Are you interested in becoming a lawyer in London, England? If so, you'll need to meet certain requirements and complete several stages of training. To become a lawyer in England and Wales, you must complete three components of training: an academic component, a vocational component, and a work-based learning component. The academic component requires a three-year university degree, plus an additional one-year conversion course to the GDL if necessary. The vocational component is the Legal Practice Course (LPC), which is a two-year professional skills course.
The work-based learning component is a two-year legal training contract in a law firm. Previously, BPTC graduates could use the QLTT system to qualify as a lawyer. However, this is no longer the case. To be eligible for the QLTS, lawyers must have completed an education.
Therefore, BPTC graduates now have to take the LPC (with certain exemptions). This means that both domestic and foreign candidates must pass the SQE exams to practice in England and Wales. If you are already a practicing lawyer in your home jurisdiction and want to work in the United Kingdom, you should look into the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme (QLTS). This system is managed by the Lawyers Regulation Authority (SRA) and allows lawyers from foreign jurisdictions to qualify as lawyers in England and Wales.
Meanwhile, if you are studying to become a lawyer through the CILex CPQ, each stage will last between 18 months and two years. However, students can progress at whatever speed suits them, meaning that it's possible to qualify as a CILEX lawyer in five or six years.
