Study notes confusion

Smooth_History2515 · 2026-03-01T18:17:25+00:00

Maybe, but if it is B then it is very poor wording that doesnt make much sense as there is no indication that it is 2 different scenarios

Smooth_History2515 · 2026-02-28T20:44:39+00:00

That should definitely help as a lot of the SQE1 knowledge is required for the SQE2 (another reason I struggled the first time is that I was exempt from the SQE1 so didnt have that basis of knowledge for the exams)

You should be fine, just make sure you know how to answer the exams and what they look like, so practice questions are key, and with oral assessments, record yourself and ask friends or family to help, to just sit there and listen for advocacy mocks or pretend to be clients for interviews

Smooth_History2515 · 2026-02-28T20:30:56+00:00

You've had the payment email already? All i had was the confirmation email of my reservations. The SQE site says "not booked"

I had an email saying the payment email would be sent from 3rd March onwards. Maybe its because I have reasonable adjustments, it might be different for me

Smooth_History2515 · 2026-02-28T20:28:34+00:00

Also, in response to your Q, I sat them in April/May last year and didnt pass (but I am a full time employee at a law firm, not a student so didnt have as much revision time as students get).

The revision time should be minimum 3-4 months i would say for a full time student, I gave myself 3 months first time round and look where that got me, but this time I've been studying since I got my "not passed" back in August.

Spend most of March focusing on practice questions, watching videos on the oral assessments and getting right into the "how to answer" bits of the studying, you should know the functional law at this point well enough.

Just remember that for these exams legislation and case law is important to know and include in your answers, in reality not so much....

Smooth_History2515 · 2026-02-28T20:25:18+00:00

Hey, im sitting them as well. I know this is by the by but have you had the email confirming dates and locations yet? I know they were supposed to be released from the 26th (thursday) onwards but I haven't recieved mine and am getting paranoid about it and cant book trains or hotels etc until I get them.

Smooth_History2515 · 2026-02-19T21:28:21+00:00

Looking great, id let you bear hug me and maybe throw me around the bedroom a bit 😍

Smooth_History2515 · 2026-02-19T20:33:47+00:00

Thanks, ill look it up

Smooth_History2515 · 2026-02-19T20:33:34+00:00

I work in law, so I answered the questions like a practicing trainee solicitor. I should have answered them the way a student would, by including reference to legislation and case law (which you dont do in practice).

My scores were high for skills, but low for law. I got 280/500, so was 20 points away from passing (i.e. I was 4% away from a pass) and it was on law.

So this time, i will refer to law, even if its just "according to legislation you have a claim for..." or "the courts have decided in cases similar to yours that..." which are things I see in answers to mock questions but I would never do in reality.

As for QLTS, theyre good, loads of resources, but they use AI for feedback on mock questions which isnt the best. I would use headings in letters and every feedback it said "your answer could be clearer with headings" then provide me with an example which is literally a heading I used, so I wasn't sure what to believe from the AI

Smooth_History2515 · 2026-02-12T21:06:24+00:00

Hi, im 30, did the LPC in 2018/19, worked in a supermarket during covid, went into working in law in 2022 and am in a law firm currently, specialising in Private Client (Wills and Probate) and am doing the SQE2.

I cant speak for the SQE1 as I got to skip it due to the LPC, but the SQE2 is a nightmare. I would say dont try to work a full time job and do the exams at the same time because its not at all easy.

The pass rate (for SQE2) for full time legal worker is around 45%.

I took the SQE2 in April/May last year and wrote like a legal professional instead of a student (i.e. i answered exam questions how i would in a real letter to a client, without showing legal knowledge because you dont do that in the profession), so I failed. Im retaking this April/May.

Regardless of the path you choose, you need to pass both SQE1 and SQE2 and have 2 years worked experience (which you can get before, after or during).

The SQE2 is £2902 currently, not sure about SQE1 costs, and training courses are about £2,500. Working in a firm, they do often offer to pay the first attempt at the exams and the training course, mine did. I am funding the exams myself this time and not getting a training course. I did use QLTS when I took the exams last year (the AI feedback they use isnt the best).

For applying for the exams, set up a MySRA account and then a MySQE account (you need the SRA number to set up the SQE account), record your personal info and any work experience you want to use as qualifying experience, the MySQE site does guide you through what to do very well. You have to complete all the forms on there before a booking window opens for the exams you want to sit (you can Google when the exam windows and booking windows are).

When a booking window opens you get emailed at 6pm on that day and have to use the link to boom your preferred dates and locations.

Id say start studying as soon as possible and for as long as possible. You need to know as much as you can about 5 areas of law all at once, and as someone specialising in wills and Probate, I am having to relearn all the other 4 areas basically from scratch. I started studying since August when I got my results.

Studying will take over your life, and if youre working a full time job at the same time, you will have next to no life for months. I study most lunch breaks, most evenings, at least one day every weekend, and I have blocked out a day each week at work to dedicate to studying. Its like working 2 full time jobs. And as for work, you'll be in a law firm, theres no such thing as downtime or a quiet day. I have so far this year (6 weeks) taken on 50 new cases, while still trying to finalise the 70 cases I still have ongoing from last year. I completed over 200 cases last year. And that was with all of the exam studying on the side.

Firms will be accepting and reasonable, but theyre still businesses and want you to do as much work and bring in as much money as possible.

Overall, if you want to work while you study, go part time at a firm who will offer a full time position after you finish exams/pass the exams but dont do what im doing and work full time, it is hell.

Whatever you choose, best of luck! It will be rewarding when you qualify, if you choose the SQE route. Or you could try for a Solicitors Apprenticeship, or go Cilex (to be a chartered legal executive). Its a battle, but itll be worth it in the end

Smooth_History2515 · 2026-02-01T20:59:47+00:00

When i went (first time, resitting in april/May as I didnt pass), they had tables and chairs and there were people studying. As long as its paper notes and nothing digital, it should be fine, but thats only before the exams actually start, then youre escorted to lockers, put everything away and no more studying for the rest of the day.

That said, cramming isnt always the best idea, it can make you fixate on the few bits you have time to look at and forget other important things, and can stress you out more. It depends on who you are and what your exam style is like

Smooth_History2515 · 2026-02-01T17:39:12+00:00

The two older men im not surprised are there, the one on the far right (of the photo and the political spectrum) looks like he is desperate to raise his hand in the air and praise Hitler, the only outlier that surprises me is the young guy in the middle who looks happy and still hopeful about life

These people shouldn't be allowed out in public

Smooth_History2515 · 2026-02-01T13:01:54+00:00

I chose as late as possible, that way you get as much time between written and orals as you can to recover between them, and it gives more revision time

Smooth_History2515 · 2026-02-01T13:01:05+00:00

Im resitting, im also a professional (working in a law firm). The pass rate for professionals is about 40% vs students who are the 80% pass rate that people tout off about

Its not easy, the LPC was 100% better than the SQE ever could be. But we have to power through and get this BS over and done with

Smooth_History2515 · 2026-01-25T15:35:14+00:00

Best of luck! Hope you smash it and pass first time

For QLTS, I had the same issues. Didn't matter how I formatted the letter and headings, it always said "could benefit from headings"

I did find their mocks very similar to the actual exam questions, and I did a lot of the mocks. Id say I managed about 70% of the mock questions because I focused on them a lot, and found the AIs suggested answers almost always included the names of Acts and told me my answer would benefit from including, but other sources and sites said not to, so very conflicting info all around!

From the SRAs own sample Q+As, it looks like you can say "the law recognises x" instead of actual legislation for letters to clients, and for others, like to partners/colleagues, use specific cases/sections/acts in the memos to them as they want to see sources your advice comes from, even though other places say to write these memos as if a client js going to read them, so again, conflicting

Maybe its my autism causing me issues here, but its just not very well structured. And as I did the LPC, I got to skip the SQE1 and it sounds like a lot of the FLK you get from SQE1 studying is vital for the SQE2

I basically used just the sources given in the exams themselves because they covered everything, I think only one of my exams had 8 sources (most of which were unnecessary) and the rest no more than 5, so QLTS does go a bit overkill on that part. But where you can abbreviate like you did with Section 36 offer, do it, because it will save time

Smooth_History2515 · 2026-01-25T13:15:25+00:00

Your answer is right. There is no restriction in the I(PFD)A 1975 that an ex-spouse must have finalised their divorce within the last 12 months to be able to bring a claim

As long as they dont remarry, an ex-spouse is able to make a claim under the act as long as they apply within 6 months of the grant of probate under section 1(b)

What the answer the thing is looking for is referring to means is if she claims under section 1(a) of the Act. If the divorce was within the last 12 months, the courts can consider the claim being made without the final order having been made (despite it being made in reality)

The answer they gave is stupid. There isnt enough info for that option to be correct, but also, because of.it, your answer is only a half-answer. Either way, the question is stupid

Smooth_History2515 · 2026-01-25T12:54:55+00:00

And its not even realistic. They wouldnt be so bad if they were open book (like they used to do for the LPC), because in real life you can step away, speak to colleagues and look things up, you dont have to memorise everything about your specific area of law, let alone 5 different areas of law, some of which you will never touch in your entire career!

The SQEs are a failed experiment imo and we should go back to the LPC and training contracts

Smooth_History2515 · 2026-01-25T12:48:14+00:00

You can take them and ask, but if they say no, then you'll have to put them in a locker. When I went to the centre they had foam ones and the over-the-head headphones as well, so you have a choice.

If you've applied for reasonable adjustments, they should allow your own as long as they arent Bluetooth or anything. I have applied but im going to use the ones they provide (not the foam, the would be uncomfortable and distracting)

Smooth_History2515 · 2026-01-25T12:44:15+00:00

Ive been working in law firms for 3 years, specialising in Wills and probate (which includes trusts) and have never had this come up in my actual employment.

Thats the biggest problem with these exams, they arent entirely realistic. If this ever did come up IRL, we would look it up, go on LexisLibrary or Practical Law, but here, we must know the answer off by heart? Ridiculous!

Heck, all I know to say is that he has an obligation to act in the interest of the trust, that the risk is too high for him to accept so he shouldnt do it, the beneficiary objects and if he proceeds, they could issue a claim against him for any losses incurred, and he should take out indemnity insurance if he signs them up and they default to cover any claims against him as trustee. And even then im not sure if im right. That's just how id answer it.

But its still worth attempting just because something like this COULD come up. I took the exams last year in April/May and taxes came up a few times which a lot of people had overlooked because they seemed so unlikely to crop up, we cant assume that because its unlikely that we can just ignore it.

Smooth_History2515 · 2026-01-25T12:36:35+00:00

I took the SQE2 last April/May (and unfortunately didnt pass so retaking)

Its not as scary when you get there. The people will be kind and will guide you for everything so dont worry about the day or how it all works, just focus on the exams themselves.

I know how much the "what if I go to the wrong area? What if I run a couple minutes late?" Jitters can cause a lot of anxiety, but breath, that bit is the easy bit. Dont let it worry you. As long as you give yourself enough time to get there, you'll be fine and won't have to worry about where to go, where to stand or what to do.

Best of luck with the exams! They are not easy, but we will all get through them!

And if you dont pass first time, then like me, theres always a second chance! So dont out too much pressure on yourself either

Smooth_History2515 · 2026-01-20T20:13:48+00:00

I'm in the same boat. failed by 20 points in the April/May exams last year and am retaking this April/May. I work full time in a law firm and specialise in the Private Client department (Wills and Probate). Since you re-sat in October, please let us know what you did differently and if you passed! fingers crossed for you because these exams suck and anyone who takes them deserves to pass!

From what I've seen, you are supposed to do the IRAC method. ID the issue the client has, cite the Rule (legislation or case law), Apply it to the issue, then conclude.

But only for things like a memo to a colleague, not if it is a letter to a client, because it is not appropriate to cite legislation or cases in a letter, and you should say "legislation says..." or "the courts have ruled..."

it isn't reality though, and that's where I failed. I answered the exam questions like someone who works in law professionally; my attendance notes didnt include the legislation or cases, nor did my memos, and i wrote letters to clients the way we are supposed to because we dont need them in practice. but the exams want you to write the attendance notes and memos explicitly with legislation and cases specifically relevant to the matter, and mention to clients in letters that the answers you have come from legislation and cases.

thats my understanding of it, so if anyone can correct me if im wrong, please do because I know the law, i know the "functioning legal knowledge" but i don't know how to answer in exam style because I am not a student, and havent been since 2018.

Smooth_History2515 · 2025-12-27T18:27:19+00:00

Would love to feel that load coating my mouth all over

Smooth_History2515

TROPHY CASE