How much does the SQE actually cost in 2026 is a question some candidates answer with a single number. The exam fees are only the starting point. Prep course prices vary by thousands of pounds for the same two exams, exam fees rise in September 2026, and qualifying work experience
The Minto Pyramid Principle: stop making your reader wait for the point. That's the whole idea behind a framework Barbara Minto built at McKinsey more than fifty years ago, and it's one of the most useful things you can steal for your legal writing before you&
Many SQE candidates lose marks before they ever sit the exam. Not because they study too little, but because they study the wrong way. Understanding active recall versus passive studying might be the single highest leverage change you make to your preparation. šŖšµš Rš²š®š±š¶š»š“ Yš¼ššæ Nš¼šš²š Fš²š²š¹š Pšæš¼š±šš°šš¶šš² Rereading a chapter
Don't wait to start on LinkedIn after qualification. This week I share a practical guide to LinkedIn for SQE candidates, even if you have no legal experience yet and your profile currently sits empty. šŖšµš ššš®šæš šÆš²š³š¼šæš² šš¼š š¾šš®š¹š¶š³š Many recruiters and hiring managers search LinkedIn before they read your CV. More importantly
Best newsletters for SQE candidates is a question I sometimes get asked, usually by someone who has just realised how much of legal practice sits outside the textbook. The honest answer is that most of them will not help you pass. That does not make them a waste of time.
FLK 1 is behind you. One Exam Down, Here Is How To Walk Into FLK 2. Whatever happened in that hall, it is finished, and no amount of replaying question 87 changes a single mark. The only exam that exists now is the one in front of you. Stop Marking
Walk into your SQE with a clear head. That is the whole goal this week. If you are sitting FLK 1 or FLK 2 in the coming days, this issue is for you. ššØš®š« š©š«šš©šš«ššš¢šØš§ š¢š¬ key Nerves are unreliable narrators. The week of an exam they will tell you that you know
Here is a rule that will protect your career more than once: never send an emotional email. Not to a partner who criticised your work. Not to opposing counsel who moved a deadline. Not to the client who questioned your fee. The moment you feel your pulse in your fingertips
AI cannot tell you what matters most to the client. It can draft the letter, pull the precedent, and produce a first draft faster than any trainee in the building. The technical floor has never been easier to reach. But the part that decides whether a client trusts you, comes
Are conferences worth the investment while studying for the SQE? It's a fair question when your time and money are already stretched thin. A good conference can put you in the same room as solicitors, recruiters, and other candidates who are exactly where you want to be, and
The SRA training provider list has over 100 entries. Every provider claims to prepare you for the SQE. Most look identical at first glance. If you are trying to figure out which course to pick, the volume of options alone can stop you from making any decision at all. That
A common instinct when preparing for the SQE is to wait until you feel confident before doing the hard things. That instinct is understandable. It is also backwards. SQE confidence comes from doing, not waiting, and the research behind that is worth understanding. šš”š² šššš¢šØš§ ššØš¦šš¬ š š¢š«š¬š Psychologist Albert Bandura spent decades studying what
SQE Journey
Most AI advice for aspiring solicitors is either all in or all out. This guide gives you a practical framework for knowing when to lead, when to verify, and when to step back entirely.
SQE Journey
SQE 1 Update: SRA Rationales vs. The Law Society Toolkit. SRA confirms no new questions for 2026. Learn how to use these two in your prep. The SRA confirmed on 22 May 2026 that no new SQE 1 sample questions will be released this year. Instead, candidates are getting rationale
SQE Journey
You can leave a client meeting having said all the right things legally and still lose the room. The client felt unheard. The conversation felt transactional. Nothing you said was wrong, but something was missing. That something is what separates the lawyers clients forget from the ones they call back.
SQE Journey
The real cost of qualifying through the SQE in 2026, from exam fees to prep courses to the hidden costs most candidates never plan for. More than two in five SQE candidates said their work-life balance during study was quite or extremely difficult to manage. That is 42% of
SQE Journey
Preparing for the SQE? Here are the 5 important SRA updates from 2026 covering pass rates, fee increases, and what is changing before you qualify. 5 SRA Updates Every SQE Candidate Needs to Know 1. SQE1 January 2026 Results: 58% First-Time Pass Rate (Published: March 2026) The January 2026
SQE Journey
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has published its suite of annual reports. On the fourth full year of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), released on 21 April 2026. The overarching message is the SQE remains a robust. However, the SRA acknowledges that confidence in the qualification is not yet where
SQE Journey
Studying Smarter This Summer starts with the right strategy. Learn to manage time, & energy, especially when life gets busy. Summer brings longer days, but somehow less time. Between family commitments, birthday celebrations, and the occasional BBQ, your study schedule can quickly unravel. If you're preparing for the
SQE Journey
5 Client Communication Mistakes Junior Lawyers Make. Passing the SQE gets you through the door, how you communicate with clients determines whether you stay. This week we're looking at something that will matter just as much once you qualify, how to communicate with clients, in no particular order.
SQE Journey
Transferrable Skills with Amit Kapoor. Amit explains how he draws on his IT background and applies those skills in his work as a solicitor. Transferrable Skills with Amit Kapoor Question 1 Did your engineering / IT background influence how you approach legal problems or contract drafting? Yes, particularly in how I
SQE Journey
This past week the SRA held two webinars. Below are highlights from SRA webinar, aimed at understanding the SQE and supporting aspiring solicitors. Webinar 1: Understanding the SQE SQE Data Insights and Performance Analysis * Rich Data Set: SQE collects extensive data on candidate registration, exam performance, individual questions, and examiner
SQE Journey
Qualified with Aishwarya Luthra. In this 5-question interview, Aishwarya shares how she passed SQE 1 and qualified as a solicitor, with practical advice for aspiring solicitors. Recently SQE Journey subscriber, Aishwarya Luthra posted she "officially passed the SQE 1 and secured an SQE 2 exemption! This means Iā
SQE Journey
Building trust can take years to build, however, one act of broken confidence can lead to losing trust in an instant. Trust is everything. Recently I spoke to a friend who told me an interesting story. For months, my friend and their business partner steadily built a strong, collaborative working