A training contract is a period of practical training, tailor made for graduates who wish to qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales. A full-time training contract is normally for a period of two years, and is undertaken by those who have completed the Legal Practice Course. The training contract is compulsory for anyone qualifying with a law degree and for anyone qualifying with a non-law degree. A solicitor is a type of lawyer in many common law jurisdictions, such as the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Republic of Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, but not the United States (in the United States the word has a quite different meaning—see below). ... It is not uncommon for students to take as many as 15 different examinations during the Legal Practice Course. ...

A training contract is not normally required for anyone qualifying without a degree; non-graduates typically advance toward qualification by passing exams administered by the Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX) – all the while working under the supervision of a solicitor. // Origins The Institute of Legal Executives was established in 1963 with the help of the Law Society to provide a more formal process for training Solicitors Clerks. Traditionally Solicitors Clerks were not formally trained in law but through experience had built up a working knowledge of specific aspects and could...