Flex Legal Journal: over 25k QWE hours logged so far!

There’s only four short months to go until the SQE, the new route to solicitor qualification, takes effect! We are delighted to share that over 500 paralegals have already started logging their experience on the Flex Legal Journal, recording over 29.5k hours of qualifying work experience in just two months!

In its SQE guidance, the SRA has advised that candidates can already start recording the necessary ‘Qualifying Work Experience’ (QWE) now and 'banking' it when SQE comes in on 1 September 2021.

As historically vocal advocates of the SQE, we are urging candidates to start logging their work experience now and get a head start on qualification.

Our Flex Legal Journal was launched in May, and is the UK’s first digital record of QWE, offering SQE candidates the means to digitally record work experience, matched directly against the SRA’s criteria. Candidates using the journal can submit their evidence directly to supervisors for approval and feedback, with all QWE managed simply and securely online.

You don’t even have to work through Flex Legal’s platform to log hours - it’s open to everyone!

We caught up with two Flex Legal Journal fans, who are already using the platform to bank their experience towards qualification, and making the most of their hard work right now…

“100% committed to SQE”; paving the way to a more accessible and diverse legal profession

“I am 100% committed to the new SQE route. At first, I was swayed by the initial apprehensiveness of those who have had long standing faith in the LPC. However, after reflecting upon my own personal circumstances in my legal career as well as bountiful benefits that the SQE will deliver to the budding future lawyers of my generation, I do believe that the SQE route will pave the way to a more accessible and diverse legal profession.

It allows the long-awaited flexibility that many have sought outside of the traditional training contract. It allows for you to take charge of your own legal journey and allow you to have an expansive range of places where you would like to gain experience and in the areas of law you actually want to familiarise yourself in.

I have been using the Flex Journal for a few months now. I have been a very strong advocate for the journal and have been sharing it with all my friends and colleagues. I especially appreciate the supervisor function where you can directly send your journal to your supervisor thus making the admission process less intimidating. My supervisors have been very appreciative of the journal. It takes a lot of the stress away from them as they themselves are still trying to familiarise themselves with this new process of qualification.

I confidently believe that Flex Legal is one of the best avenues for students and recent graduates such as myself to gain work experience for the SQE.”

Hateema Zia, 25, is also a paralegal. She is a London School of Economics and Political Science graduate, holds an LLM from the University of Manchester, and has recently been working as a paralegal at easyJet. This is what she had to say about the SQE and Flex Journal:

“I definitely think SQE is a change for the better. It’s allowing many people to work flexibly, and at their own pace. I’m opting to take the SQE route and am excited if it allows me to qualify with the experience I already have. I’ve worked as an in-house paralegal for Zuto, Gazprom Energy, and EasyJet.

Most of the experience I have gained is through Flex Legal and I’m already using the Flex Journal. It’s really easy to use, you get pointers as to what you should be noting down and matches to the skills that you need to acquire for qualifying. It’s very useful.”

Additional Resources:

• Flex Legal Journal - take a look at the Flex Legal Journal for yourself, and see what all the fuss is about. The journal is accessible for free, and has recently had supervisor approval added!
• The SQE FAQs - got questions about the SQE and how it’s going to work? We’ve given an incredibly comprehensive breakdown over on our SQE FAQs page!
• The SRA’s Statement of Solicitor Competencies - want to qualify via the SQE? You’re going to have to demonstrate an awareness of these key areas. Take a look now.