SQE2 Prep

Organisation and Delivery

For practical purposes, SQE2 is structured into two main sections:

SQE2 Oral

The oral assessments in SQE2 include:

• ★ Interview and attendance note/legal analysis
• ★ Advocacy

These assessments are conducted over two half days. The table below outlines the assessments for each day, with a total of four oral legal skills assessments:

Please note that the order in which candidates complete the assessments may vary. Candidates may begin with either the interview and attendance note/legal analysis or the advocacy.

For more details on the assessments, refer to Assessments, which includes client interviewing, completion of attendance note/legal analysis, and advocacy.

SQE2 Written

The written assessments in SQE2 encompass:

• ★ Case and matter analysis
• ★ Legal research
• ★ Legal writing
• ★ Legal drafting

These written assessments occur over three half-days, with a total of 12 written legal skills assessments:

The order of assessments may vary for different candidates.

Marking

Overview

The interviewing station is assessed by an examiner acting as the client, focusing solely on skills. The attendance note and all other stations are evaluated by a solicitor who considers both skills and application of law.

Candidates are assessed against criteria specific to each of the six types of legal skills stations, detailed at Assessments in SQE2. Performance is rated on a scale from A to F by trained assessors who make professional judgments regarding the standard of competency:

Grades are converted to numerical marks, where A = 5 marks and F = 0 marks.

Each station is marked separately for skills and application of law. The final score combines these two areas equally, ensuring the quality of advice is appropriately weighted.

Level of Legal Detail Required

Candidates must demonstrate they can apply fundamental legal principles in practical scenarios, addressing the client's needs and concerns as a Day One Solicitor would. While detailed legal knowledge may not be required, candidates should be capable of looking up detailed information as necessary. Sample questions and indicative answers will be provided on the SQE website.

Application of Law

The assessment criteria for SQE2 include the correct and comprehensive application of law, which may involve:

• ★ Identifying relevant legal principles
• ★ Applying legal principles to factual issues to provide effective solutions
• ★ Interpreting, evaluating, and applying research results
• ★ Ensuring advice is backed by appropriate legal analysis
• ★ Drafting legally effective documents
• ★ Applying critical thinking to solve problems
• ★ Identifying key issues and risks
• ★ Recognising inconsistencies and gaps in information
• ★ Evaluating the quality and reliability of information
• ★ Using multiple information sources for effective judgments
• ★ Reaching reasoned decisions supported by evidence

Correct and Comprehensive Application of Law

Assessment criteria for applying the law focus on legal correctness and comprehensiveness. These criteria are based on the Statement of Solicitor Competence and the Functioning Legal Knowledge for SQE2. Credit may be given for identifying and analysing legal issues comprehensively.

Application of Law in the Single Jurisdiction of England and Wales

While Wales is part of the legal jurisdiction of England and Wales, some laws differ between the two. The Welsh language has official status in legal proceedings in Wales. Candidates must apply their knowledge at the level of a newly qualified solicitor, recognising differences between English and Welsh law.

Clear, Precise, Concise and Acceptable Language

Written skills assessment criteria include using clear, precise, concise, and appropriate language. This involves:

• ★ Using clear, succinct language and avoiding unnecessary technical terms
• ★ Using an appropriate style for the situation and recipient

There is no spell check or highlighting function for SQE2 written assessments.

Guidance for markers on spelling and grammar is provided:

• ★ Candidates should not lose marks for spelling mistakes that:
  • ★ do not impact the legal accuracy, clarity, or certainty of the text; and
  • ★ would normally be flagged by spell check, noting that spell check may not flag errors in names, addresses, dates, or values.
• ★ Candidates should not lose marks for grammatical errors that:
  • ★ do not impact the legal accuracy, clarity, or certainty of the text; and
  • ★ do not make the text inaccessible to the reader.
• ★ Candidates should not lose marks for poor formatting, given the lack of formatting support on the test platform and time constraints.

Passing SQE2

To pass SQE2, candidates must achieve the overall pass mark. Note that there is no separate pass mark for SQE2 oral and written assessments. The pass mark is set for SQE2 as a whole.

For SQE2 preparation, we have developed 16 comprehensive topics that cover all the essential tasks (stations) you'll encounter in the subsequent SQE2 exam, ensuring you are fully equipped to succeed.