Paving the way for change: why universities are adapting to the SQE

With the introduction of the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE), the legal qualification landscape is undergoing a seismic shift. Aiming to create a level playing field for those looking to qualify, the SQE provides a more cost-effective route compared to the Legal Practice Course (LPC), while standardising the process for improved consistency across the board.

The challenges

This can benefit individual legal practitioners, firms, in-house teams and those that the profession serves. Yet despite the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA) intentions to foster a more diverse talent pool, in these early stages of the SQE’s introduction, the legal sector remains affected by a lack of socio-economic diversity and has been hailed as one of the least socioeconomically diverse sectors in the UK. Data from the SRA confirms this trend, with the proportion of lawyers from lower socio-economic backgrounds noticeably declining, from 21% in 2015 to 18% in 2023. While the pass rates attainment gap also remains a key concern across the industry, with white candidates continuing to outperform black, Asian and other minority candidates.

There’s a substantial challenge ahead if the sector wants to truly improve diversity through the SQE, and the introduction of this ‘super exam’ alone won’t suffice to address it. Instead, there is a need for comprehensive support across the sector to effect real change.

Universities have recognised the need to pivot, and some institutions have already taken proactive steps by adapting their law programmes to align with the SQE. Collaborations between universities and specialist SQE providers have emerged, offering SQE preparation alongside academic studies, notably at the postgraduate level, as exemplified by initiatives at King’s College London. This approach ensures that aspiring lawyers are equipped with essential SQE knowledge and are well-versed in the MCT assessment methodology, well before graduation, streamlining their path to qualification.

Work experience

This is further bolstered by the introduction of Qualifying Work Experience (QWE), which replaces the traditional training contract model that has become known as a bottleneck for talent. Instead, the QWE requirement must be fulfilled over two years in up to four relevant placements, offering candidates greater flexibility in regard to timing and access to opportunities, therefore paving the way for a more diverse range of talent to enter the profession. Firms and legal teams can access upcoming talent during this time, helping to plug the talent gap across the industry, while aspiring solicitors can practically apply the theoretical knowledge and skills that they are learning. Some universities are now working to connect the dots and have seized this opportunity to partner with law firms and in-house legal teams to enable students to gain valuable industry experience alongside their studies, with models including placement years, such as the Queen Mary University of London Law in Practice degree option.