The Solicitors Regulation Authority Proposes to Reflect Technology and AI Within Solicitors' Existing Competences Rather Than as a Standalone Competence

The Solicitors Regulation Authority, the SRA, which regulates solicitors in England and Wales, published a consultation in October 2026 on proposed changes to two documents that underpin the content of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination, the SQE: the Statement of Solicitor Competence and the Functioning Legal Knowledge. The paper says the Statement of Solicitor Competence "identifies a core set of competences that all solicitors must be able to carry out competently," and that how it applies in practice depends on, for example, the area of practice or the level of experience. Solicitors also use it as part of the SRA's continuing competence requirements. The consultation runs from October 8 to December 3, 2026, and the SRA says it is not seeking a change to rules or regulatory arrangements. Parts of the paper follow, not the whole.

Technology and AI

The SRA says it has already engaged with stakeholders, and that technology, including AI, "was a key theme throughout the focus groups." The paper says "AI and the use of technology are rapidly transforming the legal profession in England and Wales, and internationally," and it names legal research, drafting documents, contract review, due diligence and case outcome prediction among the uses. It also notes the authorization of "the first AI-driven regulated law firm in England and Wales."

"There is a strong consensus amongst all that the SoSC needs to explicitly reflect the use of technology including AI as it is relevant to both the ethical and technical legal practice of solicitors," the paper says, the SoSC being the Statement of Solicitor Competence. It adds that any changes "should recognise that technology and AI will affect solicitors in different ways, and for some solicitors more than others."

A Standalone Competence, or Not

The SRA says it considered whether there should be a new, standalone section on technology and AI. It describes a broader debate across the legal sector, "both here and internationally," about whether competence in the use of technology and AI "is becoming a core professional competence in its own right, or whether it is more appropriately reflected through existing professional competences." Different jurisdictions, it says, have taken different approaches, and "Feedback from stakeholders was similarly mixed."

The regulator's current view is that a standalone technology competence is not necessary. It has sought instead to reflect "the growing importance of technology and AI within the existing competences where they are most relevant to effective and ethical legal practice." The paper names three areas in which, it says, it has embedded specific references. In "ethics, professionalism and judgement," the reference is to "maintaining the level of competence and knowledge to be able to practise effectively taking into account developments in technology including AI." In "technical legal practice," it is to "undertaking research and drafting documents in seeking to address concerns regarding AI hallucinations in legal work and submissions to the court." And in supervision, to reflect that competence "rests not only with solicitors using technology and AI in legal practice, but with solicitors who supervise or manage others and have oversight and responsibility for work being done including the use of technology and AI."

Its first consultation question asks to what extent respondents agree or disagree "with the proposed SoSC amendments in relation to technology and AI."

The proposal places the competence for AI where the responsibility already sits, with the solicitor who uses the tool and with the one who supervises the work.

Supervision, and What Comes Next

The paper says stakeholders suggested that the competences required to effectively supervise others are not adequately reflected in the Statement, "particularly in the need for responsible supervision and oversight of the use of technology and AI." The SRA proposes to add a separate section setting out the competences required for effective supervision of others, aligned to its guidance on effective supervision.

After the consultation closes, the SRA says it will publish its response and final versions of both documents in April 2027. Any changes "would then come into effect in September 2027, ahead of SQE1 assessments taking place in January 2028."