From building stamina to choosing the right course, ULaw’s Daniel Cowan shares what it really takes to pass one of law’s toughest tests
The Solicitor Qualifying Exam (SQE) has something of a reputation. “Some social media users can whip themselves into a bit of a panic,” says Daniel Cowan, Deputy Programme Director for SQE at The University of Law (ULaw), but he is quick to add that panic is not the right response. The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has designed SQE to be tough deliberately. “They are the gatekeepers of the profession, so you can appreciate why they would want it to be challenging.” But, he insists, “it is definitely possible to pass.”
Daniel and his colleagues oversee SQE1, SQE2 and SQE Plus at ULaw. The last of these is “a suite of additional modules that take people beyond the SRA’s SQE syllabus and into more specific and detailed areas of law. Some of the content is similar to electives in the old LPC regime, but this new suite also aims to be more reflective of law firms as businesses.” This additional study aspect over and above SQE is something ULaw has retained and developed because, as Daniel puts it, “firms tell us that they value that additional depth and understanding”.
So what separates those who pass from those who struggle? For Daniel, it starts with the basics. “An important thing with SQE1 and SQE2 is to go into the study process with your eyes open,” he says. “SQE has a big syllabus that involves taking in a lot of new information. We carefully structure our courses, but we’re also very keen for students to take control of their time and to have a study plan.”
SQE1 in particular is where students can get caught out by both format and scale. Daniel highlights Single Best Answer Questions (SBAQs), which are five-option multiple-choice questions based on a fact pattern, and stresses the sheer volume involved. “The SRA’s SQE1 assessment spans two days and involves 360 questions answered in the space of just over 10 hours. It is partly a test of endurance,” he explains. That is why resilience features so heavily in his advice. “Don’t underestimate the amount of knowledge you will have to retain, and don’t underestimate the resilience needed to sustain a high level of performance during the assessment.” ULaw’s answer to this challenge is “lots of SBAQ practice, gradually building up during the SQE1 course and with lots of student-customisable functionality” via the purpose-built ULaw SQE Revision App, designed to build both knowledge and stamina ahead of the exam.
It is also worth challenging the assumption that a law degree will automatically make the SQE feel familiar, or that academic law learned in that context can be put to one side during SQE. As Daniel puts it, “the SRA SQE1 assessment is approximately half academic law and half professional practice. Students may have been assessed already in academic law during their degree, but probably not using the SBAQ style of question, and however it was learned or assessed, academic law knowledge needs to be kept fresh alongside new, professional practice learning. That’s why, alongside our extensive professional practice course materials we also make available academic law revision manuals and questions.”
The balance of material in SQE could otherwise catch some off guard, and so could the pace. “It’s about being prepared and hitting the ground running,” he says. “There is no space to coast because there is such a breadth of knowledge to acquire.” Daniel does however feel it is important to strike a definite positive note. “We are honest with students about what SQE entails, but it’s important that we also give some real reassurance. We have helped a lot of students to succeed, so we know that with a structured approach, hard work and our support, SQE is eminently do-able.”
On balancing study with work, finances and family commitments, Daniel’s advice is pragmatic. ULaw offers full-time, part-time and weekend routes, with attendance and online modes. The syllabus and overall study hours are the same in all configurations, so the choice comes down to what realistically fits your life. “It’s important to be positive and remember that this is not an infinite journey. SQE is not easy but there will be an end point” he says, “although it is also important to be realistic about the time you actually have available for study in addition to work, and to choose a course type and delivery accordingly.” Getting that calculation right from the outset, rather than adjusting on the fly, is what tends to make the difference.
The SQE is still relatively new, and Daniel acknowledges that how it may reshape the legal profession is “one of those things that will come out in the wash, as more people qualify through the SQE pipeline.” But he acknowledges that there are some clear upsides to SQE. It has created opportunities for a greater variety of study paths and flexible study, and the introduction of Qualifying Work Experience “now allows for multiple instances of relevant experience to accumulate and satisfy the requirements for qualification.” For those put off by the perceived rigidity of older routes into the profession, that flexibility may be significant.
Commercial awareness is another differentiator. Daniel frames this not as a matter of knowing business trivia but of having the right perspective. ULaw’s SQE Plus stage includes ‘Business of Law’ content that addresses how law firms operate as businesses and serve their clients. Firms, Daniel says, want people who are genuinely interested in them “as client-facing businesses, not just as abstract vehicles for the law. Having and being able to demonstrate a credible, realistic interest in a firm can speak volumes about a would-be lawyer.”
With ULaw partnering with Legal Cheek on The Spring Virtual Vacation Scheme and Law Fair this week, Daniel’s advice for students is to get involved from the get-go. “It’s not just a passive thing,” he says. “You are interviewing them almost as much as they are interviewing you. It’s about not being a passenger in your own career journey — you need to find ways to drive it and demonstrate to law firms that you have a sense of where you want to fit into their organisation.”
On AI — another major topic the legal industry is grappling with — Daniel says that ULaw is exploring ways to expose students to profession-relevant AI tools during their studies. He is enthusiastic but measured about AI in the legal profession. Large language models, he points out, “base conclusions on information originally generated by humans,” which means that a user needs to maintain a clear understanding of the sources that an AI tool is using, and of what exactly that tool is being asked — or not asked — to do in any given instance.
He’s also wary of assuming that technology can shortcut early-career learning. “We do have to be careful not to assume that everyone will jump to associate-level knowledge; you still need to build a knowledge base and learn how to use, and not use, the legal tools at your disposal in an effective way.” He continues: “AI is incredible in many respects and its labour-saving potential is vast, but when it is used for complex matters someone with appropriate understanding still typically needs to be involved at the start, to drive it in an appropriate direction, and at the end, to evaluate whether the output is correct and complete. For the time being at least, sufficiently-knowledgeable humans must still be part of the overall picture.”
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