England: Senior academics give SRA a fail for paper on new route to becoming a solicitor

The new regime would see all those hoping to qualify in England and Wales sitting a centralised exam.

But the 118-year-old the Society of Legal Scholars has warned this risks creating a two-tier system in the profession.

In a report on the changes the society says they “will damage the reputation of all solicitors” and that the proposals have been advanced despite most solicitors being “broadly happy with the current system”.

It rounded on the Solicitors Regulation Authority, accusing it of failing to put forward “robust evidence as to inconsistency of standards in the present system”.

Under the new regime, those sitting the exam would not need to hold an LLB or GDL

The society warned against this, stating: “Most jurisdictions around the world require possession of a law degree as a complement to a centralised assessment. There are real risks that the qualification of solicitor will be devalued in international perception.”