OLQE Preparatory Workshops

The Overseas Lawyers Qualification Examination (OLQE) is an annual assessment conducted by the Law Society of Hong Kong (the “Law Society”). It allows qualified lawyers from outside Hong Kong to become eligible for admission as solicitors in Hong Kong. The exam ensures that such lawyers meet the necessary legal knowledge and professional standards required to practice in Hong Kong.

OLQE consists of five written Heads and one oral Head: the written heads include Head I (Conveyancing), Head II (Civil and Criminal Procedure), Head III (Commercial and Company Law), Head IV (Accounts and Professional Conduct), and Head VI (Hong Kong Constitutional Law), each assessed through a separate written exam, while Head V is an oral examination testing Principles of Common Law. Only candidates who have passed all the written Heads (or have been granted exemptions) will be invited to attend Head V.

All examination papers are set in English, and there are no Chinese versions for any of the Heads. Candidates are required to answer all questions in English.

At present, all written Heads of the OLQE are conducted using pen-and-paper; there is no computer-based examination option available.

 

🪶A Rigorous Professional Benchmark

Candidates who pass the Overseas Lawyers Qualification Examination (OLQE) are not required to complete the standard two-year training contract to qualify as a solicitor in Hong Kong. Instead, they may apply for admission to the Roll of Solicitors immediately upon passing the OLQE. For overseas lawyers, the OLQE offers the most efficient and direct pathway to qualification in Hong Kong.

OLQE presents a formidable challenge for practitioners trained in other jurisdictions, with full pass across all Heads representing a significant professional milestone. Candidates should prepare thoroughly as many fail — with the overall pass rate ranging from a low of 20% to a high of 39% over the past four years.[1]

Candidates who have successfully passed a Head of the OLQE are exempt from retaking that Head in subsequent examination cycles.

 

🪶Strategies to Prepare OLQE for Overseas Lawyers

Given the Law Society’s high standards for obtaining Hong Kong qualification through OLQE, we recommend a realistic approach for full-time practitioners with a civil law qualification origin to allocate 2 or more years to prepare comprehensively, focusing on 2–3 examination Heads per year.

At HKU SPACE, OLQE candidates are not required to enroll in all training courses at once. You may participate flexibly in one, multiple, or all workshops based on your individual study plan.

For our preparatory workshops, no prior OLQE registration is required. Prospective OLQE candidates working toward the required experience threshold (2+ years for common law jurisdictions; 5+ years for civil law jurisdictions) are welcome to enroll early.

🪶Get Started: Latest Schedule for OLQE Preparatory Workshops

For candidates preparing for OLQE 2025 or considering OLQE 2026, our finalized pre-examination training schedule for OLQE 2025 (Pre-Exam Cycle) is as follows: 

Please register using the button below to join our OLQE Workshop Series.

application

🪶Message to Lawyers Qualified in Mainland PRC, Taiwan and Macau

Visitors from Mainland China, Taiwan, and Macau are welcome to attend our workshops provided they have valid permission to enter and remain in Hong Kong for the duration of the workshops. In accordance with Hong Kong immigration regulations, visitors are not generally required to apply for a special student visa in order to attend such short-term seminars and workshops.

Lawyers qualified in Mainland China, Taiwan and Macau with at least five years of law practice experience in their home jurisdiction and good standing  are eligible to take the OLQE.

There is currently no English language proficiency requirement for Mainland PRC, Taiwan or Macau-qualified lawyers seeking to sit for the examination, although the Law Society has announced that, in principle, it plans to introduce a minimum English standard requirement at some time in the future.  While there is currently no formal English language requirement for OLQE registration, please be aware that the examination is conducted entirely in English. Legal Professionals in Hong Kong are expected to possess a strong command of both written and spoken English, and we expect the same level of proficiency from our workshop participants.

Please also note that the OLQE is a highly challenging examination with a very low passing rate. The subjects covered can be particularly demanding for those without a background in common law or relevant work experience in Hong Kong. Individuals qualified in Mainland China, Taiwan, or Macau—especially those without a common law degree or experience working as a registered foreign lawyer in a Hong Kong law firm—are strongly encouraged to undertake some preliminary studies in common law or Hong Kong law before enrolling in our workshop.

🪶Message to Lawyers Qualified in Common Law Jurisdictions

While our preparatory workshops incorporate elements of bilingual teaching, we maintain a strong emphasis on training all the candidates to deliver well-structured answers in English, with competent writing and analytical skills. Lawyers with common law qualifications are welcome to join our training sessions alongside civil law practitioners from Mainland China, Taiwan, and Macau — providing excellent networking opportunities. Additionally, they may benefit from our concise and clear summaries of key legal principles, designed specifically for lawyers whose first language is not English.

 

 

[1] The official pass rate from 1995-2025 is available on the Law Society of Hong Kong’s official website at: https://www.hklawsoc.org.hk/-/media/HKLS/Home/Maintain-Standards/Admission-Standards/OLQE/2025/C/1-Examination-pass-rates-1995-to-2024.pdf?rev=41b405fc25084cb7bfde0b5d13c86399&hash=BF6AD4A2C11D0024E31EACF4E48D7855