Solicitors Qualification Exam Archives - Legal Cheek

Regulator unveils changes to SQE appeals and complaints process

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 06:40:57 +0000

Aims to improve fairness, says SRA

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has announced changes to its SQE appeals and complaints policies, aiming to improve fairness, transparency, and accessibility for students.

One of the main tweaks to the appeals policy is the introduction of “conditional appeals” for mitigating circumstances. This means students can appeal a mitigating circumstances decision if they have new evidence that was not available at the time of their original claim.

Other updates announced by the regulator this week include a clearer process for candidates who miss deadlines for submitting documents or evidence, and a new right for candidates to request copies of documents considered at the first stage of appeal. The SRA says this will help candidates decide whether to continue with their appeal.

The SQE Hub: Your ultimate resource for all things SQE

The changes also confirm that independent members will remain part of appeal panels to ensure fairness.

Another key change is the introduction of a review panel to consider late appeals, which will only be accepted in “exceptional circumstances” and subject to a reduced fee for initial review. If the panel agrees there is a valid reason for the delay, the appeal will then proceed as normal.

The updated appeals policy will apply to all SQE candidates sitting assessments from July 2025 onwards. Candidates who sat the SQE before this date will remain under the previous policy.

Changes have also been made to the complaints policy to “enhance clarity” and make the process easier to follow. It also clarifies what happens if a complaint is submitted late and explains why the deadline is in place.

The updates follow recent changes by the regulator to simplify the process for students applying for reasonable adjustments. You can check these out here.

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Thinking about SQE1? Watch this taster workshop on demand

Fri, 02 May 2025 11:35:51 +0000

Hilary Chadwick, BPP’s Head of Law and a qualified solicitor, guides you through it

Now in its fourth year, the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) regime continues to present a daunting challenge for aspiring solicitors. Even with multiple cohorts having completed both SQE1 and SQE2, the assessments remain rigorous and demanding.

With this in mind, a recent workshop led by Hilary Chadwick, BPP’s Head of Law and a qualified solicitor, offered valuable insights into the benefits of live teaching when preparing for SQE1. The session began with a brief introduction to a new area of law, followed by practice multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and an interactive analysis of the answers — giving attendees a realistic glimpse into the SQE1 learning experience.

BPP

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

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.

Find out more about studying the SQE at BPP University Law School

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Super-regulator demands SQE provider pass rate transparency by Autumn 2025

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 09:19:50 +0000

SRA delay draws criticism

The Legal Services Board (LSB) has raised concerns over the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA) failure to publish SQE provider pass rates, setting a deadline of Autumn 2025 for the data to be released.

The delay was highlighted in a new performance report by the LSB, which reviewed the solicitors’ regulator’s performance over the past year.

The LSB said it is “concerned about the SRA’s failure to publish provider pass-rate data for Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) training providers, as well as other concerns about SQE including affordability, design and quality”.

The SQE Hub: Your ultimate resource for all things SQE

“The SRA’s failure to publish provider pass-rate data, despite it making a commitment to do so, means that SQE candidates do not have all the information they need to make informed choices,” the LSB continued. “We expect the SRA to remedy this situation as soon as possible and by no later than autumn of 2025.”

Legal Cheek reported earlier this year that this SRA still wasn’t in position to go public with the provider pass rates, citing “unexpected problems” with the data.

The regulator initially pledged to publish pass rates by training provider in “late 2023”, but missed this deadline, blaming a lack of “sufficient data”.

The LSB’s new report uses a traffic light system to assess regulators across three categories: well-led, regulatory approach, and operational delivery. The SRA received a red rating for operational delivery. Similarly, the Bar Standards Board (BSB) was rated red for both operational delivery and well-led.

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SQE1 pass rate drops to just 44%

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 09:58:35 +0000

Lowest success rate so far

Less than half of students passed the most recent sitting of part one of the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE).

The latest statistical report from the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) shows that, of the 5,006 candidates who attempted both parts SQE1 in July 2024, only 44% passed. This is the lowest success rate to date and represents a notable drop from the 56% pass rate for the January sitting.

The SQE was formally introduced in September 2021 as the new route to solicitor qualification. SQE1 focuses on functioning legal knowledge (FLK) whilst SQE2 focuses on legal skills.

The SQE Hub: Your ultimate resource for all things SQE

The report, published yesterday, shows the pass rate was slightly higher among those sitting the exam for the first time, at 48%. The pass rates for the two papers that make up SQE1 — FLK1 and FLK2 — were 55% and 50%, respectively, for all candidates.

Earlier this year, Kaplan, the company responsible for administering the SQE, issued an apology after 175 students were mistakenly informed that they had failed parts of their assessments.

Want to know more about the SQE? Be sure to check it out our SQE Hub for more information on the law schools offering support one the new pathway as well as more information about the assessment itself.

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SQE2 pass rate rises again to 79%

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 14:47:24 +0000

Over 2,000 aspiring lawyers sat latest exams

Results for the most recent sittings of part two of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) have been released today, with the number of students passing the exams rising again up to 79%.

This pass rate is slightly higher for those sitting the exam for the first time (81%), and marks a 6% increase from the last sittings which saw 73% of budding solicitors pass.

The SQE2 comprises 16 stations, with 12 of these entailing written exams and four requiring oral assessments. These are designed to assess both skills and application of legal knowledge.

Although all 2,181 candidates sat the written papers at the same time, the oral assessments were divided into four sessions due to limited capacity. As a result, the overall pass mark ranged from 61-62%, depending on which oral assessment sitting students took part in.

The SQE Hub: Your ultimate resource for all things SQE

Those taking the exams receive a single pass mark for the overall 16 station assessment, and there are no required marks for individual stations. The highest scoring students in this latest round took their overall scores over 90%.

To undertake SQE2 students must first pass SQE1, a test of their grasp of black letter law across two multiple-choice exams.

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Why it’s not too late to save the SQE

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 07:17:58 +0000

Amid marking howlers and failure to deliver on transparency pledges, the profession is losing confidence in the new Solicitors Qualifying Exam. It all boils down to lack of leadership, says legal education godfather Professor Nigel Savage. Will anyone step up?

Now that the dust has settled on the SQE exam results fiasco, it’s a good time to reflect. We’ve all made mistakes; the test is how you handle them with swift comms and appropriate sensitivity.

Judging by the student response across social media and websites like Legal Cheek, I’m not sure that happened. I know anecdotally from my own network that there are serious issues in the administration of the SQE.

However, that shouldn’t detract from the strategy. I supported the reform and its already delivering on some of the objectives. The concept of qualifying work experience instead of the training contract has removed a huge bottle neck, particularly for paralegals and the apprenticeship market will eventually restore the old five-year route of qualifying entirely from within the workplace.

Undergraduate law schools cannot ignore the SQE and do so at their peril. They will be judged on their outputs and cannot lay all the blame on the new prep providers. Meanwhile, there is greater competitive pressure from new providers, some of whom have brought substantial investment into the market from overseas.

So where has SQE creator the Solicitor Regulation Authority (SRA) fallen short? The strategy was right, but they have failed to deliver on tactics. To borrow a quote from warfare: “Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory”, which is presumably why the SRA are saying there will be no changes for ten years. I attended some of the early meetings where we were assured that the SRA would publish league tables on where candidates completed their law degrees and prep courses. Indeed, it was a requirement raised in the Legal Services Board (LSB) approval when they stated: “it is essential that the SRA delivers on its commitments to monitoring and evaluation including making all reports, data and assessment of these for public consumption”.

The SQE Hub: Your ultimate resource for all things SQE

There doesn’t seem to be any immediate prospect of publication, the excuse being that such data is not available. Surely if the application form to register for the SQE required students to provide that information it would already be available. Given the SRA’s wider responsibility in terms of consumer protection (not to mention the LSB) it is surely in the public interest for all students, parents and employers to have access to this data given the level of investment they are making in the profession.

It has always been argued that the data requirement shouldn’t extend to undergraduate schools because they are regulated by other bodies, but those regulators won’t have access to such data and are not likely to ask for it unless the SRA supply it. The American Bar Association publishes annually a comprehensive set of data for all accredited law schools on success rates in the State Bar exams as a form of consumer protection — and they have 198 schools and 117,000 students to manage!

I think there is a marked lack of interest, leadership and ownership in the sector from the LSB, the Law Society and the SRA, especially in representing the interests of the student consumers making their way through the system. I think some of the tactical issues are falling between the gaps as between regulation and membership — and amid the posturing much of what the Law Society used to engage in to support the framework has been forgotten.

LawCAB provides real support for student applicants and does some gathering of data, plus there are some excellent pockets of tactical leadership such as the recent initiatives emanating from the City of London Law Society. The danger is that such leadership is fragmented and leads to duplication of scarce resources. I saw this happen many years when the pro-bono movement gathered speed, lots of very worthy projects but not co-ordinated which resulted huge duplication of resources eventually mitigated by the appointment of a Pro-bono Tsar.

Universities are facing the perfect storm, with law schools — even research-led ones — facing huge challenges which put at risk their very existence and work in key areas such as justice, diversity and overseas links. Such law schools are now located in ‘Super Faculties’ where they compete for resources with other disciplines who may be supported by external organisations which are more vociferous and proactive than their legal counterparts. I well remember when the Legal Practice Course (LPC) was first introduced, and the Law Society appointed the fearsome Paulene Collins to manage validation visits and rate providers on a scale of excellent to unsatisfactory. If the provider was not providing sufficient resource, or falling short on key issues such as diversity, they would be highlighted in the report. That provided a framework to address changing patterns in the legal services market and highlight real innovation . That no longer exists and the market has to be informed on the basis of social media and marketing puff.

In the area of apprenticeships some vice chancellors are reluctant to support them because they are regulated and monitored by OFSTED and inspectors may not have sufficient expertise in some degree level fields. Surely the SRA and Law Society could train individuals with specialist expertise to join such panels and work with OFSTED to encourage more universities to embrace the route?

There has been much innovation across the sector, particularly the SME sector, but I have been surprised by how much of the old training contract regime has been retained in the City firms. I thought that the SQE would provoke some radical changes not least driven by the Richard Susskind future of law agenda ,with a reduction in the numbers but much greater investment in professional development, taking recruits to a higher level quicker. Instead, the firms are engaging in a remuneration battle which is just driving up their cost base.

I guess my main point is that there doesn’t seem be any ‘ownership’ of legal education in its broadest sense. If the findings of the recent University of Exeter Report are to be implemented regulators are going to have to be more interventionist. There must be a clear role for the Law Society in coordinating the tactical issues for aspirant solicitors, but they are hidebound by the fact that they cannot admit students — or anyone else — into membership. I also feel that much more could be done to make the new qualification more accessible to students overseas by setting up test centres in key jurisdictions. Global legal services are an important sector for the UK economy and encouraging lawyers overseas to acquire the professional status without the need to travel would add value to sustaining the pre-eminence of English law globally.

Professor Nigel Savage previously ran three law schools under three different solicitor qualifying regimes. He led Nottingham Law School through the switch from Law Society Finals to the LPC, was then the CEO of The University of Law and finally headed up The College of Legal Practice as it launched to deliver the SQE. He no longer has any law school affiliations.

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A&O Shearman confirms £20k SQE support grant

Tue, 07 May 2024 07:54:22 +0000

Increase on both firms’ pre-merger offerings

Magic Circle mega-firm A&O Shearman is offering £20,000 in financial support to future trainees as they undertake the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE).

This equates to an increase of £3,000 compared to the £17,000 previously provided to trainees by both firms before the merger, which completed on 1 May.

The Legal Cheek Firms Most List 2024 shows maintenance grants at leading City law firms typically sit between £20,000 and £12,000, although some firms offer much less.

The SQE Hub: Your ultimate resource for all things SQE

Trainees at the firm complete their SQE studies with BPP University Law School.

Before the merger, A&O recruited approximately 80 trainees annually, whereas Shearman took on around 12 in London. It remains unclear what the new intake will be now the firms have combined.

What we can tell you, however, is their pay; Legal Cheek revealed last month that trainees earn £50,000 in year one, rising to £55,000 in year two, while newly qualified associates start on £125,000. These rates are in line with those previously offered at A&O, but slightly down on Shearman’s before the merger.

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Full video: A deep dive into SQE2

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 11:08:39 +0000

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.

BPP

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.

Find out more about studying the SQE at BPP University Law School

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How to make the SQE work for you

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 08:46:32 +0000

Legal Cheek talks solicitor assessments with Caroline Rayson, BPP’s SQE1 Award Leader

“The reason I went into law isn’t particularly glamorous”, Caroline Rayson, SQE 1 Award Leader at BPP University Law School tells Legal Cheek Careers. “Even though I didn’t come from a legal background, a seed was planted by my family when I was quite young that I might make a good solicitor,” she recalls. A self-fulfilling prophecy, Caroline qualified into the Corporate team at City firm Ashurst, before moving over to Osborne Clarke’s London office. She eventually made the switch to legal education, joining BPP in 2012.

Curious as to why Caroline was drawn to legal education, I went on to ask her about her career path. “I was at a level of qualification where I faced a fork in the road,” she reveals. “Did I push for partner, or did I want to explore other avenues?” Ultimately, she tells me, having actively investigated other options, she was set on education. “When I was at law school, I had one particular tutor whose knowledge and professionalism inspired me; without realising it, this was a career path that was always in the back of my mind.”

BPP

In more recent years, Caroline’s days have seen her spearheading BPP’s preparation courses for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE). “I liaise very closely with colleagues who lead on the other parts of the SQE training programmes,” she explains, when asked about her day-to-day. “I also get involved in a lot of outreach work, such as undertaking virtual open evenings and events.”

It’s easy to forget with the enormity of the SQE’s introduction just how fresh this exam regime actually is, having only come into play in 2021. The new route, which is seen as a more accessible alternative to qualification, inevitably comes with its own unique challenges on the operational side. “Even though it’s been running for just over two years now, there’s still a lot of uncertainty with the SQE from all directions,” Caroline says. “It’s only really since this academic year that these courses have become ‘big’ so, there’s a lot of making sure everything runs smoothly so that we can ensure the best possible student experience.”

In embracing the transition from the Legal Practice Course (LPC) to the SQE, Caroline divulges that the biggest challenge has been educating stakeholders in what the SQE is all about and how it really works. She chuckles, saying, “when I first came into post for SQE1, the first thing I had to do when I spoke to anyone about the SQE was to give them a teach-in because almost nobody understood the new system.”

Find out more about studying for the SQE at BPP University Law School

Given the influx of students now sitting the SQE, I ask Caroline what she sees as the biggest benefits of the new system. “In my opinion, it’s the flexibility with Qualifying Work Experience,” she tells me. In simple terms; in order to qualify under the SQE system, solicitor-hopefuls will need a total of two years’ QWE which can be undertaken at up to four different organisations in paid or voluntary work. This offers greater flexibility, particularly to those students who have been unable to secure a training contract.

“It’s a really good way to widen access to the profession because you don’t have to get yourself that potentially unattainable goal of a training contract; you’re able to amalgamate other legal experiences and build your QWE up over time,” she says. “This is a game-changer for a lot of candidates.”

“Of course, it’s important that students think about what their QWE looks like on their CV,” she continues. “Just picking up any work from anywhere is not going to make your CV sing.”

On the flipside, what are the biggest challenges of the SQE? When it comes to the difficulty of the SQE1, Caroline tells us: “It’s no secret that the SQE is in some ways more challenging than the LPC regime. Having to have the underlying legal knowledge up-to-speed to be able to answer questions on it possibly five or more years after you’ve sat a law degree or a conversion course is a significant challenge.”

With SQE1 composed entirely of multiple-choice questions, this raises a unique challenge in comparison to the LPC. “It is clear that some types of learners find multiple choice questions very challenging,” Caroline explains.

Find out more about studying for the SQE at BPP University Law School

She thinks that there will be an evolution in the market’s approach to the SQE, as more people sit the SQE centralised assessments. “I think the market is realising how difficult these assessments are and that candidates need to be well prepared to be able to succeed in this regime,” she says. She also thinks that the subject coverage of law degrees will evolve to be more SQE-focused which will help candidates to be ready for the assessments.

BPP’s answer to helping students to navigate these challenges is to provide as much support as possible. “We give revision sessions in each subject area, and students have access to monthly workshops on each of the key subjects which are recorded,” Caroline details. “The underlying law subjects which students on the SQE are expected to know before beginning the course can be a tricky mountain to climb for those who are a few years past graduation” she says. “So, on these subject areas, students at BPP also have access to forums where they can seek answers from subject specialists”. Provided with a ready-made revision structure from BPP, student will also have access to personal tutors to give support with study techniques if they need it, we’re told.

Approaching the end of our conversation, Caroline offers her top three tips for students. “Give yourself the best chance of passing first time by preparing yourself as thoroughly as possible for the SQE1 assessments,” she says.

“Secondly, recognise that there is a substantial amount of material to learn for SQE1 – all candidates find the assessments tricky”. And, to that end, she offers her final tip: “Be kind to yourself: find a way of studying which is sustainable for you.”

Caroline Rayson will be speaking at ‘SQE myths and half-truths – with BPP University Law School’, a virtual student event taking place THIS AFTERNOON (Tuesday 13 February). Apply for one of the final few places.

Find out more about studying for the SQE at BPP University Law School

Follow @BPPGroup

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Latham joins firms upping financial support for future trainees

Tue, 28 Nov 2023 08:46:18 +0000

£20k

The London office of US giant Latham & Watkins has increased the levels of financial support it provides to its future trainees, Legal Cheek can reveal.

Th firm has increased its maintenance grants for those completing the Postgraduate Diploma in Law (PGDL) and Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), from £15,000 to £20,000, for each course.

Latham sends its future trainees to BPP University Law School.

The Legal Cheek Firms Most List 2024 shows once through the SQE, Latham’s trainees are among some the best paid in the City. Rookies start on a salary £50,000, rising to £55,000 in year two.

The 2024 Legal Cheek Firms Most List

Latham joins a growing list of law firms who have used the introduction of the SQE to reassess their maintenance offerings. Last week, Hogan Lovells confirmed an 18% increase to £20,000 following similar moves by the likes of Linklaters and Weil.

You can find a full rundown of who offers what over on our Firms Most List.

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Pinsents offers ‘QWE secondments’ as part of new training deal with LexisNexis

Fri, 09 Dec 2022 11:29:48 +0000

Swap paralegals

Pinsent Masons and LexisNexis have launched a “unique” new training partnership that sees the businesses temporarily swap paralegals.

The tie-up will see LexisNexis paralegals gain qualifying work experience (QWE) at Pinsents as they work towards completing the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) on a part-time basis with legal education provider BARBRI.

The SQE is a new route to qualification that aims to improve accessibility to the legal profession. It includes a two-part exam (the SQE1 and the SQE2) and two years of QWE.

This differs from the previous system which only allowed those who had completed a two-year training contract to qualify, leaving wannabe solicitors, who had paralegalled for the two years or more but could not secure a TC, unable to gain their stripes.

The launch of the partnership will enable LexisNexis’ paralegals to receive practical, supervised legal training that counts towards their QWE requirements. At the same time, Pinsents paralegals will be seconded to LexisNexis in order to hone their research and knowledge skills.

The 2022 Legal Cheek SQE Providers List

Head of LexisPSL Hub, Josh Giddens, said: “The legal market is rapidly evolving and, as a leading LegalTech supplier, it is really exciting for LexisNexis to work with Pinsent Masons and BARBRI in offering new, innovative routes to qualification.”

Meanwhile, Richard Coffey, head of managed legal services delivery at Pinsent Masons, said the deal is “an exciting next step for us and our paralegals.”

The news comes in the same week the Law Training Centre launched a law course which enables students to gain QWE alongside their studies. BPP University Law School, The University of Law and Nottingham Law School offer similar opportunities through their pro bono centres.

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5 important points to remember about the SQE

Thu, 21 Jul 2022 09:29:53 +0000

Speakers from The College of Legal Practice, Acuity Law and Shoosmiths came together to discuss how the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) is offering future lawyers greater flexibility

With the introduction of the SQE on 1 September 2021, aspiring solicitors are no longer obliged to obtain a traditional training contract as a means to qualification. At Legal Cheek’s latest virtual event, ‘Take control of your future legal career through the SQE’, members from Shoosmiths and Acuity Law joined legal education experts from The College of Legal Practice to discuss the changes and opportunities brought by the SQE for those looking to enter the legal profession.

The speakers

• Dr Giles Proctor, The College of Legal Practice’s CEO
• Kathryn Newton, Programme Leader at The College of Legal Practice
• Isabel Parker, non-executive College of Legal Practice board member and former solicitor at magic circle law firm Freshfields
• Nicola Wellman, HR Manager at Acuity Law
• Natalie Watkiss, who works in leadership and management development, coaching/mentoring and apprenticeships at leading law firm Shoosmiths

1. The flexibility of Qualifying Work Experience (QWE)

Alongside completing SQE1 and SQE2, aspiring lawyers must gain two years of QWE in order to qualify. What counts as QWE is an “incredibly broad brush”, Kathryn Newton, programme leader at The College of Legal Practice, said. Those on the SQE pathway therefore have an enormous amount of flexibility. The panel discussed how QWE can be obtained from up to four different organisations, which don’t necessarily have to be law firms, and can include in-house teams, law clinics and unregulated providers of legal services. Moreover, QWE can be obtained from overseas organisations ― music to the ears of international students and professionals looking to qualify in the UK.

The College of Legal Practice

To be ‘qualifying’ work experience, Newton said, individuals must be “exposed to some of the solicitor competencies”, and so aspiring lawyers would do well to ensure that within their QWE they have access to a variety of tasks that will broaden their skillsets. Having said this, Newton also emphasised that students should ensure “the work experience being undertaken is of the type that will enable you to practice in the area of law that you are seeking to practice in”.

Isabel Parker, non-executive College of Legal Practice board member and former solicitor at magic circle law firm Freshfields, noted that some larger corporate law firms may prefer candidates to have “at least some experience in a corporate setting”, which is something to bear in mind for those looking to practice as City lawyers. However, she also emphasised the importance placed on “demonstrating softer skills”, which she suggested can be gained in “many different ways”. As such, she encouraged aspiring lawyers not to dismiss pro bono as part of their QWE portfolio, as many law firms will look favourably upon these transferrable skills.

2. The benefits of studying a virtual course

The ability to study a completely virtual course enables aspiring solicitors to complete their SQE studies while simultaneously banking their QWE. Moreover, virtual studying gives students the option to “earn while they learn”, Dr Giles Proctor, CEO, The College of Legal Practice’s, explained, which is made easier by the “various study modes around the SQE, which tend to be more flexible than those currently available for the LPC”. At The College of Legal Practice, Newton said, students can choose their course depending on how much time they are able to commit each week to their studies, with the options of SQE1 prep courses of 13, 20 or 40 weeks in length, and SQE2 prep courses of 10, 20 and 27 weeks.

Find out more about studying for the SQE at The College of Legal Practice

Aspiring lawyers are also given an optimal level of supervision and support, Proctor said, with dedicated 1:1 regular meetings with your supervisor to touch base on the progression of your studies, as well as offer advice and support with regards to navigating QWE.

3. Opening access to the legal profession

In recent years, pressure has been building on law firms, both from society and clients, to open access to a more diverse pool of individuals in their recruitment processes. As Parker noted, the ability to study virtually and “earn as you learn” can “enable those from a variety of backgrounds to work towards a legal career, such as those with caring responsibilities… or those who simply cannot afford to study the course without working”.

Moreover, Parker said, law firms are now “widening their recruitment horizons ― they are actively seeking greater diversity, greater social mobility and greater cognitive diversity”. Parker explained this is largely down to the fact that “clients are pressurising them” as both a result of their individual ESG (environmental, social and governance) obligations, and in order to unlock the wider range of skills and viewpoints that come with a more diverse panel of legal advisors. As such, the opportunity brought by the SQE to improve access to the legal profession may be looked favourably upon by law firms during this transition period.

Natalie Watkiss, who works in leadership and management development, coaching/mentoring and apprenticeships at leading law firm Shoosmiths, highlighted that the SQE offers an alternative route into law whereby candidates do not require a law degree prior to starting the SQE prep courses. As such, she noted, non-law students who “may have been put off pursuing legal careers in the past due to the expense of the traditional GDL course”, may be more inclined to study the shorter SQE prep courses, particularly if they have the flexibility to work alongside their studies.

4. Law firms are embracing the SQE

Although some law firms remain sceptical of the SQE, preferring to stick with the tried and tested LPC route for now, Parker thinks attitudes are changing in the legal space. She said pressure from clients to demonstrate greater diversity may encourage law firms to consider implementing the SQE route sooner rather than later.

Welsh commercial law firm Acuity law has already implemented the SQE into its recruitment process, with The College of Legal Practice as its chosen provider. Nicola Wellman, human resources manager at Acuity Law, said Acuity’s SQE track will see eight trainees complete their SQE studies alongside their QWE with the firm, over a period of two and a half years “to recognise that trainees will need to take some time out for their SQE studies”. By seat 3 of the training contract, she said, the SQE studies will have been completed, thus enabling trainees to spend the latter half of their training contracts focusing solely on their allocated practice areas and considering their fifth qualification seat.

Shoosmiths are currently in the process of formulating their SQE track, Watkiss said, but are looking to welcome their first SQE cohort by 2023. “The SQE shifts the power between trainees and candidates by removing law firm control on the number of people that they qualify as solicitors, which I think is an absolutely fantastic opportunity for students of today… but also an opportunity for us as a law firm to access that more diverse talent.”

5. Funding options for the SQE prep courses

Unknown to many aspiring lawyers, funding options are available for those looking to study the SQE prep courses. In order to ensure students can access funding, The College of Legal Practice has “wrapped a master’s programme around the SQE1 and SQE2 preparation courses”, Proctor said, which enables students to apply for a student loan that will fully cover both the course fees to the provider, and the separate SQE exam fees to Kaplan.

The master’s programme also equips students with “key transactional skills” that many commercial law firms desire, Proctor said, as well as “core legal business skills” that will enable such individuals to build upon their commercial awareness and understanding of how businesses operate.

Find out more about studying for the SQE at The College of Legal Practice

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How innovation is shaking up the legal sector

Fri, 18 Dec 2020 11:55:14 +0000

Lawyers and legal education experts share their experiences from the frontline of legal tech

At Legal Cheek’s recent event, ‘Innovation and the law – with BARBRI, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, Irwin Mitchell, and Elevate‘, a group of lawyers and legal education experts came together to discuss the interplay between innovation and the law. The quartet also discussed the impending changes the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) will bring to the market and offered their top tips for the next gen of lawyers.

The speakers

• Tracy Savage, academic head of UK programmes at BARBRI
• Nick Pryor, regional innovation solutions director at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner
• John Croft, president and co-founder of Elevate
• Daryna Plysak, trainee solicitor at Irwin Mitchell

Innovation and the law

The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated developments in innovation and legal technology across the profession. “In the innovation space we run a lot of facilitated workshops to rethink and re-engineer existing legal processes,” explained Nick Pryor, regional innovation solutions director at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (BCLP). Aside from changes in legal processes, he told the virtual audience that he has also seen a shift in mindset at law firms. “We have learned that if we have to, we can change”, said Pryor, adding that people are a lot more receptive to new ideas and willing to experiment in the wake of COVID-19.

John Croft, president and co-founder of Elevate, added that the challenge lies in adopting the changes as well as identifying them. The legal industry is becoming more adept at problem-spotting and introducing new ideas to help solve them, he said.

Daryna Plysak, trainee solicitor at Irwin Mitchell, agreed. The legal industry is becoming more responsive to the change and in turn embracing prospects of what lawtech has to offer. In particular at Irwin Mitchell lawyers are able to play a key role in pitching and having new ideas implemented, said Plysak, who has co-authored a book on legal tech. She explained that all practice areas have been impacted by technology and innovation, albeit at different paces. How quickly a particular practice area reacts to innovation depends on the complexity of cases, Plysak continued, with simple cases showing a quicker turnaround in testing of new technologies.

How can trainee solicitors bring innovative ideas to their superiors?

From bundling to predictive analytics, Irwin Mitchell trainee solicitors are encouraged to suggest innovative ways of improving client service, says Daryna Plysak

Posted by Legal Cheek on Wednesday, 30 December 2020

The SQE

As tech-driven innovation continues to disrupt legal practice, it’s imperative law schools and training providers keep up with the pace of change to prepare the next gen of solicitors for the world of work.

BARBRI is ramping up its legal education offering with the launch of a new preparation course for the SQE. Tracy Savage, academic head of UK programmes at BARBRI, explained how innovation is playing an integral part in its SQE course, pointing to the algorithm used to ensure that students keep up with their workload and complete the most important tasks first, as one such example.

Savage also noted how the COVID-19 pandemic has enabled law firms to realise that there are alternatives to in-person training. “Legal training is well due a refresh — now is the time to innovate education,” Savage told the audience of over 350 students.

Find out more about SQE prep courses with BARBRI

Skills to succeed in the 2020s

In spite of the tech-focused future for firms and training providers alike there is no single skill that will be required of future cohorts, according to Croft. Pryor echoed this sentiment and said that future lawyers will require teams that are versatile and dynamic. For example, some lawyers may have narrow expertise but possess great interpersonal skills allowing them to get along well with others. The panel agreed that coding is not a necessary skill, but lawyers should be appreciative of the skills and perspective of coders.

Careers advice

Before moving into the legal education sphere, Savage worked as a solicitor specialising in commercial property. Having moved around the country in her previous job, she advised students to “be flexible with your expectations of where your career can go”.

Croft has spent the last 15 years working with technology to make traditional legal processes more efficient. He encouraged students to look beyond the traditional routes into the legal profession and explore how non-traditional law firms are shaking up the legal sector. Pryor, who joined BCLP for its ambitious approach to innovation, also stressed that there are many different paths into the legal profession, now more than ever, so remain open-minded.

When embarking on her legal career, Plysak placed great importance on firm values. She encouraged students to speak to individuals at different levels and ask yourself if you can see yourself working there. “Allow yourself to evolve, change and discover new things”, said Plysak, as there is no single formula to success.

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Legal Services Board delays decision to accept or reject SQE

Mon, 21 Sep 2020 10:22:55 +0000

Hold-up comes as group representing more than 4,000 legal academics urge refusal

The Legal Services Board (LSB) has given itself more time to make its decision on whether or not to approve the new solicitor super-exam, it has emerged.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) formally submitted its Solicitor Qualification Exam (SQE) proposals to the LSB on 31 July.

The LSB had an initial 28 days to approve the regulator’s blueprint for the new route to solicitor qualification but extended the decision period to 90 days as permitted by the Legal Services Act 2007. A new deadline has now been set for 28 October.

“The SQE application represents a significant change of policy to the framework for admission as a solicitor in England and Wales that requires careful consideration by the LSB,” the extension notice said, continuing:

“It will be necessary for the LSB to make additional enquiries with the SRA so that the LSB may fully understand the impact of the proposed change for both consumers and the profession.”

The LSB’s delay to formal approval is another step in the super-exam’s bumpy journey towards inception.

A group of five legal associations last month wrote a joint letter to the LSB urging it not to approve the SRA’s application. The Association of Critical Legal Scholars, the Association of Law Teachers, the Committee of Heads of University Law Schools, the Society of Legal Scholars and the Socio-Legal Studies Association, which have a combined membership of over 4,000 legal academics, claim the SRA’s proposals “are not justified by any significant evidence that the previous arrangements were endangering the interests of consumers or the public interest”, and are unlikely in practice to be significantly cheaper than the current regime.

Secure your place: The UK Virtual Law Fair Series 2020

The group take issue with the proposed multiple-choice question (MCQ) format of SQE1. They write:

“A major deficiency in the proposed arrangements is that they are wholly inadequate to ensure that candidates demonstrate the understanding and skills needed to advise clients in those many and complex situations where the law is uncertain. This may be because of gaps or inconsistencies in case law or because statutes require interpretation. These are matters that require the deployment of considerable legal skills in analysing case law and interpreting legislation that go way beyond anything that can be tested in a multiple choice question.”

Further, the letter says the SRA’s work experience requirement forms a barrier to qualification that will “benefit prospective applicants from better connected friends and family networks”, and that non-law grads that pass the SQE are “unlikely to find employment as a solicitor unless they can rely on personal contacts”.

Despite these concerns, the SRA has not wavered in its commitment to the SQE. Commenting on the proposals earlier this summer, Paul Philip, SRA chief executive, said: “Extensive input, expert and independent review and careful testing means we are confident that we have developed a rigorous, fair, world class assessment for all aspiring solicitors, regardless of background or route taken. The SQE will provide greater assurance for the public and employers that qualifying solicitors have met the consistent, high standards they would expect.”

The two-part national assessment is due to come into force from 1 September 2021 — subject to approval from the LSB. City law firms are preparing for the major overhaul to legal education and training, with 40% saying they have thought about the SQE and that plans are emerging.

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Junior lawyers call for super-exam delay as it warns MCQs may be too easy

Fri, 12 Jun 2020 11:03:46 +0000

War of words between JLD and regulator rumbles on

A group of junior lawyers has urged the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) to delay its rollout of the new solicitor super-exam, just days after the regulator signed off the final design.

In a lengthy letter to the regulator’s chief exec Paul Philip, The Junior Lawyers Division (JLD) lists off a series of concerns it has with the Solicitors Qualification Exam (SQE), a two-part assessment due to come into force from September 2021.

Primary among the concerns is the reliance on multiple choice questions (MCQs) to assess candidates’ functioning legal knowledge as part of SQE1. The JLD says it has been in contact with a “small number” of individuals who tested these sample MCQs as part of the pilot, with “worrying results”.

These SQE guinea pigs include a young paralegal with “no formal legal training” who took 30 minutes to do the first 30 questions. He scored 43%. Another candidate, now working as a paralegal but who had not done the Legal Practice Course (LPC), scored 60% after completing 30 questions in 30 minutes. The letter also cites the example of non-legal PhD holder with no legal training who scored 73% after completing the 30 questions in just eight minutes.

On this, the JLD says: “This small number of examples produce troubling results and would suggest that the MCQs are not overly difficult, confirming the current concerns of the profession, and that the SRA is potentially setting the level of legal knowledge and/or question standard too low.”

Secure your place: The UK Virtual Law Fair Series 2020

They continue:

“Undoubtedly in order to set a higher standard it would be necessary for individuals to have the requisite legal knowledge to complete the assessment and we refer back to our concerns about the lack of a requirement to complete a QLD/GDL. We consider that further work needs to be undertaken in relation to MCQs and the level of legal knowledge candidates are expected to have, and that the data from the SQE 1 pilot should be released in a similar manner to our examples above.”

The group — which looks after the interests of roughly 70,000 LPC students, trainees and solicitors with up to five years’ post qualification experience (PQE) — goes on to argue that the SQE is not yet ready for final approval and that more time is needed to ensure it is fit for purpose. It adds: “We believe that a further delay is needed and that the SQE should not be brought in, in its current form, in 2021.”

On Monday the SRA revealed the final design of the super-exam. It will seek final sign-off from the Legal Services Board (LSB) this summer.

Read the JLD’s letter in full below:

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