Professional Skills Course

You can only qualify through this route if you meet our transitional requirements.

If you do not meet these, you will need to qualify under the SQE.

Before being admitted, you must attend and satisfactorily complete the Professional Skills Course (PSC). It is up to you and your training provider when to do the course, but we advise that it is completed during the period of recognised training.

Your employer must pay the fees, and reasonable travel expenses, for your first attempt at the PSC.

The course is comprised:

  • Financial and Business Skills
  • Advocacy and Communication Skills
  • Client Care and Professional Standards.

We recommend that the Client Care and Professional Standards subject be done after you have completed six months of training. We cannot admit you as a solicitor if you have not completed the PSC.

With a compulsory core of face-to-face tuition for each head and electives in one or more of the subject areas. 50% of the time spent on the electives may be by appropriately supervised or assessed distance learning.

If you think you have the appropriate experience or qualifications which are equivalent to the PSC written standards, you may apply for exemption from one or more modules of the course.