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I am a final year Graduate Solicitor Apprentice (Apprentice), nearing the end of my fifth seat and almost at the end of my three year programme. The Solicitors Qualification Exam (SQE) has long been described as a marathon not a sprint. From my own experience, I can confirm that this is the case. I successfully passed SQE1 first time in March 2026. At the time, I shared my overall experiences of my SQE journey in a LinkedIn post here.
I am currently in my SQE2 exam assessment period after just completing my written assessments. This consisted of 12 separate exams across three consecutive days on multiple law subjects. Now that I have this time as a breather before my oral exams, I thought best to reflect and provide some advice for those who will experiencing this period themselves in the future.
What is SQE2?
SQE2 assesses candidates’ practical legal skills across 16 stations. The various assessments will consist of client interviewing, attendance note/legal analysis, advocacy, case and matter analysis, legal research, legal writing and legal drafting.
Review the SQE assessment specification and marking criteria
It is easy for people with previous legal work experience to underestimate the written assessments as they believe they already have the necessary experience and skills from their daily work. However, it is vital to understand that the SQE assesses you in a very particular way with very specific criteria that does not completely reflect actual practice. You want to maximise the marks you can pick up by actively following the marking criteria for each station. You can find that here.
Remember that the assessments are marked 50% on skills and 50% on comprehensive application of legal knowledge. A very helpful method for me was printing off the assessment criteria for the topics that could come up. It helped me streamline my revision and I used the method of active recall to really help me prepare for my assessments.
Have an accountability partner
As my mum always says – no man is an island. The SQE2 journey can feel quite isolated at points when you are revising on your own. I found it very helpful connecting with my fellow cohorts on my university course. One in particular has been my study buddy for the past year. We ask each other questions over text message, set up mock practices together in the evenings and also just check up on each other. We took our written examinations at the same time so after each day she and I would jump on a phone call and have a debrief on how we felt the exams went. It would help calm our nerves and it was nice to have someone to encourage you and motivate you to keep pushing forward.
Build repeatable structures
A very helpful tip is to have pre-planned structures. This saved me a lot of time during my written exams. These are easy skills marks you can pick up. My strategy was that I had a template in mind for every letter, email, report or memo that I had to write. All I needed to do when the exam started was to write them all out and tailor them to the details in the question. This really eases you into the assessment and builds your confidence as you have a set structure that will keep you concise.
Mental health is wealth
The SQE is designed to be a very hard and challenging exam. It is normal to feel overwhelmed sometimes, especially as an Apprentice where you work throughout the week on top of your study commitments. I am very grateful for Michelmores and my PPLE team. Everyone has been very supportive and receptive to any adjustments I needed to help me balance my commitments better. By experiencing this SQE journey personally, I feel that it is important for people going through this process to speak out about what it demands and how it is important to take care of yourself. My team even surprised me with a wonderfully made digital e-Card filled with encouraging messages of support and expressing how hard I worked and that they are full of confidence that I will pass!
As the Health & Wellbeing officer for the Bristol Junior Lawyer Division Committee, I recently was a panellist speaker at a Mental Health & Wellbeing roundtable event hosted by The Law Society (England & Wales). I was on the panel with Mark Evans, the current Law Society President, where we discussed the findings in the LawCare 2025 report. I detailed the points of discussion in a LinkedIn post here.
I advocated about how there needs to be more transparency about how junior professionals are coping with the demands of SQE preparation alongside their work commitments. The SQE is still relatively new to teams across law firms, so do be open with your workplace if you feel you require any additional support during this period.
Rest yourself before you best yourself
It cannot be underestimated how physically and mentally draining the back-to-back days of assessments can be. While it feels like a necessity to cram as much revision as possible between the assessment days, it is also important to get rest. You have worked hard and your brain has been stretched to a great capacity. It is vital to take time to recover before doing additional reading to prepare for the next day of examinations.
I also recommend that you plan a nice treat for yourself or a social event. This will motivate you as you will have something nice to look forward to. After my written exams concluded, I went to the cinema that evening with my friends to watch the new Spiderman: Brand New Day movie. I knew my timetable in advance so we could plan it ahead of time as a mini celebration for myself. It really helped me to relax and recharge myself, which has put me in a better headspace for my upcoming oral exams.
Conclusion: have confidence in yourself!
As stressful as it may feel at the time, know that you are capable. You have passed SQE1 by this point, so you have already demonstrated that you have sufficient knowledge of the law. Now is your time to shine and show off all the hard work that you have done. That time period will be your final stretch, so let that energise you knowing that you are so close to achieving your ambitions. You have the power to make it happen. I wish all of you future SQE2 takers every success!