New Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme

By Robina Clough

On September 1^st 2010, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (“SRA”) launched the new Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme (“QLTS”) as a replacement for the current Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test (“QLTT”) and the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Regulations (“QLTR”).

The new scheme is aimed at tightening the procedures for internationally qualified lawyers seeking to practise as solicitors in England and Wales. The SRA also intends the QLTS to grant the opportunity for some internationally qualified lawyers who were not previously eligible to apply.

In short, the QLTS allows non-UK qualified lawyers (as well as UK lawyers not admitted as solicitors) to take a shorter route to qualification as a Solicitor of England & Wales than the traditional domestic route. Those candidates that are eligible (including satisfying language and local jurisdictional qualification requirements) must complete a range of assessments including technical legal tests, face-to-face assessments and multiple choice tests.

Anyone who had been granted a certificate of eligibility to undertake the QLTT prior to 31^st August 2010 will still be able to continue down that route with their current assessment organisation until 2013. From September 1^st onwards, the SRA has appointed Kaplan Law School as the sole provider of the new QLTS system. And with it the cost of undertaking the process has gone up to a staggering £3230 as opposed to the relatively modest £800 under the old system.

Find out more about the QLTS from the SRA’s website click here.

Follow Edwards Gibson's market updates on Twitter