Understanding Legal Content Writing For Law Students

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Legal Content Writing: Its Role, Requirements, and Relevance to Solicitor Qualification

Legal writing plays a crucial role in both academic and professional legal practice. Whether drafting journal articles, case notes, opinion letters, or court documents, the ability to convey legal reasoning in a clear, structured, and authoritative way is fundamental. But what qualifies someone to write law articles? Does legal writing count as experience toward becoming a solicitor in England and Wales? As a professional content writer, I will explore these questions and offer guidance on how aspiring legal professionals can use writing as a springboard into a legal career.

What is Legal Writing?

Legal writing refers to any writing that communicates legal analysis, argument, or information. It includes:

• Academic writing – journal articles, textbooks, research papers.
• Professional legal writing – client letters, legal opinions, court pleadings, contracts, and legislation.
• Public legal education – blogs, explainers, or legal news articles intended to help the public understand the law.

Each type of legal writing serves different purposes, but all require precision, clarity, structure, and legal authority.

Do You Need to Be Qualified to Write Law Articles?

Academic Legal Writing

In the UK, there is no formal legal requirement to be qualified in order to write law articles for academic or public-facing platforms. However, credibility matters. Academic publications typically expect:

• A legal education background (e.g., law degree, postgraduate legal studies).
• Accurate referencing (e.g., OSCOLA for UK legal writing).
• An understanding of case law, statutory interpretation, and legal theory.

Professional Legal Documents

Writing legal documents for clients or courts generally requires legal training and a regulated status. In England and Wales, only authorised individuals (solicitors, barristers, or CILEX lawyers) may offer legal services to the public or represent clients in court.

✅ Summary: Anyone can write about the law for academic or journalistic purposes, but professional legal services (drafting contracts, giving legal advice) are regulated and require authorisation.

Does Legal Writing Count as Legal Experience?

Experience for the Solicitor’s Qualification (SQE)

To become a solicitor in England and Wales under the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) route, you must complete:

1. SQE1 (legal knowledge),
2. SQE2 (practical legal skills),
3. Two years of Qualifying Work Experience (QWE),
4. Meet character and suitability requirements.

Legal writing can count toward QWE if it meets the following:

• It is supervised by a legal professional.
• It involves exposure to at least two of the Solicitor Competence Statement areas (e.g., legal research, drafting, client communication, case analysis).

Examples:

• Writing for a legal charity supervised by a solicitor.
• Working at a legal clinic, law firm, or in-house legal department.
• Drafting legal documents or case analysis under supervision.

Writing freelance law blog posts or academic essays on your own typically does not count as QWE — unless it’s part of supervised legal practice.

How to Gain Qualifying Legal Experience

If you are writing about law but not yet gaining experience toward SQE, here are ways to start:

1. Volunteer in Legal Clinics or Pro Bono Schemes

• Law centres, university clinics, and legal charities often accept volunteers to support research, drafting, and client work.

2. Legal Internships or Paralegal Work

• Even part-time or temporary roles can count if supervised and structured around the SRA’s competence framework.

3. Legal Publishing Internships

• Writing for legal journals, firms, or professional bodies under a qualified legal editor may count if tied to legal tasks and supervision.

4. Use a LawTech or Legal Research Start-Up

• Innovative legal businesses may offer opportunities to engage in legal writing, compliance analysis, and research.

5. Create a Legal Portfolio

Even if it doesn’t count as QWE, a strong portfolio of well-written articles or legal commentary demonstrates:

• Research and analytical ability,
• Legal communication skills,
• Dedication to law.

This can help secure a training contract, QWE, or legal employment.

Benefits of Legal Writing for Aspiring Solicitors

• Demonstrates Legal Knowledge: Writing articles helps showcase your understanding of legal doctrine and current issues.
• Builds Reputation: Publishing in reputable forums (e.g., law blogs, journals) builds professional presence.
• Improves Employability: Law firms value candidates who can write clearly, especially in client-facing or advisory roles.
• Strengthens Legal Skills: Research, reasoning, and referencing are core to both SQE1 and SQE2 success.

While writing law articles does not in itself require a legal qualification, and freelance writing may not count as formal legal experience for marketing management, it also remains a powerful tool for aspiring solicitors. To qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales, you must complete SQE assessments and accumulate qualifying work experience under supervision. However, strategic legal writing can open doors, build your professional profile, and complement other legal training activities.

✅ What Can Count as Legal Experience (QWE)?

Under the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) route in England and Wales, Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) must:

1. Be legal in nature (related to legal services).
2. Involve exposure to solicitor competencies (e.g., legal research, drafting, ethics, interviewing).
3. Be supervised by a solicitor or other authorised person.
4. Be signed off by someone competent, ideally a solicitor.

✳️ Law Firm Content Writing & Marketing: Does It Count?

It Depends on the Nature of the Work:

Type of Work	Does it count as QWE?	Explanation
Writing promotional blog posts, firm news, or SEO content for a law firm	❌ Unlikely	If the writing is purely marketing-focused, not legal advice or legal analysis, it likely doesn’t meet the SRA’s definition of “legal work.”
Drafting legal explainers, articles analysing case law or statutes under solicitor supervision	✅ Possibly	If you’re involved in legal research, using case law/statutes, and the work is supervised by a solicitor, it may count—especially if it maps to the Solicitor Competency Framework.
Writing legal newsletters, client updates, or legal guidance that’s fact-checked or edited by a solicitor	✅ Likely	This could demonstrate research, writing, and communication skills in a legal context.
Performing paralegal tasks alongside content writing (e.g., drafting, case file work, client intake)	✅ Yes	This is clearly legal experience.

Conclusion

Renata, the editor of Disabled Entrepreneur and Cymru Marketing Journal, is currently studying law and preparing to enter her second year of legal studies. With a clear vision for the future, she aspires to qualify as a solicitor and pursue a career as a Human Rights lawyer. Her passion lies in advocating for individuals facing poverty, housing insecurity, and discrimination. While she has already established partnerships with affiliate law firms, Renata is now seeking to collaborate with a solicitor or legal practice closer to home. In exchange for supervision and the opportunity to have her legal experience signed off, she offers her expertise in marketing and advertising, providing full promotional support tailored to the firm’s needs.

Further Reading & Resources

• Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA): https://www.sra.org.uk
• Qualifying Work Experience Guide: SRA | Qualifying work experience explained | Solicitors Regulation Authority
• Oxford University Standard for the Citation of Legal Authorities (OSCOLA): OSCOLA FAQs | Faculty of Law