What's PQE? (British law)

[chula]

A job advertisement calls for a solicitor with 1-2 PQE experience. What does "PQE" mean? And while we're at it, what's a solicitor? The ad is pretty stupid because it's looking for lawyers in the United States. The firm ought to know that those terms aren't used here.

[sailor]

A solicitor is a lawyer who practices in his office doing legal documents, giving legal advice etc, as opposed to a barrister who appears in court.

[Crusoe]

PQE / post-qualifying experience - having worked after being admitted to practice (i.e. not including trainee or clerk work). This is according to an Australian lawyer friend who's familiar with the English legal system.