The SQE2 is fundamentally different from SQE1. While SQE1 tests legal knowledge through MCQs, SQE2 assesses practical legal skills that solicitors use daily. It is widely considered the more challenging of the two assessments.
1. The Five Assessed Skills
| Skill | Format | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Client Interviewing | Oral — role-play with actor | 25 minutes |
| Advocacy/Persuasive Oral Communication | Oral — submission to judge | 25 minutes |
| Case and Matter Analysis | Written | 60 minutes |
| Legal Research | Written | 60 minutes |
| Legal Writing and Drafting | Written | 45 minutes |
2. Practice Areas Covered
SQE2 tasks are set across the same practice areas as SQE1: Criminal Litigation, Dispute Resolution, Property Practice, Wills and Administration of Estates, and Business Law and Practice. You must be competent across all five.
3. Client Interviewing Preparation
You will interview a role-player acting as a client. Key skills include:
- Building rapport — greet the client, explain confidentiality, set the agenda
- Open and closed questions — use open questions to gather facts, closed questions to confirm details
- Active listening — paraphrase and summarise to show understanding
- Identifying legal issues — spot the legal problems within the client's narrative
- Advising clearly — explain options in plain English, not legal jargon
4. Advocacy Preparation
You will make a legal submission (e.g., bail application, case management hearing). Structure your submission clearly: "My Lord/Madam, I appear for the [claimant/defendant]. There are three matters I wish to address..."
5. Written Skills
For case analysis, legal research, and drafting, practise writing under timed conditions. Focus on:
- Identifying the relevant legal issues from a set of facts
- Applying the law accurately with correct citations
- Writing in a professional, client-appropriate style
- Structuring your answer logically
6. Study Resources
The SRA publishes sample questions on its website. Use these as your primary preparation tool. Consider enrolling in an SQE2 preparation course from providers such as BPP, ULaw, or QLTS School.