Aims to improve fairness, says SRA
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has announced changes to its SQE appeals and complaints policies, aiming to improve fairness, transparency, and accessibility for students.
One of the main tweaks to the appeals policy is the introduction of “conditional appeals” for mitigating circumstances. This means students can appeal a mitigating circumstances decision if they have new evidence that was not available at the time of their original claim.
Other updates announced by the regulator this week include a clearer process for candidates who miss deadlines for submitting documents or evidence, and a new right for candidates to request copies of documents considered at the first stage of appeal. The SRA says this will help candidates decide whether to continue with their appeal.
The changes also confirm that independent members will remain part of appeal panels to ensure fairness.
Another key change is the introduction of a review panel to consider late appeals, which will only be accepted in “exceptional circumstances” and subject to a reduced fee for initial review. If the panel agrees there is a valid reason for the delay, the appeal will then proceed as normal.
The updated appeals policy will apply to all SQE candidates sitting assessments from July 2025 onwards. Candidates who sat the SQE before this date will remain under the previous policy.
Changes have also been made to the complaints policy to “enhance clarity” and make the process easier to follow. It also clarifies what happens if a complaint is submitted late and explains why the deadline is in place.
The updates follow recent changes by the regulator to simplify the process for students applying for reasonable adjustments. You can check these out here.