Jonnie Fagan qualifies as a solicitor through Avantia’s SQE programme 

Last year, Avantia launched a pilot programme supporting a small cohort of UK-based junior lawyers through the Solicitors Qualifying Examination, the route to qualification as a solicitor of England and Wales. The aim was straightforward: create a structured pathway to qualification that reflects the reality of practising law in a modern, tech-enabled environment. 

The pilot sits alongside Avantia’s wider investment in early careers and training, including its internal legal training programme and the Avantia Academy. Together, these initiatives reflect a broader belief that the legal profession needs multiple, credible routes into practice, focused on building practical capability alongside technical legal knowledge. 

Hannah Thompson, COO of Avantia, said: 

“We’ve always believed that the future of legal services depends on pairing exceptional people with the best technology. That starts with how we train and support our lawyers. 

For our UK-based teams, the SQE programme provides a clear pathway to qualification as a solicitor of England and Wales, grounded in real client work. Alongside initiatives like the Avantia Academy, it reflects our view that preparing lawyers for a tech-enabled, AI-enabled profession requires more than a single, traditional route.” 

Today, we’re pleased to share that Jonnie Fagan has become the first member of the cohort to complete the Avantia SQE programme and qualify as a solicitor of England and Wales. 

Jonnie joined Avantia early in his legal career, following a brief spell as a paralegal in a traditional firm. What drew him to Avantia then is the same reason he chose to pursue qualification here: the opportunity to take on real responsibility early, contribute to client work, and develop at a speed that is usually out of reach for junior lawyers. 

To mark the milestone, we spoke with Jonnie about the experience, the demands of the process and what he learned along the way. 

Why pursue the SQE through Avantia’s programme? 

“I joined Avantia because it was clear I could grow here in a way that wasn’t possible in a conventional training environment. From the moment I arrived, I was doing real client-facing work. That level of responsibility is rare, and it aligned with my ambition to qualify quickly while still building genuine legal judgement. 

By the time the SQE pilot launched, it felt like a natural extension of what we were already doing. In many ways, every junior at Avantia is developing the skills the SQE assesses long before they ever sit the exams. The programme formalised a pathway that matched how I’d been learning from day one.” 

How did the selection process work? 

“I was put forward by the team, but it wasn’t a box-ticking exercise. I met with our People Team, Head of Training and our GC to talk honestly about timing, workload and what qualification meant for my career. It’s a commitment on both sides - Avantia invests in you, and you commit to the program. The process was thoughtful and merit-driven, which made it feel like the right step rather than simply the next step.” 

What did support from Avantia look like? 

“The support network was much broader than I expected. The formal side mattered - study leave, schedule planning and flexibility within the team - but the practical, day-to-day support was just as important. 

Senior lawyers who had gone through the SQE themselves gave advice on everything from exam technique to what the assessment days actually feel like. The team made it clear that if I needed time to study, the support infrastructure was there to manage workloads. That kind of clarity removes a lot of the pressure. 

We also worked with the People team and our Head of Training to refine the structure for future cohorts. For example, increasing study leave, building in clearer quiet periods for focused study, and making the logistics easier to navigate. There’s a genuine desire to get this right, and that made a huge difference.” 

What advice would you give to the next cohort? 

“Lean on the people around you - not just for the legal questions, but on what to expect and how to manage the process itself. There are practicalities the SRA doesn’t make easy, like booking windows and exam logistics. Knowing what to expect reduces stress immediately. 

I’d also recommend setting a protected study slot each week if the team structure allows it. When you’re working full time, it’s easy to get caught between client work and revision and not fully achieve either. Clear boundaries help.” 

Did studying feed back into your client work? 

“Definitely. The SQE forces you to revisit areas of law you might not have looked at since university. Because we work so closely with clients across different strategies, the broader legal foundation makes the conversations sharper. You understand the commercial context in a deeper way, and that improves the advice you give. 

It’s not just about passing an exam - it genuinely makes you a better lawyer day-to-day.” 

Lucy Monroe, Head of Training at Avantia, said: 

“Phase one of the SQE pilot gave us valuable insight into how junior lawyers balance qualification alongside live client work. We’ve used that feedback to refine the structure for phase two, with clearer protected study time, improved exam preparation support and a stronger peer network between cohorts. 

As we move forward, we’ll be running two SQE cohorts each year. Alongside the Avantia Academy, which provides an entry route for paralegals at the start of their careers, the programme reflects our belief that the profession needs diverse, practical pathways to prepare lawyers for modern legal practice.” 

This marks the first milestone in the pilot, with further results expected in the coming months. Through its SQE programme, internal training and early careers initiatives, Avantia is contributing to a broader shift in how lawyers are prepared to work in a tech-enabled, AI-enabled legal environment. 

Applications for phase one of the next SQE cohort have now closed. Further details on future intakes will be shared later in the year.