SQE2 TOOLKIT - Your guide to understanding and preparing for the practical legal skills assessment

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Paura

SQE2 TOOLKIT provides a structured overview of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination’s practical legal skills assessment (SQE2), explaining how candidates are tested through OSCE-style simulated environments. It covers the rationale for using OSCE under the outcomes-focused approach, the assessed areas of legal practice, the key skills including client interviewing, advocacy, legal research, legal drafting, legal writing, and case/matter analysis, plus the assessment criteria and marking approach. It also outlines preparation strategy, course considerations, mock station workings, and practical guidance aimed at passing at the first attempt.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages18

Reading Time45 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Introduction to the SQE2 Assessment

The SQE OSCE

Why the SRA chose to use OSCE for the SQE Assessment

Areas of assessment

Format of the SQE2 Assessment

How to Prepare for and Pass the SQE2 Assessments

Your pass key to SQE2

TOOLKIT We will help you prepare for the SQE2 exams and pass on your first time attempt. SQE2 TOOLKIT Everything you need to know about how and what you are assessed on, the legal knowledge required, how to prepare and how to pass the SQE2 practical legal skills assessment with flying colours Contents Introduction 3 Introduction to the SQE2 Assessment 5 The SQE OSCE 7 Why the SRA chose to use OSCE for the SQE Assessment 7 The OSCE in legal education 7 Areas of assessment 8 The standardised client 8 Standard setting 9 Format of the SQE2 Assessment 10 SQE2 Oral 10 10 11 attendance note 11 12 SQE2 Written What to Expect Client interview/completion of Advocacy Legal research 12 Legal writing 12 Legal drafting 13 Case and matter analysis 13 SQE2 Assessment Criteria and Marking 14 Assessment criteria: the standard 14 SQE2 Specification 14 Passing the SQE2 Assessment 14 How to Prepare for and Pass the SQE2 Assessments 15 Do I need a preparation course? 15 Why does a preparation course for the practical assessment require a different approach? 15 What makes our SQE2 course unique? 16 What is included in our course? 16 Your pass key to SQE2 17 Do I need to come to the UK to take the course? 17 What is involved in the preparation course? 18 How do the mock stations work? 18 How do I get started? 19 4 Introduction The Solicitors Qualifying Examination (“SQE”) is a single, national licensing examination that all aspiring solicitors must take before qualifying as English solicitors, regardless of their professional background and qualifications. The SQE is administered by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (“SRA”), the body that regulates solicitors of England and Wales. Candidates are assessed against the statement of solicitor competence, the threshold standard and a statement of legal knowledge, which are exhaustive criteria that would be expected of a newly-qualified English solicitor in their first day on the job. The competences out in the statement of solicitor competence are expressed through the SQE Assessment Specification, which forms the syllabus of the SQE. The SQE2 assessment tests several skills: client interviewing, advocacy, legal research, case and matter analysis, legal drafting and legal writing. The assessment tests these skills in the context of five areas of legal practice: Business Law, Dispute Resolution, Criminal Litigation, Property Practice, and Wills and the Administration of Estates. The six skills are assessed through 16 simulated legal environments known as OSCE ‘stations’. The techniques to create these stations include the use of actors as interviewed clients and writing legal advice to a client or the supervising partner. A cutting-edge, high stakes assessment The SQE is lauded by the SRA as cutting-edge in legal assessment methodology. This is partly due to the outcomesfocused approach to the SQE. This means that the SRA sets out in detail what it expects, and it is up to the candidates to demonstrate their competence against the statement of solicitor competence. The SQE is a high stakes professional assessment. The sole method of assessment of candidates against the competence statement is by candidates sitting a multiple choice test (“SQE1”) and passing an practical legal skills assessment (“SQE2”), which is the subject of this toolkit. According to the outcomes-focused approach, candidates are left to their own devices when it comes to preparation. There is no compulsory course, experience requirement or an English language test. The onus is therefore on the candidates to ensure that they are familiar with and prepared for each of the assessments, their content and marking criteria before attempting the SQE. For each assessment, candidates are under time pressure, must absorb and be comfortable with a significant volume of legal content and demonstrate discrete legal and professional skills in a hig

FAQs

What is SQE2 testing and which skills are assessed?

SQE2 tests practical skills including client interviewing, advocacy, legal research, case and matter analysis, legal drafting, and legal writing. These skills are assessed within simulated legal environments.

How are the SQE2 skills assessed through OSCE stations?

The SQE2 skills are assessed through 16 simulated legal environments known as OSCE stations. These stations use actors as interviewed clients and involve writing legal advice to a client or the supervising partner.

What preparation approach does the toolkit recommend for passing SQE2?

The toolkit emphasizes practising the assessment format, not relying on “book knowledge” alone. It also highlights the need to understand the assessment format, criteria, and marking policy and to prepare seriously to meet high pass marks.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Paura