This article has been published by Sneha Mahawar.

What is the SQE

The SRA launched the SQE, a new centralized exam for solicitors, in September 2021. The SQE will eventually replace the GDL and the LPC. Instead of being a course, it consists of a number of exams that must be taken in two phases. The SRA anticipates a protracted period of transition if you began your legal education before September 2021.

In accordance with the new system, an aspiring solicitor must:

• possess a degree or an equivalent credential (such as a degree apprenticeship) in any subject and successfully complete Stages 1 and 2 of the SQE;
• two years of qualifying completed work experience; and
• meet the character and suitability standards of the SRA.

It will be advantageous to have a legal background to pass the SQE assessments, even though the SRA has not stated that the degree-level qualification must be in law. For graduates who did not study law, an SQE preparation course will be offered.

Following the SQE route, law graduates will become qualified solicitors in five to six years, compared to five to seven years for apprentices and non-law graduates.

Why alter the path to becoming a solicitor

The SRA asserts that it is challenging to guarantee that all aspiring solicitors are evaluated to the same standard given the number of organisations currently involved in the process. The SQE will ensure consistency and high standards across the board and put an end to the idea that one route to qualification is preferable to another by requiring all trainee solicitors, regardless of the route they take (be it a law degree, non-law degree, or law apprenticeship), to sit the same qualifying exam.

The SRA also thinks that by lowering the cost of study, the SQE will make the legal profession more accessible (in comparison with the GDL and LPC.)

The SQE pattern

The SQE is divided into SQE1 and SQE2 and will be graded on a pass/fail basis. Kaplan will offer assessments, and the two companies will collaborate to use Pearson’s extensive network of testing facilities throughout England and Wales. The exam will be conducted several times a year.

SQE1 ought to be taken following graduation. Two exams totalling 180 multiple-choice questions each are used to assess practical legal knowledge. The first exam covers the following topics: 

• Tort
• Contract
• Business law and practice
• Dispute resolution
• The legal system of England and Wales
• Constitutional and administrative law and EU law and legal services

The topics covered in the second section of SQE1 are: 

• Wills and administration of estates
• Property practice
• Solicitors accounts
• Trusts
• Land law
• Criminal law and practice.

This initial round of exams will be completed on a computer in a single assessment window, so they must all be completed in one sitting. The only time restriction is that SQE1 must be completely passed before attempting SQE2, though.

However, the SRA anticipates that the majority of graduates will pass SQE1 before beginning their main period of work experience. The two years of qualifying work experience can be taken at any point during the SQE.

SQE2 measures legal practicality. The test is spread out over five days and consists of 16 practical exercises with written and oral components. All throughout, ethics and professional behaviour are evaluated. SQE2 evaluates the following skills:

• Advocacy 
• Legal research 
• Legal writing 
• Legal drafting 
• Legal case analysis
• Client interview and attendance note/legal analysis

Criminal litigation, dispute resolution, property practice, wills and intestacy, probate administration, and business organisation rules and procedures are the practice contexts.

You are only permitted to retake the exams (SQE1 and SQE2) three times, and each attempt must be made within a six-year period.

What does “qualifying work experience” entail

The work experience component of the SQE qualification is known as Qualifying Work Experience or QWE. It gives aspiring attorneys a chance to develop some of the “competences needed to practise as an attorney.”

After completing their studies, LPC graduates would seek out a two-year “training contract” at a law office or other legal setting. In terms of proving your ability to practise, the SQE approach’s qualifying work experience is comparable to what the training contract element was.

Students must finish two years of full-time QWE to become qualified as solicitors through the SQE route. This may involve roles as a paralegal or in a law clinic but is not limited to those. Work periods completed during QWE must be rooted in legal work rather than being purely administrative or non-legal in nature.

One of the following experts must certify and confirm your qualifying work experience as well:

• The Legal Practice Compliance Officer (COLP).
• An English and Welsh solicitor from the company where you completed your QWE.
• Another English and Welsh nominee who is from outside the organisation but has firsthand knowledge of your work.

Cost of the SQE 

The cost for taking both SQE assessments was $3,980 when implemented in September 2021 includes: 

• SQE1 – a fee of £1,558 for the two exams that each have 180 questions and assess the candidate’s functional legal knowledge.
• SQE2 costs £2,422 and consists of written and oral tasks that assess both practical legal knowledge and skills. These tasks include advocacy, client interviews (with written attendance notes/legal analyses), legal research, legal writing, legal drafting, and case and matter analysis.

Both SQE1 and SQE2 put ethics and professional behaviour to the test.

The expenses are in line with the £3,000–£4,500 range specified in the SRA’s initial fee range estimates for 2018. Costs associated with training are not included in the fees; they depend on a candidate’s preferences.

Features of the SQE 

• The new SQE’s ability to let prospective solicitors study at their own pace is one of its main advantages. Part-time or full-time classes can be taken over a range of time periods to prepare students for the two SQE assessments, SQE1 and SQE2. Depending on their circumstances, students can also choose to work full or part-time while pursuing their education.
• Another benefit that many find appealing is that those who must work for pay while completing the SQE can apply that work toward their QWE as long as it is completed in a setting that is appropriate.
• Another reason why the SQE is a much more flexible option for many trainee solicitors is the fact that these two years QWE can be obtained at up to four organisations and doesn’t need to take place over the course of one continuous 24-month period.
• Candidates must complete practical, work-based experience in the legal industry as part of the QWE component of the SQE. However, the range of potential responsibilities allows for a wide range of interests, including working at a law firm, a charity, or a legal clinic, to name a few.

References

• https://www.bpp.com/insights/what-is-the-sqe 
• https://www.lex100.com/2021/04/15/lpc-vs-sqe-choosing-the-qualification-route-for-you/#:~:text=Benefits%20of%20the%20SQE,over%20varying%20periods%20of%20time 
• https://www.sra.org.uk/globalassets/documents/sra/news/events/legalex-2019-sqe-pdf.pdf 

https://www.sra.org.uk/sra/news/press/2020-press-release-archive/sqe-final-design-costs/

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