What is SQE2?

Jan 30, 2024

Written By Helena Kudiabor

The second part of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination is known as SQE2, and you will need to pass both sections to be able to apply to become a solicitor. Once you have passed the SQE2 exams and completed your Qualifying Work Experience, you can apply to become a recognised solicitor with the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

What does SQE2 consist of?

Unlike the SQE1, which is designed to test your functioning legal knowledge, the SQE2 aims to test more practical skills. Candidates take four exams assessing legal skills orally, and twelve exams assessing legal skills in a written format. Totalling 16 exams across a range of practice areas, the SQE2 will take five days to complete. Three half-days will be devoted to the written portion, and two half-days for the oral portion the following week. The written portion will be computer-based.

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What will SQE2 assess?

The skills assessed in SQE2 are divided into oral legal skills and written legal skills:

Oral legal skills:

- Client Interviewing

- Attendance note/legal analysis (linked to the client interview)

- Advocacy

Written legal skills:

- Legal drafting

- Legal research

- Legal writing

- Case and matter analysis

What is the format of the oral part of the SQE2?

The oral exam will begin with an advocacy task, where you have 45 minutes to prepare using a case study and then 15 minutes to present. Following this, you will have 10 minutes to prepare for a client interview, and then 25 minutes for an oral simulation. The exam will finish with an attendance note or legal analysis, which will also take 25 minutes.

This order is not defined, and the exam can start with either the interview and attendance note, or advocacy task. The two days also cover different topics. Day one will cover dispute resolution and property practice, while day two will cover criminal litigation, wills and intestacy, and probate administration and practice.

What is the format of the written part of SQE2?

Each day of the written part of SQE2 will cover case and matter analysis, legal drafting, legal research and writing. Each day will cover a different context, however. Day one will cover dispute resolution and criminal litigation, and day two will cover property practice, wills and intestacy and probate administration and practice. Day three will only cover business organisations, rules and procedures.

Can I fail the exam?

Unlike aptitude tests such as the Watson Glaser test, the SQE is marked on a pass/fail basis. Results will be released six to ten weeks after taking the exam. They will include your overall mark as a percentage, whether you passed or failed, marks for each of the assessment criteria, the pass mark for the exam, and candidate quintiles so you can compare your performance to everyone else who took the exam.

You will need to pass both the oral and written sections to pass overall. If you fail the exam, you will need to pay £2,766 to retake it. However, if you fail any portion of the exam three times, you will have to wait six years from the day of your first exam to reapply.

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What happens after I pass SQE2?

Once you pass SQE2, you can apply for application to the roll of solicitors. In order to apply, you will need to have completed your two years of work experience and undergo screening to check if you have a criminal record.

To learn more about the SQE2, and to find sample questions, you can take a look at the SQE2 assessment specification on the official SQE website.

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