Becoming An English Solicitor Is Just A Conversion Test Away

Local lawyers from certain jurisdictions can qualify to practise as solicitors in London, one of the largest financial centres in the world, by taking the "Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test", also known as the QLTT.

Many lawyers will agree that it is quite insufficient, in our era, to master only a single legal system, in view of the growing competitiveness among lawyers. This is especially true due to the growing globalization trends that tend to make the whole world into a single big village, through the development of international trade and open markets. Lawyers from all around the world view with awe and concern the growth and empowerment of the European Union, the Asian and Chinese economies, as well as the expansion and proliferation of multinational corporations.

The city of London is traditionally one of the world's three largest financial centres, along with New York City in the west and Tokyo in the east. London has a dominant role in several international financial markets, including worldwide bank lending, international bond issuance and trading, foreign exchange trading, fund management, foreign equities trading and many more.

Many businesses and corporations are expanding into EU markets, and the legal counseling they require is increasingly more in the nature of competition advice concerning the establishment of distribution channels. Moreover, local law firms seek to establish cross referral relationships with other solicitors from England and Europe. There are many British companies, businesses and other interests outside the UK and mutually beneficial networking opportunities are abundant.

Therefore, qualification as English solicitors should obviously enhance the ability of local lawyers to service their clients and is essential to building a two-way network of solicitors.

In addition, local lawyers who are qualified as English solicitors and also hold EU nationality have the right to practise in any other EU country, according to the Establishment of Lawyers' Directive 98/5/EC passed by the European Parliament and Council.

So how can a lawyer become an English solicitor? Simply by taking a conversion test, known as the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test - QLTT. The QLTT is offered several times a year in London, India, Sydney, Hong Kong and most recently also in North America (New York City).

The QLTT consists of three written subjects (Property, Litigation and Professional Conduct and Accounts) and an oral exam on Principles of Common Law.

A comprehensive and unique course programme is offered by One World Studies to lawyers who are interested in sitting for the QLTT and qualifying as English solicitors. The programme includes a distance learning course, video lectures on CD-ROM and on-line programme on the Internet.

This unique programme enables the candidates to prepare themselves in the most efficient and convenient way and at the same time still carry on their business. The programme is tailored especially for busy lawyers whose commitments consume long hours and limit the time-window available for the studies.

Once a lawyer passes the exams, he/she can benefit from all the advantages embodied in this special and prestigious qualification.

And last but not least, they will have the honour of putting a little star beside their name and to add the expression "A member of the Law Society of England and Wales" on their business cards.