August 2023
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This conference looked at next steps for legal education and training in England and Wales.
It was an opportunity to consider progress in the implementation and experiences so far for students taking the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), which was introduced as the new standardised assessment for qualifying as a solicitor from September 2021.
Sessions also assessed next steps for improving and widening access to the legal profession, and the rollout of T levels in Legal Services which is due to begin in September 2023, as well as the wider issues of accessibility, diversity, and inclusion in the legal sector, and how the introduction of new pathways will impact both students and the legal profession.
We are pleased to have been able to include a keynote session with Matthew Hill, Chief Executive, Legal Services Board; Julie Swan, Director of Education and Training, Solicitors Regulation Authority; and Mark Neale, Director General, Bar Standards Board.
Further sessions examined wider sector issues, including:
- the role of legal regulators: priorities for facilitating ongoing competence of legal professionals in light of changes to the pathways for qualifying as a solicitor or barrister in England and Wales
- improving access to the profession: assessing the role of traditional university routes, the rise of legal apprenticeships, and improving diversity and inclusion
- legal technology and AI: discussing the progress and potential impact of technology on the future of legal services and education and training
The conference was an opportunity for stakeholders to consider the issues alongside key policy officials who attended from the DfE; DSIT; DfT; GLD; HMCTS; HM Treasury; Home Office; MOJ; and the Welsh Government.
