BPP module leader Julie Manson joins Jonny Hurst, head of outreach, share insights into the key legal skills assessed in SQE2 and how to develop them

After overcoming the demanding assessments of SQE1, aspiring solicitors must turn their attention to the next crucial hurdle: SQE2. This stage shifts the focus from legal knowledge to the practical skills essential for effective legal practice — testing candidates on their ability to apply that knowledge in real-world scenarios.

At a recent workshop hosted by Julie Manson, module leader at BPP University Law School, and Jonny Hurst, head of outreach, attendees gained valuable insights into the key legal skills assessed during SQE2, how to develop those skills, and what SQE2 preparation really involves. The session also offered a chance to put theory into practice by testing one of the core SQE2 skills live.

Catch the full workshop above, or click here to watch it on YouTube.

You will need to access this document as part of the workshop.

Legal Cheek is running ‘The SQE series’ with BPP University Law School. The video of each session will be made available one month after each virtual event together with further FAQs arising from each session which SQE experts from BPP are answering.

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Charlotte Wanendeya, Head of Law at BPP (London) discusses dealing with generational conflict in the workplace and how employers can best support Gen Z lawyers

Charlotte Wanendeya, Head of Law at BPP (London), has over 30 years of experience guiding the newest generations of lawyers through the LPC, SQE and Bar Course. Having studied Anglo-French law at King’s College, London, and Sorbonne, Paris, she began her career as a trainee at Clifford Chance. However, after 5 years at the magic circle outfit, Charlotte was ready for a change.

“I realised what I liked best about my job were the educational and training aspects. So, I moved into professional higher education where I have worked ever since,” she tells me. I am keen to know how the legal profession has changed over the course of Charlotte’s career. How different is life as a lawyer now compared to her time at Clifford Chance? “One massive change, of course, is pre-internet and post-internet,” comes Charlotte’s immediate response. “When I was practising, there was pretty much no internet or email – it was embryonic. We had secretaries and dictaphones, and there was certainly no Google!”

Another significant change she mentions is the awareness around mental health issues in the workplace. “In my own experience as a Gen X-er, mental health wasn’t talked about in the office at the start of my career,” Charlotte explains. “The pace of life, and in particular, work life, has become so much faster and the consequence for the younger generation, Gen Z, has been a spike in anxiety and mental health problems. That has brought something entirely new to the workplace.”

It’s not all bleak, however. “Gen Z have a stronger sense of balance which is a very good thing,” Charlotte notes. “Not everybody is necessarily aspiring to be a partner in a law firm. Some would rather prioritise spending time with their family over a massive salary.” She also highlights flexible working options as a positive change Gen Z will experience in their careers. “Boomers and Gen X never had the option of working from home. Before Covid, that flexibility wasn’t available. It wasn’t an option,” she recalls. “One of the things I struggled with early in my career was finding that balance whilst raising a family as a single parent. Working from home even one day a week would have helped a great deal.”

Charlotte elaborates on the factors affecting Gen Z’s approach to work. “These are what I call the five Cs,” she says. “Covid, climate change, cost of living, cyberspace and conflict. These factors have meant Gen Z have a different way of thinking and communicating.” She uses speaking on the phone as an example, “While we must be careful not to stereotype or pigeonhole people, those in Gen Z are much less likely to want to pick up the phone than their older colleagues, for whom this was the norm in the workplace.”

These generational differences have the potential to cause friction at work, according to Charlotte. “There are currently four generations in the workplace, Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y – also known as millennials – and Generation Z,” she explains. “Each generation has its own expectations and communication styles, which does cause some head-butting in the workplace. We need to address these differences so that all four generations can work smoothly together. This is what makes business sense.”

In addition to her role at BPP, Charlotte is also the vice chair of the City of London Law Society Training Committee, collaborating with corporate law firms to discuss training and support initiatives for the next generation of solicitors. Charlotte stresses the importance of conversations between professional higher education providers and law firms, “It’s important to get everybody around the table and promote that collaborative spirit,” she says. “Everyone is facing the same issues and trying to crack the same problems, so, in my view, a collaborative approach is the way to go.”

Seeing professional education providers as a bridge between Gen Z students and their future employers, Charlotte tells me, “We are providing law firms and chambers with the next generation of lawyers. That is a huge privilege as well as a responsibility. We have experience teaching this generation and we know how they think, learn and tick, as well as the challenges they’re facing.” She goes on, “We need to work together to support this generation and help them thrive – they are the future.”

As well as collaborations between law schools and employers (for placements and work experience), with the rapid development of Generative AI, Charlotte believes that also engaging and collaborating with tech experts would help Gen Z get ready for the workplace:

“We need to prepare students for the new technology that will be central to their careers (for example, understanding the basics of document management systems, prompting skills, data literacy and cybersecurity risks). To make that happen, we need more collaboration with the tech experts who are designing these tools.

So, how does BPP prepare its students for a rapidly evolving workplace? “At BPP, we are continually focused on making sure that what students learn in the classroom – including the skills they learn – aligns with how they’re assessed and, most importantly, aligns to the work they will be doing in their future careers as lawyers, to ensure they are practice-ready,” Charlotte responds. “For example, at BPP, we offer Essentials for Practice modules on our SQE Prep courses which are created in collaboration with law firms which mimic the work students will actually be doing once they get into practice.”

As we wrap up our discussion, I ask what Charlotte’s advice would be to employers and young lawyers navigating generational differences in the workplace. “Listen – and be kind!,” is her response. “That would be my advice to everyone. Listening and understanding goes both ways. We must always appreciate things from a different perspective to realise that we can work together effectively.”

Charlotte Wanendeya will be speaking on BPP’s panel, ‘Gen Z: expectations and realities’ at LegalEdCon 2025, Legal Cheek’s annual future of legal education and training conference, which takes place in-person on Thursday 15 May at Kings Place, London. Final release tickets for the Conference can be purchased here.

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Hilary Chadwick, Head of Law at BPP University’s Waterloo campus, shares her insights on breaking into the profession, the reality of the SQE and the importance of gaining practical experience

The road to qualification as a solicitor has changed dramatically in recent years, and few people have a better view of how it’s all playing out than Hilary Chadwick – Head of Law at BPP University’s Waterloo campus, where the Law Conversion Course and Legal Apprentice programmes are delivered in London. She also teaches on the SQE from BPP’s London Holborn campus.

With over 25 years in legal education and a background in private practice, Chadwick has spent her career preparing students for life in the profession. Moving into teaching was a natural progression, driven by a genuine enthusiasm for training the next generation of lawyers. “I’ve always enjoyed the idea of developing future solicitors and being part of their journey,” she explains.

No conversation about legal education in 2025 is complete without the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) – the still new(ish) pathway to solicitor qualification that replaced the LPC in 2021. Given that the SQE is now becoming more established, is it living up to expectations?

For Chadwick, the SQE jury is still out. “I think it’s still very early days,” she says. “It’ll be a few more years before anyone can say whether the next generation of lawyers who’ve qualified through the SQE route are better or worse than those who did the LPC.” She points out that many of those who sat the first SQE exams in 2021 are only just starting out in their legal careers – making it difficult to judge the full impact just yet.

That said, one thing the SQE has undeniably improved is accessibility. “It’s definitely opened up different ways into the profession,” Chadwick notes. Unlike the traditional LPC and training contract model — which required candidates to complete their academic and vocational training before securing a two-year training contract — the SQE allows for more flexibility. Now, qualifying work experience (QWE) can be gained at any stage of the process, meaning aspiring lawyers can work towards qualification in a way that better suits their circumstances.

Chadwick explains that BPP has embraced this new flexibility while ensuring that employability remains at the core of its training. “It’s not just about passing exams — it’s about making sure students are actually prepared for practice.” That’s why BPP’s law conversion course is designed not just to meet the SQE requirements and beyond, but also those going down the barrister route as well.

And beyond traditional face to face and live online teaching, BPP offers a range of employability-focused initiatives, including an award-winning careers service, a multi-award-winning social impact team (formerly the pro bono team), and networking events designed to help students build key relationships early. “We put on a lot of networking events to encourage students to form those key connections they’ll need in their careers,” Chadwick says. The idea is to give students exposure to real-life legal work while they study – so they graduate not just with a qualification but with experience and connections too. This is why BPP now also offers three 1-year paid QWE placements with BPP’s Social Impact team to SQE graduates.

To help students cope, BPP has developed a ‘Managing Your Wellbeing’ initiative – a virtual suite of resources covering topics like mindfulness, managing stress, developing resilience, and coping with exam anxiety. The programme was a direct response to student feedback.

Technology is reshaping legal education and practice — and BPP is keen to keep its students ahead of the curve. AI is the big buzzword right now, and Chadwick acknowledges that legal education must adapt quickly to keep up.

As part of its efforts, BPP offers a free AI awareness course to both students and staff. “It provides a wealth of information about what generative AI is, how it works, and its specific applications in an educational context,” she says. With legal tech evolving at breakneck speed, staying informed is just as important as mastering the law itself.

So, what’s the one piece of advice Chadwick would give to aspiring lawyers? “It’s an incredibly competitive profession, and having good academic results isn’t enough,” she warns. Law firms are looking for much more than just a strong CV — they want to see leadership, emotional intelligence, and resilience.

Most undergraduates have few, if any, contacts in the legal profession. Chadwick advises recommends you start building your network early. “Attend events, join university associations, start developing those key skills — don’t leave it to the last minute,” she says. “Academic excellence is taken as a given. It’s how you make yourself stand out that matters.”

Unlike some university exams that students can blitz through with a few weeks of intense revision, SQE success depends on consistent effort from day one. Chadwick advises: “You cannot cram.” She stresses that preparing for the SQE requires a different mindset from traditional law school exams. With SQE1 covering a vast syllabus in a multiple-choice format and SQE2 testing practical legal skills, success depends on consistency and structured preparation. “You have to keep on top of it from the very beginning,” she explains. “This isn’t the kind of exam where you can put in a few weeks of intense revision and hope for the best. The volume of material is too great, and it requires deep understanding rather than just memorisation.”

She also advises students to make use of the support available to them. “It’s important to pace yourself, manage your workload properly, and try not to let stress take over,” she says. Many students, she notes, go into the exam feeling like they’ll never be fully prepared – and that’s normal. “One of the best pieces of advice I’ve heard from trainees who’ve been through the process is that you’ll never feel 100% ready for SQE1, and that’s okay. What matters is putting in steady, sustained effort, trusting in your preparation, and keeping a healthy work-life balance.”

Beyond passing the exams, Chadwick reminds aspiring lawyers that the SQE is just one step in a longer journey. “The legal profession is tough — it requires resilience, adaptability, and a real commitment to learning. Treat your preparation for the SQE as training for the kind of discipline you’ll need throughout your career,” she says. “And above all, don’t leave things until the last minute. Preparation is key.”

Join us MONDAY for our virtual student event “SQE1 taster workshop — with BPP”.

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BPP award leader Caroline Rayson joins successful SQE candidates to discuss common concerns

The Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) remains a major hurdle for aspiring solicitors, and with a variety of course providers and preparation methods available, it can be difficult to know where to start. From study techniques to exam strategy, candidates often have pressing questions about the process — and who better to answer them than those currently navigating the SQE themselves?

With that in mind, during a recent Legal Cheek virtual event (full video above), BPP brought together a panel of current SQE students to provide insight into the exams and share their experiences of preparing for them.

The discussion was led by BPP’s SQE1 award leader, Caroline Rayson, who was joined by current SQE students Grace Burney, Samantha Howlett and Farooq Ahmed. Together, they tackled common concerns about preparing for and sitting the SQE exams, how to choose the right course provider, and the biggest challenges candidates face — offering practical advice on how to overcome them.

The event also included a virtual networking session, where attendees had the chance to ask follow-up questions and gain further insight from the speakers.

Legal Cheek is running ‘The SQE series’ with BPP University Law School. The video of each session will be made available one month after each virtual event together with further FAQs arising from each session which SQE experts from BPP are answering.

 

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BCLP’s Bradley Fisher shares his experience

The number of solicitor apprenticeships offered by law firms has been steadily climbing over the last few years, providing school-leavers the opportunity to earn money and gain work experience while they complete their legal studies.

Bradley Fisher, associate in the real estate team at BCLP, completed a solicitor apprenticeship with the firm while studying with BPP University. We sat down with Fisher, ahead of his appearance at next week’s Pre-SQE Student Summit Manchester — in partnership with BPP, to hear about his experience with BPP, how he balanced work and studying, and his top tips for SQE preparation.

Why did you decide to pursue a solicitor apprenticeship?

I came across solicitor apprenticeships by chance. My dad sent me a link to an article talking about legal apprenticeships and some firms offering them. Apprenticeships were not really promoted when I was at college, so I had to do my own research to find out more information.

I discovered that I could learn whilst I earn, obtain a law degree, pass the solicitors exams, gain a lot of practical experience and get my foot in the door at a firm from a young age. All of this felt like a no-brainer to me and fitted in with my aspirations.

I applied to a few firms and I was lucky enough to come across BCLP. The firm and its offerings sounded perfect. After an assessment centre, I was offered the role to start in October 2017. Since then, I have never looked back.

Can you tell us about your apprenticeship experience?

I started at the firm working in the post-completion team, dealing with Land Registry applications of all shapes and sizes. This was my first taste of the legal profession, and it kick-started my aspirations to become a real estate lawyer. I loved working in the Land Registry team. I found it fascinating to say I had played a small part in something for a skyscraper in London, or a major supermarket. From there, I moved on to the legal administration team and then one of our client teams.

I then moved into our structured finance team where I was working for a big US investment bank. The demands in this team were high, both internally and from the client. I learned a lot from being in this team, especially how to become more resilient. Next, I moved back to Real Estate, this time in our core asset management team, where I stayed for my first seat in September 2022 as part of my training contract. I really enjoyed this team and worked on challenging matters and got involved with some great clients.

I was seconded to Heathrow Airport for my next seat in February 2023, which meant I moved down to London for 6 months. This has been one of my favourite experiences to date and I worked on some interesting deals. The office for the legal team was right next to one of the runways, which was very cool. I still keep in touch with my contacts at Heathrow today and hope to work with them again in the future!

In September 2023, I came back to BCLP and sat in our Office of General Counsel team. I took SQE1 in this seat which I passed in January 2024, having completed the prep course with BPP, so had some time off to sit those exams.

In March 2024, I rotated back into real estate, based in a client team. I then sat SQE2 in April and May. Once I came back from those exams, I was given the chance to move into our real estate disputes team.

I found out I passed SQE2 in August 2024. I knew I wanted to qualify into real estate in our core asset management team. Luckily, there was a spot for a newly qualified lawyer in the team and I was absolutely delighted to be offered the role. I qualified as solicitor on 3 February 2025, and am now an associate in our Real Estate team, based in Manchester.

Tell us a bit more about how, being a part-time student, you managed to fit your studies with BPP around your work.

I had an allocated study day, and the programme was entirely online. I found the study day to be vital, as it meant I could attend the live online lectures without worrying too much about work. It also allowed me to complete all of the pre-work for the lecture, and consolidation work afterwards, in good time. Additionally, I did extra work at the weekends to make sure I was on top of everything.

I enjoyed my studies with BPP. I did a different topic each term, sometimes two topics each term. I found the courses to be engaging and well taught.

What are the benefits (and challenges!) of studying while working?

One of the main benefits is being able to apply what you have learned in practice to your studies, and vice versa. For example, when my property topics came up on my university course, I was eager to learn more about it as it was my current area of practice. I found I was able to apply some of the work and knowledge I already had to help answer assessment questions. I was also able to apply what I learned at BPP to my work. Another benefit was that I didn’t get into any student debt, as the firm covered the costs of my education as part of the apprenticeship.

In terms of challenges, I found it difficult at first to get into the groove of online lectures and not going to a lecture hall or classroom. However, over time I got used to it and enjoyed it in the end.

What advice would you give current apprentices on balancing your studies with work?

My advice would be to utilise the study day as best you can. I made sure I was up and about on my study day, finishing off pre-lecture work, attending live lectures and completing consolidation. It was almost like an actual working day, just that I was learning and not working.

I was quite strict with my study days during my apprenticeship. I rarely logged on to work or checked emails, as my study day was where I could focus hard on my learning.

Another tip would be to use your spare time wisely. I made sure I did some extra studies at the weekends, just so I was prepared for the week ahead. Just a few hours on a Saturday or a Sunday, sometimes both if an exam was coming up, but that extra work really went a long way and helped secure my understanding of topics and prepared me for lectures and exams.

You have successfully passed SQE 1 and 2! What is the secret to your success?

From my experience, time is the big concern when sitting SQE. If you can make the most of your time, both before and during the exam, you will be in a good place.

I started my revision five months before I sat SQE1. This gave me a good amount of time to prepare.

Making sure you attempt practice questions in timed conditions will be a massive help. I was nervous I would run out of time in the SQE1 exams as I was taking longer than the recommended time to answer questions. But by the time SQE1 came around, I found that because I had honed my exam technique quite well, I even had time left to check through my answers.

I found SQE2 to be more about focusing your knowledge into a skills-based framework, and applying what you know to the facts presented to you. The mock questions from BPP were very helpful. I found attempting them myself with access to my notes first helped to build my confidence. I then took away the notes and sat the mock papers in exam conditions, so I had experience of the time constraints in the actual exams for SQE 2.

The ‘Discussion of Assessment’ documents for the SQE 2 sample papers are also very helpful when it comes to understanding what the assessor is looking for in terms of the standard, as well as how best to set out your answers.

I also tried not to be too hard on myself throughout the whole process, and not ‘over-revise’ – if you can call it that. There were some challenging moments in the lead-up to exams, but I made sure to give myself plenty of breaks and down time to spend with my family and friends. Keeping active was a good release, as was finding an easy TV show to dip in and out of to give my mind a bit of a rest.

What support did you receive from BPP while completing the SQE prep course?

I found BPP to be very supportive in providing live teaching, comprehensive materials, MCQ practice, scenario practice for SQE2, and live revision lectures with tutors. The revision lectures were particularly helpful, as they were a couple of hours long for each topic and really focused on the core principles. BPP also ran formative assessments for SQE2 with their tutors, who provided feedback on my performance and areas for improvement, which was very useful. I also knew that the BPP tutors were available should I have any concerns.

All in all, I felt well supported throughout the process.

Join us on the afternoon of Wednesday 19 February for The Legal Cheek Pre-SQE Student Summit — in partnership with BPP University Law School. The summit will take place in both London and Manchester. Apply now.

 

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BPP student Samantha Howlett discusses her finding the right firm, balancing apprenticeship and parenthood, and her insider advice for acing SQE1

It was a personal experience with the legal system that motivated Samantha Howlett to pursue a career as a solicitor. “I saw how important it is for vulnerable people to understand their rights and feel like there is someone on their side,” she tells me. “This kickstarted my interest in law and my decision to finish my studies.” Already a mum of three, Howlett studied law as a mature student at the University of Essex. She then went on to study the SQE with BPP University Law School while completing a graduate solicitor apprenticeship at a private client firm based in London and Essex.

Howlett is currently working in the private family law department at her firm, an interest she has been developing since her undergraduate degree. “I’ve always been very interested in family law. At university I was student director of the law clinic for two years, where I worked really closely with the family law project and domestic and sexual abuse project,” she tells me.

I ask her about the process of securing qualifying work experience, a hurdle many aspiring lawyers struggle with. “I went for a few interviews with London firms and local firms which gave me a really good indication of what I was really looking for,” she responds. “I realised I was looking for a firm which felt more collegiate and decided to focus on firms in my local area.” She spoke to tutors at her university as well as university alumni, asking about their experiences with local firms. “That direct, face-to-face research was so important,” she says.
“When you’re looking for a firm, remember you’ll be spending a lot of time there so it has to be right for you.”

Offering some advice to current law students, Howlett says, “Have confidence in yourself.” She continues, “At my first few interviews I didn’t feel fully confident so I spent some time building up my confidence, practising talking about myself in a positive light – it’s not something that comes naturally to a lot of us!” This was pivotal in her ability to secure a graduate apprenticeship: “I could sell myself in interviews without feeling so awkward,” she laughs.

While working, Howlett has been studying with BPP and passed her SQE1 in July 2024. She sat SQE2 back in October and is waiting for her results. Looking back on her SQE journey, Howlett tells me how helpful the ability to study online with BPP while completing an apprenticeship has been. “The real benefit is being able to earn money while studying,” she says. “This is really important, especially for someone like me who has a young family to support.” Howlett spends four days a week in the office and studies in a live online classroom one day a week. “I find this works really well and I’m able to tackle my revision and studying at a steady pace,” she tells me. As well as providing income, working while studying can actually make the course content sink in faster, she explains: “I have been able to directly apply the practical skills the SQE teaches as I have learnt them, which is really good for consolidating the skills and knowledge. A lot of the core skills the SQE teaches are very applicable to my work.”

So, what was the secret to Howlett’s SQE1 success? “My first piece of advice is to break it down into manageable chunks,” she says. “It’s a huge exam, with a lot of content. It can be very overwhelming when you look at it as a whole.” She advises a more practical method: “Don’t overwhelm yourself by trying to cover absolutely everything. The best approach is to get a solid amount of knowledge on each module and prioritise breadth.” She also gives some useful tips for exam preparation and revision. “It really helped me to as many practice questions as possible,” she shares. “The more you’re used to the format of the exam, including the timing and how the questions are worded, the better you will do.”

She also cites the support she received from BPP during her prep course as a reason for her success. Of her tutors who delivered her regular live teaching, she says, “I really felt that they wanted me to pass and were willing to go the extra mile to help me out.” She goes on, “Every single one of them were happy to answer any question I had, and were prepared to receive emails and stay after sessions to give explanations.” She tells me that the online resources are “easily accessible and clearly laid out”, commenting that, “I was very well-guided during the course and never felt like I was left to do it alone.”

Juggling work, studying and childcare responsibilities is no mean feat. I ask Howlett how she manages her time to fit in all these commitments. “It’s really challenging – I’ve got to be honest,” she says frankly, adding, “I think I’ll be looking for that perfect balance for a very long time.” However, she is keen to point out the advantages that being a parent has given her. “There are lots of skills that you have as a mother that are very transferable to the law,” she begins. “The organisational skills I learned through parenting, have really helped me in my career so far. As a parent, organisation is so important – you have to have your life organised down to the minute sometimes,” she laughs. In terms of advice, she would offer others balancing the same responsibilities, she says, “It is workable. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself and make sure you have a good support network to rely on.”

Join us TOMORROW for our virtual student event “SQE student panel: all your questions answered — in partnership with BPP University Law School”.

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BPP award leader Allison Banks joins successful SQE candidates to discuss the challenges

The Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) continues to present a formidable challenge to aspiring solicitors, with over half of candidates who sat SQE1 in July 2024 failing to pass both papers. These statistics place even greater pressure on students to beat the odds, and increase uncertainty around the most effective preparation techniques.

With that in mind, during a recent Legal Cheek virtual event (full video above) BPP took a deep dive into why, overall, so many candidates are underperforming, and how to avoid these pitfalls.

The discussion was led by BPP’s award leader, senior lecturer and fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Allison Banks, who was be joined by a panel of successful SQE candidates from BPP, including Brian Okwaisie, Charlotte Isted, Chloe Hayes and Jacqueline Andra Bot. Together, they examined the format and content of the assessments, common pitfalls in the preparation process and the most effective study techniques. The speakers also shared their experiences of sitting the exams, and offered advice to those considering this route to qualification as a solicitor.

Additionally, the event closed with a virtual networking session with the BPP University Law School team, who answered attendees’ follow-up questions and provided further careers advice.

Legal Cheek is running ‘The SQE series’ with BPP University Law School. The video of each session will be made available one month after each virtual event together with further FAQs arising from each session which SQE experts from BPP are answering.

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SQE student Brian Okwaisie discusses balancing revision strategies and why he chose BPP

The introduction of the SQE in 2021 transformed the qualification process for future solicitors in the UK. Its roll-out has been far from smooth, marred by organisational chaos, marking errors and strikingly low pass rates — with only 44% of candidates passing SQE1 this summer.

Many students face the challenge of tackling these rigorous exams while juggling jobs and applying for vacation schemes and training contracts. To learn how to navigate such a demanding schedule, I spoke with Brian Okwaisie, a student enrolled in the SQE 1+2 LLM program at BPP University Law School, about his strategies for successfully passing SQE1 while managing a host of other commitments.

Balancing competing commitments is a common struggle SQE students face while preparing for their exams. Okwaisie opted to take BPP’s SQE 1+2 LLM course online, allowing himself some extra flexibility. “I chose BPP because of their success rate compared to some other SQE providers I looked at,” he tells me. Okwaisie goes on to give me an insight into what his typical week looked like on the SQE1 prep course. “I had around five two-hour online workshops each week. You are expected to turn up to the sessions knowing the content so you can spend the session going through practice questions and asking clarification questions to your tutor,” he says. Okwaisie admits that this made for a challenging weekly timetable: “To be honest, I didn’t have much of a work/life balance. It was very much just working and studying for those three months.”

I am curious to know how BPP supported Okwaisie as he completed the SQE1 prep course. “The support from BPP was really good. I had the option to study my course online which was really good because it allowed me a bit more flexibility,” he responds. He also mentions the support of the tutors at BPP:

“Sometimes when you’re balancing study and work you will get behind on a few tasks but my tutors were very happy to help me catch up and they were always available to answer questions over email,” he tells me.

BPP tutors also play a role in helping students manage their time to prevent themselves falling behind. “I was given a personal tutor who could help me manage my time and create a plan for balancing work and studying,” Okwaisie says. “I was able to go and see my tutor and discuss my progress and my wider career goals.”

Okwaisie shared some of his top tips for staying sane while coping with a challenging workload. “What really helped was making lists when I felt overwhelmed. This helped me break down my work into manageable chunks and be practical instead of panicking,” he says. “I had a detailed timetable to make sure I knew what I needed to do.”

I am curious to know about the revision strategies that helped Okwaisie pass SQE1. “My first tip would be to start early,” he says. “I was revising the content little and often from the start of the course.” He also recommends identifying your weaker topics and targeting your revision accordingly. “I had existing knowledge of some of the SQE topics from my undergraduate law degree, but I needed to refresh my knowledge on subjects like land law which I hadn’t studied since my second year. I identified topics like these which I would need to work harder on. I blocked out time in the week to go over these topics, for me it was on a Sunday.”

Okwaisie adapted his approach as the exam drew nearer. “When the SQE course finished in December, I focused on doing practice questions, making a Word document of the questions I got wrong along with a note of the underlying law.” Again, starting this process early was key. “By the time it got to January, I had a 20 or 30-page document for each FLK (Functioning Legal Knowledge paper) which covered the topics I was weaker on. I tried to go through these every day.”

All this hard work paid off and Okwaisie passed the SQE1. I ask about how the SQE experience differed from that of his undergraduate law degree. “Because I was studying my undergrad during the pandemic, I actually didn’t have any in-person exams. Instead, we had 24-hour open book exams,” Okwaisie explains, raising the fact that the SQE may prove particularly challenging for this current generation of ‘Covid graduates’. “During the SQE, you’re in that hall by yourself with no notes,” Okwaisie says. “I had to approach my preparation differently and focus on memorising the content as well as understanding it.”

Okwaisie is currently waiting for the results of his SQE2 exam which he sat a few weeks ago. Looking to the future, he tells me about the careers support BPP offers in addition to the SQE prep course. “There’s the BPP futures website which has a jobs board,” he says. “You can also send applications over to the careers service who will review them for you. I am finding this very helpful as I’m hoping to qualify as a solicitor at a commercial firm.”

Brian Okwaisie will be speaking at ‘Why is the SQE so hard to pass? — with BPP University Law School’, a virtual student event taking place TOMORROW (Tuesday 26 November). Apply now to attend.

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BPP’s Head of Outreach joins law students and trainees to discuss all-things QWE

Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) is a key component of the new SQE regime, providing students with significantly more flexibility in how they qualify as a solicitor.

With that in mind, during a recent Legal Cheek virtual event (full video above), a panel session led by Jonny Hurst, BPP’s Head of Outreach and former City law firm partner, delved into all aspects of QWE.

The informative discussion covered a range of topics, including building a QWE portfolio at multiple employers, graduate solicitor apprenticeships, and getting sponsored for a two-year QWE training contract at a single employer.

Hurst was joined by current and former BPP students Kelechi Angel Nwichi-Holdsworth (graduate solicitor apprentice at The Limehouse Project), Chloe Hayes (undertaking QWE in BPP’s Social Impact Team) and Henry Davine (trainee solicitor at Accutrainee). Together they shared their experiences of gaining QWE and offered advice to students on how to qualify using the QWE pathways.

Additionally, the event closed with a virtual networking session with the BPP University Law School team, who answered attendees’ follow-up questions and provided further careers advice.

Legal Cheek is running ‘The SQE series’ with BPP University Law School. The video of each session will be made available one month after each virtual event together with further FAQs arising from each session which SQE experts from BPP are answering.

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Chloe Hayes, a trainee solicitor in BPP’s Social Impact Team, discusses her pioneering QWE route to becoming a solicitor

“I’m originally from South Africa and began my law degree there. After about three months, I realised I wanted to move countries, so I started again at Durham University, pursuing an LLB,” explains Chloe Hayes. Having successfully completed the SQE1 and SQE2 exams last year, she is now three and a half months into her role as a trainee solicitor at the housing clinic in BPP’s Social Impact Team—and loving it.

“Two months in, my supervisor told me we had a case in the county court and that I should represent the client — submissions, cross-examinations, the works,” she tells Legal Cheek Careers. She enjoys this fast-paced, hit-the-ground-running aspect of the clinic. “There is so much demand for our work, representing clients from lower socio-economic backgrounds who would otherwise be unable to access justice. Being thrown into the deep end has its advantages,” Hayes says. She notes that her supervising solicitor is incredibly supportive, but having to handle things independently after the initial guidance has been instrumental in demystifying the court process. “It’s not as scary as I once thought, and I now love litigation!” she says.

Hayes is one of five BPP alumni who are employed each year in paid six-month QWE placements in the university’s Social Impact Team. Recounting how she came to spend time in the housing clinic, Hayes explains that she initially volunteered at BPP’s Legal Advice Clinic while studying for the SQE, always being drawn to social welfare law and closing the access to justice gap that so many people, but especially women, face. Her current work perfectly complements these aspirations. “We only advise tenants, usually against councils — never landlords. Our clients are usually from low socio-economic backgrounds, who do not qualify for legal aid mostly due to government cuts so they come to us to close that gap, and our services are completely free,” explains Hayes. In addition to the housing clinic, there are also a family clinic, an enterprise clinic, a consumer clinic, and a welfare clinic.

“As for a typical day, it varies a lot,” Hayes tells us. A client interview, followed by research on the issue and sending out an advice letter, are typical tasks. She also assists clients in litigation, sometimes representing them before the county court and tribunals. “This involves a lot of statements of case, submissions, replies, witness statements, and evidence collection—it’s brilliant experience,” she notes enthusiastically.

Hayes also flags a pro bono project called Streetlaw, where BPP’s trainee lawyers visit schools, women’s refuge centres, homeless shelters, and many other community groups to educate on certain aspects of the law. They also visit prisons to educate prison communities on matters such as probation and how a criminal record might legally affect their lives after prison. . “Just last week, we did a ‘Goldilocks session’ with a class of 10-year-olds, teaching them about the criminal justice system by putting Goldilocks on trial for burglary and criminal damage — it was fabulous,” she recounts, smiling.

We then asked Hayes what the most rewarding aspect of her time in the housing clinic has been so far. “Representing a client for the first time in the county court, definitely.  Naturally, it’s very daunting, but the judge was so nice, and you realise that it’s not about having a fight. Rather, the end goal is to find an equitable solution while still advocating for your client’s needs,” Hayes points out.

On the flip side, the most challenging aspect of her time at the clinic has been time management. “The clinic is so oversubscribed because there are so many people who need the help we offer. Initially, I tried to do as much work as possible, and it took me a  few weeks to figure out how to communicate well with my supervisor.   At first, I struggled to let him know when I was snowed under. But once I communicated that, he was very understanding and worked with me to plan out upcoming deadlines,” she says. Hayes notes that as trainees, there is often an eagerness to please supervisors by taking everything on, but stepping back and communicating when you’re overwhelmed is crucial and very normal.

Having figured out how communication and time management go hand-in-hand, what’s been Hayes’ biggest takeaway from the clinic during her first three months? “This is going to sound so cheesy,” she cautions, laughing, “but it’s that I’ve realised that I was born to do this job!” She explains that a key worry she had was starting to train as a solicitor and realising that the role wasn’t quite what she expected or enjoyed, after having invested significant amounts of time, money and effort into completing a degree and the SQE. “Luckily for me, that hasn’t been the case. Even on the bad days, I really do feel that I love this job,” she says.

Hayes is now just over halfway through her six-month period of Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) in BPP’s Social Impact Team. Under the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) regime, aspiring lawyers are able to qualify by accruing two years’ worth of QWE in up to four different organisations. This introduces greater flexibility into the qualification process by opening up additional avenues alongside the traditional training contract route. Hayes plans to seek further opportunities in a range of practice areas following completion of her QWE in the housing clinic, to stay on track to qualify in 2026.

To finish up our conversation, Hayes offers some practical tips to stay on top of recording QWE. “Keep a weekly record of what you do – you’ll need two years’ worth of records when you apply to be admitted to the roll of solicitors. Even on a weekly basis it can sometimes be difficult to remember every task you’ve worked on if you haven’t actually written it down, and you will be working on a lot– so really make sure you’re diligent about recording, because if not, you’d be shooting yourself in the foot when it comes to getting the QWE signed off at the end of the two-year period,” she advises.

Chloe Hayes will be speaking at ‘How to get Qualifying Work Experience — with BPP University Law School’, a virtual student event taking place this Thursday (11 July). Apply now to attend.

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‘Deeply honoured’, says Amy Marren

A solicitor apprentice has been awarded an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours 2024 for her contribution to further education and apprenticeships.

Amy Marren, a final year solicitor apprentice at BPP and former GB Paralympian, has been made a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.

After taking a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Paralympics in the 200m individual medley, Marren made the switch to law, taking up a solicitor apprenticeship with BPP’s legal team.

Noted in her citation as “a tireless promoter of the opportunities apprenticeships offer”, Marren has established and run the first Legal Apprentice Society, served as a panel member for the Institute of Apprenticeships and Technical Education under the Department of Education, and is an Apprentice Ambassador for the London Apprenticeship Ambassador Network.

“I am deeply honoured to receive this MBE,” she said.

“It has been incredibly rewarding to see the growth of the Legal Apprentice Society and to be part of initiatives that support apprentices across the country”, she continued. “I am grateful for the support from BPP and my colleagues, and I look forward to continuing our work to enhance and expand apprenticeship opportunities.”

Alongside her Rio success, Marren also took home a host of medals three years earlier at the 2013 IPC Swimming World Championships.

Want to find our more about solicitor apprenticeship opportunities? Check out The Legal Cheek Solicitor Apprenticeship Most List 2024, your go-to guide on everything from pay and locations to number of places and training structure.

BPP’s Head of Outreach joins future trainees to discuss the key considerations when selecting a prep course

With so many options available, choosing the right Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) course can feel overwhelming for aspiring lawyers.

During a recent Legal Cheek virtual event (full video embedded above), Jonny Hurst, BPP’s Head of Outreach and former partner at a City law firm, teamed up with SQE1 Award Leader Julie Harris to discuss key factors to consider when making this crucial decision, including costs, pass rates, reputation and content.

They were joined by future trainees from two City firms and a current trainee from BPP’s Social Impact Team, who shared their experiences of preparing for the exams and offered advice to those considering this route to qualification as solicitors.

Legal Cheek is running ‘The SQE series’ with BPP University Law School. The video of each session will be made available one month after each virtual event together with further FAQs arising from each session which SQE experts from BPP are answering.

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BPP student Ifeoluwa Aderibigbe shares her experience and why legal work can be the key to success

“The Solicitors Qualifying Exams (SQE) have been interesting,” says Ifeoluwa Aderibigbe, current SQE 1&2 LLM student at BPP University Law School. “I’ve never had to do anything like this before, because all of my exams on my law degree were essay-based. So, it’s taken me some time to get used to the multiple-choice question (MCQ) style.” With this interview coming straight off the back of Aderibigbe finishing her SQE2 exams, Legal Cheek Careers is keen to find out more about her experience so far.

“Even though I’ve done work in a legal clinic, I had never engaged with legal drafting and legal research prior to starting SQE2 preparation, so it has come as somewhat of a challenge,” notes Aderibigbe. “But overall, I’ve found the experience really beneficial because it has taught me so many of the skills that I’ve needed for my work at BPP’s Legal Clinic.”  By working for BPP’s Social Impact team, Aderibigbe is building up her Qualifying Work Experience (QWE). This means that by the time she finishes her six-month placement with BPP, she will have completed 25% of her QWE if she decides to qualify via the QWE portfolio route.

However, she still hopes to secure a two-year traditional training contract at a single employer. “My SQE experience has been really fundamental in helping me to build the skills that I use day-to-day working on cases at the clinic, but also to help build those skills that I’ll need when I ultimately become a qualified solicitor,” she explains.

Talking on why she chose BPP as a provider, she tells us that it’s undeniable that the pass rate influenced her choice. “It’s significantly higher than the national average at BPP, so I wanted to ensure that I was choosing a provider which would give me the best chance of success,” she explains. “And, I have to say that I have no regrets choosing BPP as a provider for the SQE. We’re provided with revision notes and videos which help you to navigate the knowledge that you need to bring over from a law degree,” she says.

“And aside from this, the structure of teaching at BPP is very good,” she continues. “Before each class, we’re all given a ‘prepare task’, and during the session we’re given an ‘apply task’, which really helped me personally to cement my knowledge.”

So, she says, even during SQE1 preparation, students already have an idea of the types of skills they’ll need for SQE2 — given that most of the knowledge tested is ‘applied’ within the classroom. “The tasks that we’re given throughout, whether these are the tasks during each session or the practice exams, all really resonated with the actual formulation of the exams, so in my opinion BPP’s SQE prep course can’t be faulted,” she explains.

After announcing last year that BPP was taking on five ‘qualifying work experience’ trainees to work within its pro bono clinic, Aderibigbe found herself as one of the law school’s first student recruits. We probed her on the kind of work she’s been undertaking. “I had some previous experience in BPP’s Legal Advice Clinic, so I wanted to explore my legal journey with the Social Impact team,” she explains. “But since I’ve started, I advise on civil litigation matters which really relate to what I’ll be doing in practice. I meet with clients and conduct client interviews with a solicitor supervisor, and afterwards I send letters of advice out to each client on their case,” she says. “So, it helps me both to revise all of the knowledge I’ve learned throughout my undergraduate degree and the SQE exams, but also to put this knowledge into practice.”

Although she’s still planning on going down the traditional training contract route rather than building her QWE across multiple organisations, this experience is guaranteed to help her stand out from the TC-hunting crowd. “Interviewing clients is something which I’ve always wanted to do. I really enjoy the aspect of seeing a case through from start to finish, and I find it so rewarding to be able build my confidence and experience,” she says. Working with a lot of qualified solicitors, she tells us that it’s also been incredible exposure to legal practice.

Noting how much this experience helped her in the SQE2 exams, she says:

 “I would advise anyone taking SQE2 to gain work experience before they take the exam. It really helps. When I walked into the client interviewing assessment on the SQE2 exam, it felt so natural because this is something that I do every day at work!”

Aderibigbe will be speaking at Legal Cheek’s event, “SQE courses: everything you need to know”, which is just around the corner, on 6 June. With this in mind, we quiz her on her general advice for SQE students. “The first tip I would give is to make the decision not to self-study. Self-study for the SQE is not going to take you as far as with a provider. There are some things my tutors taught me in class which are not in the materials, yet still became fundamental to my success on the exams,” she explains. “Aside from this, as I mentioned previously, work experience really is key to the SQE2 exams. And, finally, although practice exams are key, try not to focus solely on MCQ prep. Broadening your knowledge so that it’s applicable widely to many types of questions prevents students from the path-dependency that comes with over-reliance on previous practice exam answers.”

On a final note, she urges SQE students to prepare for all eventualities. “The SQE exams can surprise you. Choosing to study in a way which is new or unfamiliar to you may be the key to success. Expect the unexpected”.

Ifeoluwa Aderibigbe will be speaking at ‘SQE courses: everything you need to know — with BPP University Law School’, a virtual student event taking place on Thursday 6 June. Apply now to attend.

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BPP’s Head of Client Development, Liz Ritter, talks apprenticeships, exam performance and ‘teething problems’ with the new route

“For the last five years, I’ve really been living and breathing SQE,” says Liz Ritter, BPP’s Head of Client Development. Six years after qualifying at Magic Circle law firm Clifford Chance, Ritter made the move into the learning and development space, and has since spent most of her career at BPP and in law firm learning and development. “For me, making this shift was all about having the opportunity to work with individuals; helping them become the best lawyers that they can be and supporting them to develop their own skills in their chosen careers.” Now, her role sees her helping legal employers of all varieties to navigate their way through the SQE system, identifying different pathways and programmes that best suit their business needs.

With the SQE firmly ingrained in her day-to-day, Legal Cheek Careers asks Ritter for her thoughts on its rollout over the past couple of years. “There have clearly been some teething problems. That’s partially since the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and Kaplan have had to scale up so considerably as more students and law firms have transitioned over to the new pathways,” she explains. But it’s not all negative. “At BPP, we meet with the SRA and Kaplan on a fairly regular basis to pass on feedback that we gather from our student body and from the employers we work with,” she says. “These discussions have led to some positive changes, like those recently made to the booking system, which have had a positive impact on the SQE administration.”

But it would be no lie to suggest that these ‘teething problems’ have impacted confidence in the SQE regime, says Ritter, who will be chairing an SQE discussion at the LegalEdCon 2024. “These teething issues have had an impact on confidence in the administration of the SQE, but separately there is also a question of confidence as to whether the SQE in its current format is the best way to determine competence for future lawyers. There are very capable candidates who would make great solicitors but who are struggling in particular with SQE1.”

She continues: “From an employer perspective, one of their key concerns is certainty, and I don’t think we’re there yet. This is really important to employers, given their need to advance plan recruitment and resourcing.”

It seems though, with the release of recent data, that there is one group of qualifiers reaping the rewards of the SQE regime. “I’m a massive champion of the school-leaver solicitor apprenticeship route,” says Ritter, acknowledging the success of apprentices when it comes to the qualifying exams. “I work very closely with many employers who are implementing these apprenticeships, and it’s been absolutely fantastic to see the success of so many apprentices making their way through to qualification.” But why are this group of aspiring lawyers so successful, particularly on the SQE2 assessments? Ritter tells us apprentices “sit the SQE2 exams towards the end of their six-year programme, and the SQE2 is ideally suited for apprentices because they’ve already built five or six years of practical, on the job experience.”

Since the implementation of the SQE regime, the school-leaver apprenticeship route is just one of the various pathways available for qualification with BPP. “This is one of the real advantages of the introduction of the SQE: it enables multiple routes to qualification. I don’t think you can say one is better than the other because different pathways suit different individuals and different employers,” Ritters says. Many law firms have opted to ‘frontload’ SQE preparation before the beginning of training contracts because they value the certainty that this brings, Ritter explains.

“Frontloading the SQE has also enabled law schools to offer programmes that help future lawyers develop wider knowledge and skills which align more closely with the type of work they’ll be doing when they hit the ground as a trainee. It makes these SQE candidates more practice ready.” She continues: “For example, our very popular master’s programme goes well beyond the SQE curriculum, with different pathways according to the type of organisation that they want to work in (general practice, commercial or corporate), together with an awareness of the impact of ESG, legal tech and AI on the practice of law.”

Equally, the graduate apprenticeship model is particularly attractive to aspiring lawyers and employers, according to Ritter. “What’s exciting is the range of different organisations that have chosen to adopt the graduate solicitor apprenticeship and that previously might not have been able to support or sponsor aspiring solicitors in the same way,” she tells us. “We’re working with law centres and charities, law firms of all sizes, in-house legal teams, local authorities, police authorities and public bodies like the Government Legal Department. These diverse types of organisations provide new and varied opportunities, so that’s hugely attractive.”

With numerous qualification pathways emerging since the introduction of the SQE, we ask Ritter how BPP is uniquely preparing its students for success. “Most of our students are on modes of study that benefit from regular, live teaching from tutors who are experts in their fields, with access to our high-quality resources and MCQ practice questions, all supported by AI driven educational technology platforms to help students to success,” she says. “Our programmes also focus at every stage on development of practice-ready skills, using realistic case studies and incorporating trainee-type tasks as part of their learning.” In BPP’s latest results, 79% of first-time test-takers passed SQE1 in January 2024 across all cohorts, based on the verified results of over 75% of BPP’s students. “Ultimately,” says Ritter, “we’re preparing students for success in the assessments, but we’re also preparing them for success in their future careers.”

Liz Ritter will be chairing a session on the developments to the SQE at LegalEdCon 2024, Legal Cheek’s annual future of legal education and training conference, which takes place in-person on Thursday 16 May at Kings Place, London. Final release tickets for the Conference can be purchased here.

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BPP’s Head of Outreach joins SQE Award Leaders and future trainees to discuss part one of the solicitors’ assessment

The Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) is now just over three years old, and multiple cohorts have already completed both the SQE1 and SQE2 assessments.

During a recent Legal Cheek virtual event (full video above), a panel session led by BPP’s Head of Outreach and former City law firm partner Jonny Hurst, along with SQE Award Leaders Allison Banks (responsible for City Consortium Plus Programme and Essentials for Practice) and Ayesha Anandappa (overseeing LPC Firm Specific and Essentials for Practice), delved into all aspects of SQE1.

The informative discussion covered a range of topics, including the format, booking process, content, and assessments for SQE1. Additionally, it featured an interactive analysis of sample questions aimed at helping aspiring lawyers understand what to expect.

The panel also included current SQE students from BPP who have recently passed SQE1, such as Mikaela Hristova, a future trainee at Stephenson Harwood, and Christian Stocker, a future trainee at Walker Morris. Together, they shared insights into their course experiences and offered advice to those considering the SQE route.

Legal Cheek is running ‘The SQE series’ with BPP University Law School. The video of each session will be made available one month after each virtual event together with further FAQs arising from each session which SQE experts from BPP are answering.

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BPP’s Head of Outreach joins future trainees for an in-depth look at part two of the centralised assessment

Now well into its third year, the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) has seen multiple cohorts complete both SQE1 and SQE2 exams. Yet, for aspiring solicitors, these assessments continue to present a daunting prospect.

During a recent Legal Cheek virtual event (full video embedded above), Jonny Hurst, BPP’s Head of Outreach and former partner at a City law firm, teamed up with Laura Bains, BPP’s SQE2 Award Leader, to delve into part two of the centralised assessment.

They were joined by students who are going through the process themselves, including Madelaine Moss, current SQE student and future trainee at Addleshaw Goddard, Jasmine Sayany, future trainee at Watson Farley & Williams, and Daria Slavnova, who is currently studying the SQE LLM with BPP.

The panel shared their experiences, insights gained, and lessons learned, while also offering a comprehensive overview of SQE2 content, format, booking process, and pass rates. Additionally, the event featured an interactive analysis of a sample SQE2 question and a discussion on strategies for maximising success in these challenging assessments.

Legal Cheek is running ‘The SQE series’ with BPP University Law School. The video of each session will be made available one month after each virtual event together with further FAQs arising from each session which SQE experts from BPP are answering.

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Mix of concern and anger

Senior figures at some of the country’s biggest law schools have responded to this morning’s news that nearly 200 aspiring lawyers were mistakenly told they had failed parts of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE).

Kaplan and the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) today apologised for a calculation error that resulted in 175 students being informed that they had failed either Functioning Legal Knowledge 1 and/or Functioning Legal Knowledge 2 (the two parts of SQE1), when in fact they had passed.

A goodwill payment of £250 is being offered to those candidates for the “upset caused by this matter”.

Reacting to today’s news, Jonny Hurst, presenter of SQE TV, branded the situation an “omnishambles”.

“It’s hard to fathom, isn’t it?” he wrote on LinkedIn. “Some of these candidates will have lost training contracts, which may, after all, now be recoverable. Others will have incurred considerable financial losses, such as accommodation costs and cancelled course fees. And then there are those who may have made significant life decisions off the back of January’s SQE1 ‘fail’. All will have been put through unnecessary distress and anxiety and my heart goes out to each and every one of you.”

“As someone who has been in legal education for over 15 years, I can appreciate how easy it is for a small error to have such far-reaching consequences,” said Hurst.

“The compensation being offered to the affected candidates (£250) will be a drop in the ocean to most. It certainly won’t cover many of their financial losses or the untold negative affect on their mental health. Looks like the SQE is as tough to administer as it is to pass,” Hurst continued.

In a statement to Legal Cheek, BPP’s dean, Jo-Anne Pugh, added, “We are aware of the error and are providing support to the affected students”.

Also reacting to the news, The University of Law‘s deputy vice-chancellor law, Professor Peter Crisp told us:

“Our concern is with those of our students whose future careers may have been impacted by this error. This includes those who may have been reliant on a positive result to secure a training contract. We are working closely with those students affected and our client firms to ensure they are appropriately supported.”

Meanwhile, BARBRI Global’s managing director Lucie Allen said she was concerned by today’s news and that “whilst this is positive for the students who have now passed, it is worrying that an error on this scale has happened”.

“Students will have been impacted in all sorts of ways which are significant and need to be thoroughly reviewed and understood,” she told Legal Cheek. “I am not sure the compensation offered addresses the extent of the repercussions experienced. BARBRI have put in place measures to support students and urge anyone impacted to reach out.

Finally, The College of Legal Practice issued a statement on LinkedIn expressing its deep disappointment, highlighting that the error will have greatly affected students’ wellbeing, confidence and finances. “We are seeing increased levels of anxiety both from our students and those thinking about taking the SQE and this will add to those concerns,” it said.

Dr Giles Proctor, the law school’s CEO, also commented on our coverage of the story.

“The latest from the Solicitors Regulation Authority in terms of their continuing problems with their running of the SQE, Proctor said. “Mistakes do occur and have quite rightly been addressed in this case. However, there is a wider issue emerging here around the dialogue from the SRA with firms, providers and students and how concerns are listened to and addressed.”

“More clear communication is needed and a sense of careful planning and discussion rather than just ploughing on with the same systems,” Proctor continued. “Otherwise, the really important stakeholders in all this, the students undergoing SQE, will continue to be under huge pressure and suffer from mistakes like this.”

Mikaela Hristova, future trainee solicitor at Stephenson Harwood and current BPP SQE student, discusses her exam experience

Mikaela Hristova, a future trainee solicitor at Stephenson Harwood, recently completed and passed SQE1 in January. Recounting her post-exam worries, she tells me, “for FLK 2, I was convinced that I’d failed, but I ended up being in the top quintile. It just goes to show, you never know!”

Like many SQE1 candidates, Hristova felt very anxious going into her SQE LLM course at BPP. “The main issue is the uncertainty, just because the SQE is such a new process of qualifying. The information that is out there is, I would say, more negative than it is positive,” she says. Even towards the end, Hristova did not feel better about her prospects. “I was hearing about all these amazing and exceptional students going to top firms who were failing SQE1. I felt that no matter how much work I put into it, there was a 50-50 chance that I would fail, which is a huge gamble.”

It is safe to say Hristova worked hard regardless. When discussing her study technique, she explains that she developed a study system based on her visual learning style. “I was doing a lot of mind maps with a mixture of things.” She recalls taking screenshots of diagrams and flow charts from the resources provided by BPP, then annotating them in mind maps.

She also used flash cards to revise the multiple-choice questions (MCQs) she had answered incorrectly in practice papers. In the final month leading up to the exams, Hristova copied her study notes onto sticky notes, which she then stuck onto her fridge. “Every morning I would spend maybe one or two hours going through every single thing,” she says. “Even the legal rules that I knew and was quite comfortable with, I would really make sure I knew them.”

However, Hristova stresses the importance of being strategic with your learning when it comes to SQE1. “The thing with it is that it’s a very holistic exam. Sometimes it’s about breadth, not depth,” she explains. “Get the general principles, ask the questions in class and all that, but move on afterwards because we just need to be very strategic with how much there is that can come up in the exams.”

While Hristova happily divulges her study methods, she also notes that they may not work for everyone. In her study group, she saw that her peers all had very different approaches. Seeing that some of her classmates were solely doing practice questions in the final month, Hristova at times felt that she was adopting the wrong tactics. “I was putting so much pressure on myself that I started doing MCQs for a whole week, but in the end, I knew that it wasn’t working for me,” she explains. Now, she believes that students should feel less guilty about taking more time to understand the material, because what really matters is just knowing and understanding the law. “If flash cards work better, then just do flashcards. If MCQs work better, just do MCQs.”

I assumed that Hristova would find the SQE’s biggest challenge to be the volume of information that candidates are expected to learn and retain, but that was not the case. “The hardest part for me was actually just going in with the idea that there was a possibility that I might fail regardless of how much work I had done.” It’s no surprise then, that her tutor’s advice to think and stay positive was instrumental throughout her SQE1 preparations. Reflecting on the importance of mental health support during this period, Hristova remarks, “I was very lucky to have a tutor at BPP who would always make the time to speak to me after class and address my concerns”.

When I ask Hristova for her advice for future SQE1 candidates, Hristova offers these words of hope and encouragement: “Don’t focus too much on the negative news out there. Even though there is a lot of uncertainty, hard work actually equals very good results in the end.”

It’s clear that a strong mindset has been crucial to Hristova’s success, whether with exams or with securing a training contract. She explains that she met the firm at law fairs on multiple occasions, building connections and strengthening her resolve to secure a vacation scheme with them. “Getting a training contract is about persistence, so it’s important to stay at it and taking advantage of as many experiences as you can get”, advises Hristova.

In this vein, she notes the importance of “getting yourself out there and speaking to people” as the key to securing legal opportunities. “I attended so many Legal Cheek events. I reached out to a lot of people on LinkedIn. I asked a lot of people about their experience with applications, and I was quite surprised to find that there are actually so many trainees and future trainees who are willing to help.”

As we approach the end of our conversation, Hristova explains that she stood out in her applications by showing how her personality and career aspirations matched the firm she was applying to. “This will sound like such a cliché but it’s just about being yourself – not being afraid to talk about your experiences and how they shaped you as an aspiring lawyer.”

Mikaela Hristova will be speaking at “A deep dive into SQE1 – with BPP University Law School” a virtual student event taking place this Thursday (11 April). Apply now to attend.

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