In-house legal, contracts and commercial roles are some of the richest sources of Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) on the SQE route, and yet candidates in these roles often assume they are at a disadvantage because there is no solicitor sitting next to them to confirm it. In reality, in-house work qualifies in exactly the same way as work in a law firm, and the confirmation problem is easily solved. This guide explains how QWE works for in-house lawyers and how to get it recognised.
In-house work qualifies
The SRA does not require QWE to be gained in a traditional solicitor's office. It can be obtained in any legal setting and anywhere in the world, which expressly includes in-house legal teams. What matters is the substance of the work: it must involve providing genuine legal services and must give you exposure to at least two of the competences in the Statement of Solicitor Competence. Most in-house roles cover several competences as a matter of routine.
The kind of work that counts
Day to day, in-house lawyers and legal team members tend to do exactly the kind of work the competences describe:
- Drafting, reviewing and negotiating contracts and commercial agreements.
- Advising the business on legal risk and how the law applies to a decision.
- Managing disputes, claims or regulatory matters.
- Liaising with external counsel and instructing them.
- Handling data protection, employment, intellectual property or governance questions.
If your work involves applying legal knowledge and exercising legal judgement, rather than only administering a process designed by someone else, it is very likely to qualify.
The confirmation question, solved
The usual sticking point for in-house candidates is that many in-house teams have no solicitor of England and Wales, or no one willing to take on QWE confirmation. This is not a barrier. The SRA allows your QWE to be confirmed by an independent solicitor who did not employ you, provided that solicitor reviews your work and receives feedback from the person who supervised it.
That means you do not need a qualified solicitor on your team. An independent confirming solicitor reviews your evidence, works with you to identify which competences your experience demonstrates, and obtains feedback from your line manager or supervisor, who does not themselves need to be a solicitor. Your QWE is then confirmed without your employer needing to run any formal scheme.
What about compliance and legal operations roles?
Roles that sit near the legal function, such as compliance, regulatory affairs and legal operations, can qualify too, but the substance test matters here. If your work involves genuinely interpreting the law and advising on how it applies, that legal substance can count. If your role is limited to implementing a framework that someone else designed, without any legal judgement of your own, it is less likely to qualify on its own. The test is whether you are providing legal services or operating a process.
A contracts manager in a company with no in-house solicitor
You draft and negotiate agreements and advise the business on risk. The work qualifies, and an independent solicitor can confirm it using feedback from your manager.
A legal counsel role at an overseas subsidiary
QWE can be gained anywhere in the world. In-house legal work done abroad qualifies and can be confirmed remotely by an independent solicitor.
A compliance officer applying the law directly
You interpret regulation and advise colleagues on how it applies to specific decisions. That legal substance can count, even though the role is not titled "lawyer".
Frequently asked questions
Does in-house experience count if my company is not a law firm?
Yes. QWE can be gained in any legal setting, including in-house teams within companies, charities and public bodies. The setting does not matter; the substance of the work does.
My team has no solicitor. Can my QWE still be confirmed?
Yes. The SRA allows an independent solicitor who did not employ you to confirm your QWE, using feedback from your supervisor. You do not need a solicitor on your team.
Does my manager need to be legally qualified to give feedback?
No. Your supervisor only needs to confirm the work you did. The formal QWE confirmation is provided by the confirming solicitor.
Can compliance or legal operations work count?
It can, where the work involves genuine legal services and judgement rather than purely implementing someone else's framework. We can assess your specific role against the requirements.
Can I count in-house experience gained overseas?
Yes. QWE can be gained anywhere in the world, so in-house legal work done abroad qualifies and can be confirmed remotely.
What to do now
If you work in an in-house team and want to know whether your role counts, the simplest step is a free assessment. Tell us about your work using our short form, and we will respond within 24 hours with whether it is likely to qualify, which competences it demonstrates, and how confirmation would work, with no obligation and no payment.