SQE2 Preparation Course

Moving forward with SQE2 – the practical legal skills assessment

The skills are assessed through 16 simulated legal environments known as ‘stations’, which sample across the skills and practice areas. Candidates cannot choose the practice area for their skills assessment. The SQE2 exams are offered across five days.

Simulation of a solicitor-client interaction: using ‘standardised clients’ – trained actors who play the role of a client with whom you interact during a station, the SQE exams assess your ‘soft skills’ as much as your formidable legal knowledge.

So during an interview assessment, for example, an actor playing a client may ask you to advise them on transferring their interest in their property to a third party.

In another station you may be asked to interview the client, then, following their instructions, prepare their will, or complete or interpret IHT forms, or apply for probate.

A higher level of legal knowledge and understanding is required: while the SQE1 exam assesses your knowledge and understanding of academic and procedural law, the SQE2 exam demands considerably more from you: your ability to accurately advise clients using a variety of skills, including drawing on and applying the law to a very specific set of circumstances.

Medical assessment methodologies: as a future doctor cannot rely only on reading a book in advance of a practical assessment that involves taking a blood sample, so a potential English solicitor cannot rely only on reading about practical legal skills in advance of a practical assessment that tests their skills as a lawyer advising the public.

Personalised approach from the very beginning: you and your fellow candidates have different skills, educational and legal backgrounds and personal circumstances.

This means each candidate’s requirements for the preparation course are different. We understand that and have designed the SQE2 preparation course with your needs in mind.

Stage I – Understanding the Style, Format and Procedures of the SQE2 Assessment – your study tools: SQE2 exam day resources, course administration handbook

Stage II – Studying the Substantive and Procedural Law – your study tools: practice areas summaries, flash cards, SQE Video Library

Stage III – Learning and Understanding the Six Skills – your study tools: SQE Skills Online (a textbook and interactive exercises), Legal Skills Video Workshops

Stage IV – Developing and Practising Your Legal Skills – your study tools: Kaplan sample questions and suggested solutions, 300 mock exams for self-assessment, mock practice stations with personal tutor feedback

If you follow your study plan and your tutor advice, use all the tools which are provided in the course, you will be well-prepared for the SQE2 practical assessment.

The practice questions include multiple exercises that are based on a single scenario/case study common to that practice area.

The questions come with a variety of documents and forms which you may see in the formal SQE2 exam, such as a letter of claim and particulars of claim; board and members’ resolutions; defence and witness statements; a bail application; wills, IHT forms, oaths, and probate applications; purchase deeds, a copy of the register and site plan, and purchase and sale contracts.

Each question includes a proposed solution to help you assess your level of knowledge and understanding of the skills and practice areas which will be assessed on the SQE2 exams.

The 300 mock exams cover all the legal practice areas and the skills tested on the SQE2 assessments (check the matrix to see the topics/skills covered by each of the tasks).

The mock exams provide you with an ample opportunity to deepen your legal knowledge and hone your practical skills. Points to note or proposed submissions for each mock exam enable you to understand what is required of you and thus, identify areas requiring development during your preparation.

The scenarios cover a wide spectrum of the SQE syllabus, with supporting documents to many of the questions, such as shareholders’ agreements, statements of claim, wills, lease extracts, defence statements, etc.

The Legal Skills Video Workshops is a great support tool for learning the skills required on the SQE2 exams. This innovative course feature contains a suite of more than 100 video workshops (spanning nearly 20 hours in total), and summaries with key points for each skill.

These exclusive video workshops provide practical demonstrations and comprehensive guidance so that you can reinforce and master your practical legal skills before attempting the SQE2 exams, feel more confident and know what to do, and equally importantly, what not to do, to pass.

This means that you will derive greater value from the mock exams included in your course package as you will understand exactly what is required of you and avoid common errors which will detract from your overall performance.

Key benefits:

Client interviewing: the videos simulate real interviews between a solicitor and a client, covering the main topics a solicitor is likely to face in the interviewing stage of the SQE2 assessment when conducting an interview with a client, including:

• The initial stages of an interview
• Building rapport and dealing with emotional clients
• Asking questions
• Taking notes and dealing with documents; and
• Closing the interview and preparing an attendance note

Watch this sample clip on the right on Client Interviewing – How to Ask Questions – Criminal Litigation – Good Role Play:

Legal writing: develop your skills and learn from an experienced tutor with extensive experience in the legal practice, who will walk you through the most important things to focus on when you write a letter of advice or an email to your client, an internal memo or an attendance note. This series of videos also cover the basic principles of English legal writing, such as using plain English free of jargon or ‘legalese’, punctuation, grammar, numbers, citations, and more. A sample presentation on legal writing – writing letters – is available in the video on the right:

Legal drafting: receive guidance on drafting commonly used documents in various contexts you may be faced with during the SQE2 exam, including commercial contracts, shareholders’ and partnership agreements, limited company and LLP incorporation, board minutes, statements of case, a claim form, particulars of claim, draft orders, purchase deed, property transfer forms, first registration, defence and witness statements, a hearsay form, a will, IHT forms, oaths, and many more. The presentations will also address the right way to use precedent documents and completing forms. A sample presentation on legal drafting – members and board resolution – is available in the video on the right:

Legal research: a detailed walkthrough of completing a legal research task, from understanding the parameters of the task through to a research letter of advice or memo to the partner or the client.

The Legal Skills Video Workshops also include access to summaries of key points (viewable online) which cover the main principles you need to master in the SQE2 exam (about 70 pages in total).

These videos can be watched anytime, from anywhere in the world, on your computer, iPad, iPhone, or Android devices, so there is no need to travel to a study venue or attend expensive classroom lessons.

All videos have captions (English subtitles) for wider accessibility and in order to assist hearing-impaired candidates in their preparation. Access to the Legal Skills Video Workshops is included in all of our three course packages as standard.

Check this preview of all the videos – up to one minute of each clip is at no charge.

The SQE Video Library is an effective and enjoyable learning tool to prepare for the SQE exams which makes your preparation much faster and more convenient.

Key benefits:

• Over 80 video lessons with professional presentations, spanning 20+ hours of lectures and providing a broad overview of the substantive and procedural law
• Helps you learn and develop a deep understanding of each of the subject areas
• Learn On The Go – you can watch the videos anytime, from anywhere in the world, on your computer, iPad, iPhone, or Android devices

Access to the SQE Video Library is included in all of our three course packages as standard. To give you an idea of what to expect, check this playlist below which offers a preview of the videos – first few minutes of each lesson are at no cost:

OSCE Video Library Preview

No – you can study anytime, anywhere: you can study for the assessment from any location in the world, without attending classroom lessons at a physical location.

The course content (e.g., mock exams and suggested answers, flash cards and videos) will be available through SQE Learning, our online training system, so that you can assess your own development and progress.

The online mock practice stations with personal tutor feedback will be conducted over Skype or GoToMeeting at mutually agreed times. You must have web camera and microphone for the interviewing and advocacy/oral mock stations.

Specifically tailored for working people: the nature of the course promotes flexible learning. You can practise the skills required whenever it suits you – making it ideal if you work full-time and allowing you to balance the many demands for your time and attention.

We offer three packages for the SQE2 preparation course. Fees will be published soon and will vary according to the number of mock exams for self-assessment and if you wish to have mock stations with tutor feedback:

• Basic Course (includes 120 mock exams) – £1,590
• Advantage Course (includes 300 mock exams plus initial guidance, a customised study plan and two online mock stations with personal tutor feedback) – £1,990
• Premium Course (includes 300 mock exams plus initial guidance, a customised study plan and four online mock stations with personal tutor feedback) – £2,390

The more mock exams for self-assessment you opt for, the better your preparedness and chances of success are. You will be tested in 16 simulated stations in the SQE2 exams – so make sure you select the package with the number of mock exams that is most suitable for your needs, considering your previous legal experience and knowledge of English law.

Candidates who are registered for the SQE2 Basic Course will have the option to upgrade their course and get access to additional 180 mock exams for self-assessment.

There are three course packages available for the SQE2 assessment:

You will have the initial consultation with your tutor after we receive your completed questionnaire. Please allow your tutor 2-3 working days to review your questionnaire and prepare for your initial consultation call. Access to the SQE Online Training System will be activated shortly after you sign up for the course and will remain valid for two consecutive sittings of the practical legal skills assessment or until you have passed all the SQE2 exams, whichever happens first.

For additional details about our courses, fees, and packages, and to learn more about how QLTS School can help you prepare for the SQE2 exams, download our SQE brochure or request a free consultation with one of our expert advisors.