two competences from the SRA's Statement of Solicitor Competence — for example, obtaining relevant facts, developing legal solutions, drafting documents, or advocacy.
- Supervisor feedback: The SRA expects that feedback from your day-to-day supervisor is obtained as part of the confirmation process.
Useful evidence includes a training diary or log of work, a portfolio of tasks you completed, performance reviews, and references from supervisors.
What If Your Employer Will Not Sign Off Your QWE?
This is more common than you might expect, particularly for paralegals at firms that prefer to retain staff in non-qualified roles. However, the SRA has been clear that refusing to confirm QWE that genuinely meets its criteria — simply to retain an employee — could put a firm in breach of its regulatory obligations.
If your employer will not cooperate, you have options:
- Raise it formally with your employer, citing the SRA's published guidance on QWE confirmation obligations.
- Use an external solicitor to independently review and confirm your experience. The external solicitor will typically arrange a call with your supervisor separately.
- Contact the SRA if you believe your employer is unreasonably refusing to engage with the process.
The QWE Confirmed Process
At QWE Confirmed, the process works as follows:
- Free initial review: Send your documentation to [email protected] for an informal assessment of whether your experience is likely to qualify — no obligation and no sign-up required.
- Sign up and submit evidence: If your experience looks suitable, you create an account, upload your evidence, and complete a structured review form mapping your work against the SRA competences.
- Supervisor contact: The solicitor speaks with your supervisor to obtain the feedback the SRA requires.
- Formal confirmation: Once satisfied, the solicitor provides a signed QWE confirmation that you can submit with your application to the SRA.
Frequently Asked Questions About QWE Sign-Off
How long does the QWE sign-off process take?
It depends on how quickly you can gather your evidence and how responsive your supervisor is. Once evidence is submitted and the supervisor has provided feedback, the formal confirmation is usually issued within a few working days. The entire process from sign-up to confirmation typically takes two to four weeks.
Can I use QWE from a role I left several years ago?
Yes. There is no time limit on when QWE was gained. Retrospective experience is permitted, provided you can produce sufficient evidence and your former supervisor is available to provide feedback.
Do I need to have passed SQE1 and SQE2 before getting my QWE signed off?
No. QWE can be confirmed at any stage — before, during, or after sitting SQE1 and SQE2. Many candidates find it helpful to get the QWE process started early so it is ready when they pass their exams.
What happens if my evidence is not strong enough?
At QWE Confirmed, your evidence is reviewed before any payment is taken. If additional documentation or detail is needed, the solicitor will provide written guidance explaining exactly what is required. You are not charged unless the confirmation can proceed.
Can volunteer or unpaid work count as QWE?
Yes. The SRA does not require QWE to be paid work. Volunteer roles, law clinic placements, and pro bono work can all count, provided the work involved providing genuine legal services and you were exposed to the required competences.
Key Things to Remember
- QWE can be gained before, during, or after sitting SQE1 and SQE2 — there is no fixed order.
- You can combine experience from up to four different organisations.
- Experience gained overseas counts, as long as it involved providing legal services.
- Both paid and unpaid (including volunteer) work can count as QWE.
- There is no time limit on when the experience was gained — older roles may still qualify.
Getting your QWE signed off does not have to be complicated. If you are unsure whether your experience qualifies, get in touch for a free initial review.