Key facts
- A US attorney admitted to a state bar is a qualified lawyer: degree or equivalent, SQE1, SQE2 or an SQE2 exemption, and character and suitability – no qualifying work experience.
- SQE1 exemptions are very rare – the SRA says only one has been granted since 2021 (check the official website).
- An SQE2 exemption needs at least one of five practice rights (criminal litigation, civil litigation, property practice, wills and probate, or business organisations), at least two years’ professional legal work experience and the standard of a day-one solicitor (check the official website); the application costs £265 (check the official website).
- Three FLK2 subjects – Trusts, Wills and the Administration of Estates, and Solicitors Accounts – have no counterpart among the seven subjects of the US Multistate Bar Examination.
- SRA fees to admission with SQE1 and SQE2: about US$7,032 at the ECB rate of 29 October 2026; with an SQE2 exemption, about US$3,276.
As an attorney admitted to a US state bar, you count as a qualified lawyer for the SRA. To become a solicitor of England and Wales you need a degree or equivalent, a pass in SQE1, a pass in SQE2 or an exemption from it, and the SRA’s character and suitability checks – but no qualifying work experience. SQE1 exemptions are very rare – the SRA says only one has been granted since 2021 (check the official website). (SRA, qualified lawyers) (SRA, SQE1 exemption)
Every qualified lawyer comes in through the SQE, the same assessments that domestic candidates take. That is good news in one way – there is one clear route – and a shock in another, because your licence will almost certainly not get you out of SQE1. This page sets out what the SRA asks of you, how a US practice can help with SQE2, what you will meet in SQE1 that the bar exam never covered, and what it costs.
Do you need to qualify at all?
Not necessarily. To be a manager or owner of a firm the SRA authorises, a foreign lawyer registers with the SRA as a registered foreign lawyer. You then practise the law of your home state, can advise on English and Welsh law, do unreserved work and assist in litigation under the supervision of an authorised person; reserved instrument activities are allowed only under the supervision of someone entitled to carry them out, and you cannot be a sole practitioner. Registration needs a legal profession the SRA accepts as regulated, home rules that allow practice with solicitors, a certificate of good standing no more than three months old, and a yearly renewal fee. (SRA, registered foreign lawyers) The SRA notes that it is reviewing this guidance after a Court of Appeal decision of 31 March 2026 (CILEX v Mazur).
Qualifying makes sense if you want the title of solicitor, want to carry out reserved work yourself, or plan to stay and build a practice in England and Wales.
What does the SRA ask of a US attorney?
| Requirement | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Qualified lawyer | You hold a professional legal qualification that gives you rights to practise – as a US attorney, your admission to a state bar. (SRA, qualified lawyers) To apply for an exemption, you must already be admitted in the jurisdiction you rely on. (SRA, SQE exemptions) |
| Degree | A degree in any subject or an equivalent qualification. A degree from outside the UK is checked through mySRA against a UK level 6 qualification for £54.84 (check the official website). (SRA, degree check) |
| SQE1 | Pass it. Exemptions are very rare – the SRA says only one has been granted since 2021 (check the official website). |
| SQE2 | Pass it, or apply for an exemption (next section). |
| Qualifying work experience | Not needed for qualified lawyers. (SRA, qualified lawyers) |
| Character and suitability | Background checks before admission; screening costs £34 (check the official website), and record checks from other countries can add to it. (SRA, character and suitability) |
| English | Shown by passing SQE2; if you are exempt, by the qualification your exemption rests on if it was assessed in English, or by a test: IELTS (Academic) UKVI 7.5 overall or Pearson PTE (Academic) UKVI 71, among other Secure English Language Tests, with a certificate no more than three years old (check the official website). (SRA, language proficiency) |
Can your US licence get you out of SQE2?
Possibly, but not automatically. For an individual SQE2 exemption you need at least one of five practice rights (criminal litigation, civil litigation, property practice, wills and probate, or business organisations), at least two years’ professional legal work experience and the standard of a day-one solicitor (check the official website). (SRA, SQE2 exemption) If you hold only some of the five practice rights, you must show spoken and written advocacy, from court or litigation work. You need supervisor references written for the application and dated within the last three months, and a certificate of good standing from every jurisdiction where you are admitted – two states mean two certificates. (SRA, SQE2 exemption)
- Fee and timing: £265 (check the official website) for one or both exemptions; a decision within 180 days of a fully completed application (check the official website).
- No second chance after a fail: you cannot apply for an SQE2 exemption once you have failed SQE2 or while you wait for results. (SRA, SQE2 exemption)
- Run it in parallel: you can sit SQE1 while the SRA decides; your SQE1 result does not affect the decision. (SRA, exemptions Q&A)
- Agreed exemptions exist for lawyers who qualified through a jurisdiction’s full qualification route; cross-qualified lawyers are assessed individually. (SRA, SQE agreed exemption)
Which practice rights your state licence carries, and whether the SRA has already assessed it, is a question for the SRA’s exemption finder: choose your jurisdiction there to see what you need. The finder shows what applies to each jurisdiction, so this page does not list decisions by state. (SRA, SQE exemptions)
What carries over from the bar exam?
Less than the subject names suggest. The Multistate Bar Examination tests seven subjects – Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law and Procedure, Evidence, Real Property and Torts – and the NextGen bar exam, which most jurisdictions move to between July 2026 and July 2028, adds business associations. (NCBE, preparing for the MBE) (NCBE, NextGen content scope) SQE1 tests the law of England and Wales at the level of a newly qualified solicitor, in two papers: FLK1 and FLK2. (SRA, SQE1 Assessment Specification) Our comparison of the two lists:
| SQE1 subject | Nearest US bar subject | What is likely to be new |
|---|---|---|
| Contract Law (FLK1) | Contracts | English case law and statutes: privity and third-party rights, exemption clauses, misrepresentation, frustration and remedies |
| Tort (FLK1) | Torts | Negligence will feel familiar; occupiers’ liability, product liability under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 and nuisance are tested as English law |
| Dispute Resolution (FLK1) | Civil Procedure | The civil procedure of England and Wales: pre-action protocols, tracks, case management, costs and Part 36 offers |
| Constitutional and Administrative Law and EU Law (FLK1) | Constitutional Law | Parliamentary sovereignty, devolution, the Crown and prerogative, judicial review and the Human Rights Act 1998 |
| Legal System (FLK1) | None in the MBE | The courts of England and Wales, precedent, statutory interpretation and legislation of Westminster and Senedd Cymru |
| Business Law and Practice (FLK1) | Business associations (NextGen only) | Companies, partnerships and LLPs, insolvency, and UK income tax, capital gains tax, corporation tax and VAT |
| Legal Services (FLK1) | None | The SRA’s regulation, reserved legal activities, money laundering and financial services regulation |
| Criminal Liability, Criminal Law and Practice (FLK2) | Criminal Law and Procedure; Evidence | English offences such as theft and fraud, the police station under the PACE Codes, bail, allocation and sentencing |
| Land Law, Property Law and Practice (FLK2) | Real Property | Registered title, leases and conveyancing from title investigation to completion, with SDLT |
| Trusts Law (FLK2) | None | Express and resulting trusts, trusts of the family home, trustees’ duties and tracing |
| Wills and the Administration of Estates (FLK2) | None | Wills and intestacy, grants of representation and inheritance tax |
| Solicitors Accounts (FLK2) | None | The SRA Accounts Rules: client money, client account and reconciliations |
| Ethics and Professional Conduct (both papers) | None in the MBE | The SRA Principles and Codes of Conduct, examined across all subjects |
Subjects: (SRA, FLK1 specification) (SRA, FLK2 specification). Three FLK2 subjects – Trusts, Wills and the Administration of Estates, and Solicitors Accounts – have no counterpart among the seven MBE subjects, so give FLK2 more time than its familiar names suggest. And watch for the opposite trap: a rule from your state can make a wrong option look right. Our guide to single best answer questions shows how to read them.
What does it cost?
The SRA charges in pounds. At the ECB reference rates of 29 October 2026 a pound was worth US$1.3317. (ECB, euro reference rates of 29 October 2026)
| Route | Pounds | US dollars (about) |
|---|---|---|
| SQE1 and SQE2 | £5,281 (check the official website; check the official website; check the official website) | US$7,032 |
| SQE1 and an SQE2 exemption | £2,460 (check the official website; check the official website; check the official website; check the official website) | US$3,276 |
The individual fees: SQE1 £2,006 (check the official website), SQE2 £3,086 (check the official website), the exemption application £265 (check the official website), admission £100 (check the official website). A failed FLK paper costs £1,003 (check the official website) to resit. Prep courses, travel to a test centre and a practising certificate once you are admitted come on top. For your own scenario, use the solicitor qualification cost calculator.
When can you sit SQE1?
SQE1 runs twice a year, in January and July, at test centres in the UK and around the world. (SRA, SQE1 exemption) In 2027:
- January: FLK1 11–15 January 2027 (check the official website), FLK2 18–22 January 2027 (check the official website)
- July: FLK1 12–16 July 2027 (check the official website), FLK2 19–23 July 2027 (check the official website)
What does this mean for you? A plan in five steps
- Decide whether you need the title. If you mainly advise on US law in London, registration as a foreign lawyer may be enough.
- Set up mySRA and start the degree check there.
- Check your state in the exemption finder and, if your licence carries one of the five practice rights and you have two years’ experience, apply for the SQE2 exemption early. Order certificates of good standing and ask supervisors for fresh references.
- Prepare for SQE1 on English law, not on memory. Start with the FLK2 subjects you have never studied, then practise both papers in the exam format. Our FLK revision planner works back from your sitting.
- Finish the route. Pass SQE2 or show your English, complete the character checks and apply for admission.
To see where English law will cost you most time, try the free SQE1 quick test. The general rules for every foreign-qualified lawyer are in our guide to SQE exemptions for qualified lawyers.
What are the common mistakes?
- Expecting a US licence to exempt you from SQE1. In practice almost everyone sits it.
- Applying for the SQE2 exemption after sitting SQE2: once you have failed or are waiting for results, you cannot.
- Using a certificate of good standing from only one state when you are admitted in two.
- Studying the subjects you know from the bar exam first and leaving Trusts, Wills and Solicitors Accounts to the end.
- Answering from US rules where English law differs.
- Forgetting the English language proof if SQE2 is exempted.
What does this page cover?
- Last updated
- Based on
- The SRA’s pages on qualified lawyers, SQE exemptions, language proficiency and registered foreign lawyers
- SRA fees and SQE1 dates from our fact register; the NCBE’s subject lists; ECB reference rates
- Includes
- The requirements for a US attorney, the SQE2 exemption, the alternative of registering as a foreign lawyer
- A comparison of SQE1 and US bar exam subjects, costs in pounds and US dollars, 2027 SQE1 dates
- Not included
- Exemption decisions for individual states and visas or immigration rules
- How many candidates pass
- This is not legal advice
Ready to practise English law in the SQE1 format? See our SQE1 course.
Frequently asked questions
Can a US attorney become a solicitor in England and Wales?
Yes. An attorney admitted in a US state counts as a qualified lawyer and needs a degree or equivalent, a pass in SQE1, a pass in SQE2 or an exemption, and the SRA’s character and suitability checks.
Do US attorneys have to pass SQE1?
In practice, yes: SQE1 exemptions are very rare – the SRA says only one has been granted since 2021 (check the official website).
Can a US attorney be exempt from SQE2?
Possibly, by individual application. You need at least one of five practice rights (criminal litigation, civil litigation, property practice, wills and probate, or business organisations), at least two years’ professional legal work experience and the standard of a day-one solicitor (check the official website). The application costs £265 (check the official website), and the SRA decides within 180 days of a fully completed application (check the official website).
Do US attorneys need qualifying work experience?
No. Qualified lawyers do not need two years’ qualifying work experience.
Does my US degree meet the degree requirement?
The SRA checks a degree from outside the UK against a UK level 6 qualification through mySRA, for £54.84 (check the official website).
Can I work in England as a US attorney without qualifying?
Yes, within limits. To be a manager or owner of a firm the SRA authorises, you register as a foreign lawyer. A registered foreign lawyer can practise their home state’s law, advise on English and Welsh law and do unreserved work, but cannot be a sole practitioner and can carry out reserved instrument activities only under supervision.
Which English test does the SRA accept if I am exempt from SQE2?
IELTS (Academic) UKVI 7.5 overall or Pearson PTE (Academic) UKVI 71, among other Secure English Language Tests, with a certificate no more than three years old (check the official website). The qualification your exemption rests on also counts if it was assessed in English.
Related tools and pages
Sources
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Qualified lawyers (14 October 2025). Accessed 24 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: SQE exemptions (24 September 2026). Accessed 25 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Applying for an SQE1 exemption (6 August 2026). Accessed 24 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Applying for an SQE2 exemption (6 August 2026). Accessed 24 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Apply for an SQE agreed exemption – for lawyers who qualified through a jurisdiction’s full qualification route; cross-qualified lawyers are assessed individually (7 August 2024). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: SQE exemptions: questions and answers. Accessed 24 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: English or Welsh language proficiency (1 June 2026). Accessed 24 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Checking and validating your degree (25 July 2025). Accessed 25 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Character and suitability (19 December 2024). Accessed 25 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Registered foreign lawyers – who must register, the four requirements, what a registered foreign lawyer may do (13 February 2025). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: SQE1 Assessment Specification (applicable for assessments from 1 September 2026). Accessed 25 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: SQE1 Functioning Legal Knowledge – FLK1 (from 1 September 2026). Accessed 25 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: SQE1 Functioning Legal Knowledge – FLK2 (from 1 September 2026). Accessed 25 October 2026.
- National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE): Preparing for the MBE – 175 scored questions, 25 from each of seven subject areas: Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law and Procedure, Evidence, Real Property and Torts; move to the NextGen bar exam from July 2026. Accessed 30 October 2026.
- National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE): NextGen content scope, July 2026 – February 2028 – business associations and relationships, civil procedure, constitutional law, contract law, criminal law and constitutional protections of accused persons, evidence, real property and torts. Accessed 30 October 2026.
- European Central Bank: Euro foreign exchange reference rates – rates of 29 October 2026 (all currencies quoted against the euro) (29 October 2026). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Reports find SQE to be robust with improvements made (including SQE fees for 2026/27) (21 April 2026). Accessed 25 October 2026.
- SQE1 Prep, sqe1prep.co.uk (preparation website, secondary source): SQE Cost 2026/27: £2,006 SQE1, £3,086 SQE2, Total to Qualify (20 September 2026). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Admission to the roll of solicitors and related fees (23 January 2025). Accessed 24 October 2026.
- BPP University (training provider, secondary source): SQE exam dates 2027. Accessed 24 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Assessment dates published for 2027 assessments (5 December 2025).
High Performer Certs is an independent study platform. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), and it is not authorised or accredited by the SRA or the SQE assessment provider. The SQE and SOLICITORS QUALIFYING EXAMINATION trade marks are the property of and are used under licence from the Solicitors Regulation Authority.