Two people shaking hands over a contract of employment

Are all Training Contracts in 2024 the same thing?

In this article, we clarify the differences aspiring solicitors and those wanting to employ them need to understand between LPC- and SQE-route 'training contracts'.

Q. Are all Training Contracts in 2024 the same thing?

A. Well, it depends.

A training contract advertised in 2024 could be a Period of Recognised Training for a LPC graduate but could equally be a two-year qualifying work experience role for someone qualifying through the SQE route. And in some cases, it could be both, depending on the employer offering it. Below, we clarify the difference, depending on the qualification route being followed and the employer that is offering the training contract.

1. If a trainee is following the LPC route and completing a two-year Training Contract at a firm as a Period of Recognised Training (PRT), then LPC route-linked SRA regulations and requirements for pre-registering, regular recording of, reflecting on, and verifying a Period of Recognised Training must be followed by the trainee and the employer.

Only a firm that is authorised as a training provider by the SRA can offer a training contract as a PRT under the LPC route and the two year period must be signed off by a Training Principal in the firm.

This type of training contract requires the trainee to undertake a minimum two-year training role with usually one employer who can offer training in all the skills outlined by the SRA’s Practice Skills Standard. The trainee may be required to complete contentious and non-contentious rotations or seats, will need to undertake regular performance reviews with their supervisor, and will have the PRT signed off by a Training Principal at their organisation. The trainee's employer must also cover the costs of the trainee attending their first Professional Skills Course (PSC).

2. If a trainee is following the SQE route and will use the role to fulfil their two-year QWE requirements, whether the role is called a Training Contract or not, there are fewer regulations for employers and trainees to adhere to. Firstly, the employer does not need to be authorised as a training provider by the SRA to offer a trainee role nor do they need to appoint a Training Principal. They do not even need to be regulated by the SRA.

Secondly, the trainee role does not have to be for two years and, if the role is offered for two years, the trainee does not have to stay for two years in the role to be able to count that time towards their two-year QWE requirement, providing the work is confirmed by a solicitor of England and Wales.

The trainee is not required to pre-register their QWE with the SRA; it is done retrospectively. A trainee does not need to undertake a Professional Skills Course and nor do trainees have to complete seats or rotations in contentious and non-contentious areas of law. A PRT requires a trainee to develop all the skills outlined in the SRA’s Practice Skills Standard but for QWE roles, only two SRA solicitor competencies must be developed, although a quality QWE role would enable a trainee to develop a broad range of those competencies.

Employers that are authorised as training providers by the SRA can cater to both LPC and SQE route candidates and you will see many offering 'training contracts' to applicants following either route to qualification.

Comparison guide

A simple comparison guide below helps to distinguish between a 'training contract' under the LPC route and one under the SQE route.

SQE qualifying work experience (QWE) placement	LPC Period of Recognised Training (PRT)
Can be called a Training Contract	Can be called a Training Contract
Can be a 2 year role or shorter term placements adding up to 2 years with gaps permitted in between roles	2 years in one go
Can be completed in up to 4 different organisations	Usually completed in one organisation with option for secondment for seat completion
Notification to the SRA is not required until completion of the QWE placement	Must be pre-notified to the SRA
Can be gained in any role e.g. paralegal, volunteer, training contract, student on university sandwich placement, as well as trainee solicitor role	Must be gained as a trainee completing a Period of Recognised Training
Can be completed with any employer offering legal services including law firms, law centres, law clinics, charities, in-house legal departments and other organisations providing legal services	Must be gained in a SRA-authorised training provider employing a Training Principal
Must offer the opportunity to develop at least two of the SRA competencies, but not all, and does not have to cover contentious work, various areas of law or specific seats	Must enable development of all the skills in the SRA Practice Skills Standard, in various areas of law, including contentious work (and pre-November 2019, in at least three distinct areas of law)
Retrospective QWE-eligible roles can be used with no time limit and no requirement to pre-register with the SRA	A maximum of 6 months retrospective training gained no more than 3 years prior to registration of PRT with the SRA is permitted
Can be commenced prior to, during or after passing SQE1 or SQE2	May be commenced while studying for, or after passing, the LPC
No additional course required after SQE assessments passed and QWE completed	Must include completion of the Professional Skills Course after LPC and PRT, paid for by the employer at first attempt
Onus is on the trainee to maintain any records of QWE	Onus is on the Training Principal to ensure the trainee maintains their training record
No requirement for regular reviews/appraisals (but good practice is to do so)	Regular reviews/appraisals must be carried out and documented
Must be signed off by a solicitor (practising or non-practising) or CoLP of England and Wales (not necessarily from the same organisation as the trainee)	Must be signed off by the organisation's pre-authorised Training Principal (a practising solicitor or barrister)