Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test
Last updated 1 September 2010
Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test replaced by Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme
The Legal Services Board approved the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme Regulations 2010. The Qualified Lawyers Transfer Regulations (QLTR) and Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test (QLTT) were replaced by the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme (QLTS) on 1 September 2010. From this date, we only accept application forms for QLTS certificates of eligibility.
Introduction
The Qualified Lawyers Transfer Regulations (QLTR) allow certain overseas lawyers and other UK qualified lawyers to become qualified as solicitors in England and Wales.
Applicants who applied before the scheme closed on 31 August 2010 will have been issued with a certificate of eligibility that will require them to pass certain heads of the QLTT and/or complete a period of work experience before they can apply for admission as a solicitor of England and Wales:
- Pass the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test (QLTT); and/or
- Satisfy a two-year legal experience requirement (which includes experience of practising the law of England and Wales). Please note that your experience must be post call/admission, unless it forms part of a regulated training scheme to enable you to be admitted in your home jurisdiction.
Please note, the primary jurisdiction applies to applications made under Regulation 10.
Transitional arrangements
I made an application under the QLTR prior to 31 August 2010 but I did not send the SRA information they requested?
If the SRA requested missing or additional information from you in order to process your application, and you did not respond to us by 31 August 2010, we will not be able to complete your application or issue you with a Certificate of Eligibility to sit the QLTT. Your application is closed. You will be required to submit a fresh application for the QLTS and pay the appropriate fee.
I submitted an application for a Certificate of Eligibility before 31 August 2010, but I have not yet received it. How long will I have to wait?
A large number of applications were received just before the 31 August 2010 deadline. The SRA will process the applications as quickly possible. Applicants should note that Certificates will have an expiry date no later than 31 August 2013 regardless of when the certificate is issued.
I have time left on my QLTT Certificate of Eligibility, what happens after implementation of the new QLTS?
You will be able to sit the QLTT and/or satisfy the work experience requirements up to the expiry date of your QLTT Certificate of Eligibility. If your QLTT Certificate of Eligibility expires after 1 September 2010 and you have not met all the requirements, then you will need to make a fresh application for a QLTS Certificate of Eligibility and take the new QLTS assessments. QLTT results which have already been achieved cannot be carried over or carry any weight in the QLTS.
The SRA is inviting existing QLTT providers to seek reauthorisation to continue to offer the tests until 2013. However, you should contact a provider as soon as you are able to arrange to sit the tests as availability may reduce as the number of candidates diminishes.
Experience requirement
Qualified lawyers from outside the European Union are also required to show that they have gained two years' experience of working in legal practice in a common law jurisdiction. At least one year must have been gained by practising the law of England and Wales. Such experience
- must have been undertaken in three areas of common law, and
- must have covered contentious and non-contentious areas of practice.
Find out more about the experience requirement.
Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test
About the test
The Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test (QLTT) is a conversion test; it enables lawyers who are qualified in certain jurisdictions outside England and Wales (and barristers of England and Wales) to qualify as solicitors in England and Wales.
The test covers four heads (subject areas):
- Head 1 – Property
- Head 2 – Litigation
- Head 3 – Professional conduct and accounts
- Head 4 – Principles of common law
Specification and providers
The SRA sets the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test specification. The assessment is administered exclusively by SRA-authorised test providers. For details of test programmes and venues, you must contact test providers directly when you have received a certificate of eligibility.
Character and suitability
Qualified lawyers are required to show that they are suitable for admission as a solicitor in England and Wales. Download the guidelines that we use to assess character and suitability: Guidelines on the assessment of character and suitability.
Before applying for admission as a solicitor in England and Wales, qualified lawyers are required to obtain a satisfactory standard disclosure from the Criminal Records Bureau, which includes details of any current and spent convictions, police cautions, reprimands and final warnings held on the Police National Computer. We also make use of overseas criminal records information services whenever appropriate. Failure to disclose convictions and other issues at the certificate of eligibility stage or subsequently is a serious matter and may result in refusal of your application for admission as a solicitor.