Guides Turkish → English
Turkish lawyers: SQE and SRA documents
A Turkish avukat who wants to qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales does so through the Solicitors Qualifying Examination and the SRA’s admission process. This guide sets out the sequence, the Turkish documents that arise, and what we did not verify about the SRA’s translation wording.
What we can and cannot tell you
Our research for this site found no Turkish-specific rules from the Solicitors Regulation Authority and did not verify the SRA’s wording on translated documents. This page therefore describes the qualification route as the SRA presents it publicly at the time of writing, lists the Turkish documents that recur in Turkish lawyers’ files, and explains the certified-translation format we supply. Read the SRA’s current pages on qualifying as a solicitor at sra.org.uk before relying on anything here, and take the SRA’s document list over ours. Our SRA and legal professions page gives the translation format and covers the Bar and other legal roles.
The route for a lawyer qualified in Türkiye
Since the Solicitors Qualifying Examination replaced the earlier routes, anyone seeking admission as a solicitor in England and Wales must, in outline, hold a degree or equivalent, pass SQE1 (functioning legal knowledge) and SQE2 (practical legal skills), complete two years’ qualifying work experience (QWE), and satisfy the SRA’s character and suitability requirements. For lawyers already qualified in another jurisdiction, the SRA provides for the possibility of exemptions from parts of the SQE and for QWE, on application and on the basis of the applicant’s qualification and experience; whether a Turkish avukat receives any exemption is decided by the SRA on the individual application, and we make no prediction. English-language requirements apply where the applicant’s degree or professional qualification was not in English. Separately, a Turkish lawyer can register with the SRA as a registered foreign lawyer to practise Turkish law from within an English firm, which is a different process with its own documents.
Turkish documents that arise
| Document | Turkish name | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Law degree | Hukuk fakültesi lisans diploması | Degree-level requirement; exemption applications. Details |
| Transcript | Not dökümü | Content of the law degree for exemption assessment. Details |
| Bar admission | Avukatlık ruhsatnamesi; baro levha kaydı (bar roll entry) | Proof of qualification as a lawyer |
| Good standing | Letter from the baro confirming registration and absence of disciplinary findings | Character and suitability; exemption applications |
| Practice record | Employment letters from firms; SGK service record; internship (avukatlık stajı) completion | Qualifying work experience claims. Details |
| Criminal record | Adli sicil kaydı | Character and suitability, and employers. Details |
| Identity | Passport; name-change decision | Identity; data page not translated |
Translation format
We translate each document completely from the Turkish, and each page carries a statement that it is a true and accurate translation of the original document, the date, the signatory’s name and signature, our stamp, and the company’s contact details and Ankara registry number, matching the GOV.UK description of a certified translation. Legal documents from Türkiye contain terms with no exact English equivalent (baro, ruhsatname, staj, the various court names), and our style guide on Turkish legal terms explains how we render them consistently, which matters when the SRA compares a translated transcript with its own subject list. If the SRA specifies wording for translations, send it and we will include it or say if we cannot.
Timing and money
SQE1 and SQE2 have fixed sittings and fees set by the SRA, and exemption applications have their own fee and processing time; all are on the SRA site. QWE can be gained in England or, within limits the SRA sets, elsewhere, and must be confirmed by a solicitor or the SRA-regulated organisation. An English test may be needed where the degree was in Turkish. Translations for a law degree, transcript, bar documents, good-standing letter and two practice letters come to about £80–150 with us, since Turkish law transcripts are long; one to two working days, no UK VAT. The visa question, whether as a student for a preparation course or as a sponsored worker, is separate and is an immigration adviser’s subject.
Where files run into trouble
- An exemption application based on a transcript translated with inconsistent subject names, so the SRA cannot map modules to its list.
- Practice letters that do not describe the work done, which the QWE rules require.
- A good-standing letter without the baro’s statement on disciplinary history.
- Undisclosed matters in the character and suitability declaration that the adli sicil kaydı then reveals.
- Confusing registered foreign lawyer status with admission as a solicitor.
Admission, exemptions and character decisions are the SRA’s. We translate to a consistent legal terminology and say clearly what we have not verified.
Step by step
-
Read the SRA’s route and decide whether to seek exemptions
On the SRA site, read the qualifying-as-a-solicitor pages and the provisions for lawyers qualified in other jurisdictions, including exemptions from SQE assessments and from qualifying work experience. Decide, with the SRA’s guidance and if necessary a UK adviser, whether to apply for any exemption before booking SQE1. We did not verify the SRA’s position on Turkish qualifications.
-
Gather the Turkish qualification and bar documents
Obtain the law degree and full transcript from the faculty, the avukatlık ruhsatnamesi, a current baro roll extract and a good-standing letter that states your disciplinary history, and the internship completion record. Ask firms where you practised for letters describing the work done and the dates.
-
Order certified translations
Send us scans. We translate in full with consistent renderings of Turkish legal terms, certify each page with the accuracy statement, date, signature, stamp and company contact details, and return PDFs in one to two working days. A law transcript is long; ask for a quote first. Typical set £80–150.
-
Apply for exemptions if relevant, then sit SQE1 and SQE2
Submit any exemption application to the SRA with the translated documents and the fee, and await the decision. Book SQE1 and, on passing, SQE2 at the sittings the SRA publishes. English evidence may be required alongside. Keep the SRA’s decision letter; it defines which assessments you must still pass.
-
Complete or evidence qualifying work experience
Record two years of QWE confirmed by a solicitor or an SRA-regulated organisation, or apply for it to be recognised from Turkish practice where the SRA allows, using the translated practice letters. Keep contemporaneous records of the work done. Employers in England will want to see how the experience was confirmed, so ask for confirmation in writing at the time.
-
Apply for admission
Submit the admission application with the character and suitability declarations, the adli sicil kaydı with translation, the SQE results and QWE confirmations, and pay the fee. The SRA decides admission; on admission you are entered on the roll and can apply for a practising certificate.
Frequently asked questions
Does a Turkish law degree exempt me from SQE1?
Exemptions are decided by the SRA on individual application against its criteria. We did not verify the SRA’s position on Turkish qualifications, and we do not predict outcomes.
Can I practise Turkish law in London without qualifying as a solicitor?
The SRA has a registered foreign lawyer status for lawyers qualified abroad who work within English firms. It is a separate application with its own documents, including bar registration and good standing, which we translate in the same way.
Do you translate the whole transcript or only law modules?
The whole document, because the SRA compares the transcript with its own list of subjects and a partial translation leaves gaps. We keep module names consistent throughout.
Is an apostille needed on the ruhsatname or diploma?
Not for a certified translation, and UK regulators do not generally ask for one. If the SRA requests verification, it will say how.