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The Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) brings a great amount of flexibility to the solicitor qualification system in the UK. Unlike its predecessor, the Legal Practice Course, the centralised SQE route allows students to tailor their preparation according to their individual circumstances. As such, there are a number of preparation course options available to choose from.

In the video (above) of our recent virtual student event, SQE tutors and students from BPP University Law School came together to discuss the different factors students must keep in mind while picking their prep course. The speakers also provided tools to identify a course provider that fits best with a candidate’s strengths and aspirations.

The event featured:

• Amelia Griggs, future trainee solicitor at Greenberg Traurig and current LLM student at BPP having passed SQE1 and recently sat SQE2
• Callum Martin, Macfarlanes BPP scholarship recipient on the LLM SQE1 and 2
• Jonny Hurst, BPP’s head of outreach and former City law firm partner
• Laura Bains, programme lead at BPP and former practitioner

Over the hour-long discussion, the speakers broke down various factors relevant to choosing a prep course such as costs, mode of teaching, availability of a dedicated tutor outside classes, preferences of law firms, employability support and the provider’s reputation. Since many law firms require their future trainees to complete additional preparation beyond the SQE, as revealed in a recent Legal Cheek report, the speakers also directed students to consider whether any post-SQE prep would be offered by a provider.

Legal Cheek is running ‘The SQE series’ with BPP University Law School over the next few months. The video of each session will be made available one month after each virtual event together with further FAQs arising from each session which experts from BPP are answering.

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Aspiring lawyers looking to qualify through the SQE can choose to complete their mandatory two-year ‘on the job training’ at up to four different employers.

In the video (above) of our recent virtual student event, representatives from BPP University Law School, law firm TLT and flexible training contract provider Accutrainee discuss what qualifies as Qualifying Work Experience (QWE), and how students can leverage the flexibility of the SQE to their advantage.

The event featured:

• Shazia Bashir, partner in the housing and regeneration team and trainee principal at TLT
• Andrea Gallo, HR manager at Accutrainee
• Jonny Hurst, BPP’s head of outreach and former City law firm partner
• Emma Blackstone, joint head of pro bono at BPP and former solicitor

The speakers started off by discussing which roles in organisations like law firms, charities and legal clinics would qualify as QWE. They highlighted that while work experience is assessed on a ‘case by case’ basis, the key elements to look out for include: the role having real-life provision of legal services, advice or assistance, as well as it meeting at least two SRA competencies. The panel then touched on other questions from students such as the time commitments required during the two-year work experience, differences between a traditional training contract and the QWE, as well as the recording and signing off process.

Legal Cheek is running ‘The SQE series’ with BPP University Law School over the next few months. The video of each session will be made available one month after each virtual event together with further FAQs arising from each session which experts from BPP are answering.

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With the Solicitors Qualifying Exam’s (SQE) assessments differing from that of its predecessor, the Legal Practice Cours (LPC), it is important that students understand what this means for them when embarking on their legal careers.

In the video (above) from our recent virtual event, former solicitors and legal education experts, alongside a current SQE student and future trainee, from BPP University Law School discussed how the SQE is assessed, the key skills needed to succeed, as well as analysing SQE sample questions.

The event featured:

• Jonny Hurst, BPP’s Head of Outreach and former City law firm partner
• Caroline Rayson, SQE 1 Award Lead at BPP and former solicitor at Ashurst and Osborne Clarke
• Kathleen O’Reilly, Head of Law at BPP Bristol and former solicitor
• Callum Martin, Macfarlanes BPP Scholarship recipient on the LLM SQE1 and 2
• Laura Bains, Programme Lead at BPP and former practitioner

The speakers first discussed the SQE pathway to qualifying as a solicitor, explaining the different stages to attendees. They then ran through the assessments for SQE 1 and 2, discussing what skills are assessed, the format of the assessments, as well as the fees. They also ran attendees through a number of sample SQE1 multiple-choice-questions and discussed the challenges with SQE 2 assessments.

Legal Cheek is running ‘The SQE series’ with BPP University Law School over the next few months. The video of each session will be made available one month after each virtual event together with further FAQs arising from each session which experts from BPP are answering.

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In the years until the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) replaces the Legal Practice Course (LPC) both routes are on offer meaning that many aspiring lawyers are eligible to pick which best suits them.

In the video (below) from our recent virtual event, two former solicitors and legal education experts from BPP University Law School discussed the differences between the two routes, and the factors students should consider when making their decision.

The event featured:

• Jonny Hurst, BPP’s Head of Outreach and former City law firm partner
• Kathleen O’Reilly, Head of Law at BPP Bristol and former solicitor

Hurst and O’Reilly started off by discussing the structure and syllabus of the SQE and how it compares against the traditional LPC route. Through a case study segment, the speakers then walked students through the considerations they might want to take into account, such as university grades and degree background. They also answered some burning questions related to considerations including funding, work experience and conversion courses.

Legal Cheek is running ‘The SQE series’ with BPP University Law School over the next few months. The video of each session will be made available one month after each virtual event together with further FAQs arising from each session which experts from BPP are answering.

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Many aspiring lawyers are still questioning whether to opt for the new Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) or the outgoing Legal Practice Course (LPC).

Both courses are on offer for the next few years, as the LPC is gradually phased out.

In the video (below) of our recent event, two legal education and careers experts at BPP University Law School break down the considerations to guide students’ decisions, and help them realise which route is best suited for their legal career.

The event featured:

• Jonny Hurst, former City law firm partner and Head of Outreach at BPP
• Hilary Chadwick, former solicitor and Head of Law for BPP Waterloo

Hurst and Chadwick first shared an overview of the LPC and SQE pathways, before weighing up the factors students should consider. These include cost and funding options, law firms’ preferences, data on training providers and reputation of the pathway. They then discussed case studies involving graduates unsure about which path to take and advised them on what to do.

Legal Cheek is running ‘The SQE series’ with BPP University Law School over the next few months. The video of each session will be made available one month after each virtual event together with further FAQs arising from each session which experts from BPP are answering.

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Speaking from his university’s experience of helping law firms navigate from the Legal Practice Course (LPC) to the new Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), BPP Law School‘s head of outreach and student recruitment, Jonny Hurst, explains we are “very much in a state of transition”, when Legal Cheek Careers catches up with him over Zoom.

He outlines that whilst some firms have already committed to starting the SQE pathway in the next couple of years, with a small minority of leading firms due to put their first trainees through the process later this year, what this will look like in practice will vary significantly from firm to firm.

For example, some firms are taking up the graduate apprenticeship model, teaching a block of learning before starting in the office, whilst others are giving their trainees time out of their working week to study. This marks a step away from the LPC, which was, in the majority of cases more of a one-size-fits-all model with all exams completed before day one in the office, Hurst explained.

Discussing the reticence of some firms to commit to the SQE pathway, Hurst explained that a key factor in this is that the old system was “tried and tested” and therefore in wanting to get the transition right, some firms are waiting for the SQE to bed down.

Given this, Hurst expects that, at some firms, initially there might be some mixed cohorts of LPC and SQE trainees as part of a transitional phase. Although, from the conversations BPP has had, most firms would prefer for students in particular cohorts to have been through the same academic training programmes as it is preferable to plan their development from the same starting point.

Ultimately, this means that whilst we will see a small number of firms move over to the SQE route from this September (2022), it will be at least another year or two before there are significantly more trainees having graduated via the SQE pathway than the LPC.

Legal Cheek is running ‘The SQE series’ with BPP University Law School over the next few months. The video of each session will be made available one month after each virtual event.

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Here is the full video for the fourth in the series of Legal Cheek’s SQE events with BPP University Law School.

The recent virtual event featured:

• Jonny Hurst, head of outreach and student recruitment at BPP University Law School and former City law firm partner
• Caroline Rayson, head of SQE programmes at BPP University Law School and former solicitor at Ashurstand Osborne Clarke
• Bruce Humphrey, head of legal apprenticeships at BPP University Law School and former solicitor at DLA Piper
• The event was chaired by Legal Cheek features editor, Aishah Hussain

The speakers explored six routes to qualification available under the new regime. They answered key questions including: the next steps for LPC graduates without training contracts, expectations for aspiring solicitors once they have completed SQE1, SQE2 and qualifying work experience (QWE), and the graduate and solicitor apprenticeships that are available under the SQE. Also explained was who is most suited to certain routes and the advantages and disadvantages of these.

Legal Cheek will be running ‘The SQE series’ with BPP University Law School over the next few months. The video of each session will be made available one month after each virtual event.

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Here is the full video for the fourth in the series of Legal Cheek’s SQE events with BPP University Law School.

The recent virtual event featured:

• Rachel Boyle, early careers officer at Bird & Bird
• Rosie Buckley, early careers recruitment lead at Dentons
• Jonny Hurst, BPP’s head of outreach and former City law firm partner
• The event was chaired by Legal Cheek events coordinator, Jemina Kauppinen

The speakers addressed common concerns expressed by students from non-law backgrounds, including: the proportion of non-law QWE trainees recruited in law firms, the expectations of non-law trainees, and if supervisors and partners can tell who didn’t complete a law degree. Also up for discussion was whether or not non-law graduates are better suited to some roles rather than others on qualification.

Legal Cheek will be running ‘The SQE series’ with BPP University Law School over the next few months. The video of each session will be made available one month after each virtual event.

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Here is the full video for the third in the series of Legal Cheek’s SQE events with BPP University Law School.

The recent virtual event featured:

• Jonny Hurst, former City law firm partner and Head of Outreach at BPP
• Caroline Rayson, Head of SQE Programmes at BPP and former solicitor at Ashurst and Osborne Clarke
• Laura Birks, solicitor apprentice at Kennedys
• William Preston, solicitor apprentice at Eversheds Sutherland
• Jennifer Turner, LPC student at BPP and future trainee solicitor at JMW Solicitors
• Shaina Haria, LPC/LLM student at BPP
• The event was chaired by Legal Cheek senior events coordinator Sophie Yantian

The speakers explored the various funding options available for students embarking on the SQE and weighed up the pros and cons of each. Also up for discussion were how the introduction of qualifying work experience (QWE) offers the opportunity to ‘earn whilst you learn’ and uncovering the hidden costs under the new regime.

Resources mentioned:

• Private borrowing (from a bank/reputable lender)
• Master’s government funding
• Scholarships from universities
• The Law Society Diversity Access Scheme
• The AS Foundation
• SQE fees funding from Kaplan

Legal Cheek will be running ‘The SQE series’ with BPP University Law School over the next few months. The video of each session will be made available one month after each virtual event.

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Here is the full video for the second in the series of Legal Cheek’s SQE events with BPP University Law School.

The recent virtual event featured:

• Nicholas Cole, head of resourcing at Dentons
• Susie Halliday, executive director of learning and development at Foot Anstey
• Samantha Cotter, HR projects manager at Knights plc
• Lucy Wildig, director of the pro bono centre at BPP University Law School
• Liz Ritter, former solicitor at Clifford Chance and head of business development at BPP
• The event was chaired by Legal Cheek editor, Tom Connelly

The speakers explored the varying approaches to qualifying work experience (QWE) as firms move towards the SQE and how students can start using QWE to help them become solicitors. Also up for discussion were the skills law firms value in future lawyers and the qualities that firms expect students to be developing before they join.

Legal Cheek will be running ‘The SQE series’ with BPP University Law School over the next few months. The video of each session will be made available one month after each virtual event.

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Here is the full video for the first in the series of Legal Cheek’s SQE events with BPP University Law School.

The recent virtual event featured:

• Luke Evans, Early Careers HR Advisor at Kennedys
• Samantha Bracey, Future Talent Advisor at TLT
• Hannah Wright, HR Early Ambitions Advisor at Shakespeare Martineau
• Liz Ritter, former solicitor at Clifford Chance and Head of Business Development at BPP
• Jonny Hurst, former City law firm partner and Head of Outreach at BPP
• The event was chaired by Legal Cheek senior events coordinator Sophie Yantian

The speakers explain the varying approaches of law firms towards the SQE, share advice to those deciding whether to complete the LPC or SQE, as well as consider the skills law firms value in future lawyers and how students can develop these through the different study options.

Legal Cheek will be running ‘The SQE series’ with BPP University Law School over the next few months. The video of each session will be made available one month after each virtual event.

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LegalEdCon 2021 saw speakers from all corners of the profession gather to explore the future of legal education and training.

Over the course of the two-day virtual conference, we heard how the legal profession is gearing up for the launch of the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE), the preparations for the roll-out, and insights into the ways law schools and law firms are looking to build out from the basics of the new training framework. Also up for discussion was how remote learning and working can be blended with a gradual shift back towards more in-person interaction.

Below are video recordings of each of the sessions.

The conference was headline sponsored by BARBRI, BPP Law School and The University of Law, with The College of Legal Practice, LexisNexis and Nottingham Law School as silver sponsors.

Day 1

Session 1

Beyond the SQE: Developing the next generation of lawyers

How societal shifts around hybrid working and diversity & inclusion, as well as rapid developments in commerce and technology, will shape legal training during the 2020s.

The speakers:

• Morette Jackson, director of business development at The University of Law
• Patrick Johnson, director of equality and inclusion at The University of Law
• Peter Arnold, early talent development manager at CMS
• Maria Kell, professional support lawyer at the BBC

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Session 2

What education and training do the lawyers of the future want?

Trainees-to-be share their views.

The speakers:

• Jonny Hurst, head of outreach and student recruitment at BPP Law School
• Mira Motani, future trainee solicitor at Slaughter and May
• Sam Edwards, future trainee solicitor at Slaughter and May
• Aset Paul-Christian, trainee solicitor at Travers Smith
• Freya George, future trainee solicitor at Walker Morris

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Session 3

The general counsel perspective

Pathways for professional development and competence through the SQE.

The speakers:

• Giles Proctor, CEO of The College of Legal Practice
• Susan Cooper, founder and CEO of Accutrainee
• Dan Kayne, founder of The O Shaped Lawyer and general counsel (regions) of Network Rail
• Bhavisha Mistry, general counsel at Mawdsleys

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Day 2

Session 1

What does the introduction of Qualifying Work Experience mean for law firms and legal service providers?

The radical new QWE regime explored.

The speakers:

• Jane Ching, professor at Nottingham Law School
• Andrew Francis, head of Manchester Law School at Manchester Metropolitan University
• Jane Jarman, professor at Nottingham Law School
• Julia Robinson, City of London Law Society training committee member and senior manager, professional development and training at Ropes & Gray
• Alex Smith, partner and managing director at Shakespeare Martineau

With further contributions from Julie Brannan, director of education and training at the Solicitors Regulation Authority

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Session 2

How law courses are proving their value

The LLBs giving students an edge at a time of change.

The speakers:

• Christopher O’Connor, head of segment marketing at LexisNexis
• Thom Brooks, dean of Durham University Law School
• Elizabeth Rimmer, CEO of LawCare
• Matthew Tomlinson, dean at The University of Law Leeds and Sheffield campuses
• Paul McConnell, director of careers and employability at Birmingham Law School, University of Birmingham
• Chris Nichols, director of policy and regulation at the Legal Services Board

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Session 3

Agile working and L&D: Insights from other industries

What law firms can learn from big tech and other progressive sectors.

The speakers:

• Victoria Cromwell, director of UK programmes at BARBRI
• Rebecca Chui, associate at Osborne Clarke and former technical consultant at Microsoft
• Christopher Dede, professor in learning technologies at Harvard University
• Bill Henderson, co-founder of the Institute for the Future of Law Practice

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At Legal Cheek’s virtual student event, ‘What the SQE and qualifying work experience mean for future lawyers’, the law firms and training providers leading the way on the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) discussed how it will shake up legal training and level the playing field going forward.

The speakers

• Victoria Cromwell, director of UK programmes at BARBRI
• Alison Hook, co-founder of legal services consultancy Hook Tangaza
• Mary Bonsor, CEO and co-founder of Flex Legal
• Katrina Watson, learning & development manager at Reed Smith
• Adam Curphey, innovation engagement manager at Reed Smith
• Paul Kendall, head of learning & development at Squire Patton Boggs

Law or non-law student, the new route to qualifying as solicitor is difficult to get your head around. However, with the Legal Services Board giving the SQE the green light in October and providers gearing up to deliver the first round of exams in November 2021, it’s something which we all need to get to grips with, and fast. So, at the most fundamental level, what is the SQE and how does this differ from the current route to qualifying as a solicitor in England and Wales?

Katrina Watson, who heads learning and development (L&D) at Reed Smith, has been part of a team preparing for the introduction of the SQE for some time. Speaking to a virtual audience of over 350 students, she explained how “at a very basic and fundamental level, the SQE differs from the LPC [Legal Practice Course] because it is a standalone set of exams, rather than a course in its own right”. In turn, the SQE it set to become the baseline standard required to practise as a solicitor, supplemented by additional qualifying work experience placements. This indicates a marked shift from the LPC to a practical ‘earn whilst you learn’ model. As Reed Smith’s Adam Curphey explained, this new practical-focused approach aims to “contextualise learning and remedy some of the key problems facing legal education right now”.

What’s driving the change?

One of the principal drivers behind the new SQE has been the desire for greater standardisation. Alison Hook, co-founder of Hook Tangaza, explained how employers have long expressed frustration as to the “clunkiness” of the LPC, seeking to break the course up and level the playing field for candidates. Hook told the virtual audience:

“The current route to solicitor qualification is a pretty ridged roadmap and has to be completed in a set amount of time. The SQE route, on the contrary, is more of a treasure hunt; students can pick and choose what kind of work experience is valuable to them and build their own portfolio.”

Victoria Cromwell, director of UK programmes at BARBRI, agreed, indicating how the SQE also gives law firms the opportunity to now rethink their own training systems and make them more efficient and tailored to their practices going forward.

Flexible training options

The SQE comes with increased flexibility, and with that, heightened accessibility. Primarily, this is because from September 2021, training contracts will no longer form a mandatory part of the qualification process.

As Mary Bonsor, CEO and co-founder of Flex Legal explained, under the new SQE route, students will have exciting new opportunities to build their own ‘qualifying work experience’ through a range of work placements. These placements can be carried out across different law firms, alongside in-house teams at different companies. Given the peaks and troughs in legal workflow, this offers the ideal opportunity to bring trainees in based on fluctuating business needs. Flex Legal is also seeking to simplify the process through its own free ‘digital diary’ platform which students can use to track their qualifying work experience. Going live in January, the platform encourages students to “take ownership of their own career and be more reflective of it”, Bonsor explained.

BARBRI is also working alongside Flex Legal to provide flexible SQE prep courses which can be undertaken during these placements. With course lengths ranging from 10, 20 and 40 weeks, Cromwell explained how “this offers an enormous amount more flexibility, whereby candidates can ‘earn while they learn’ which will hopefully have a big impact socio-economically on access to the profession”. Widening access has certainly been a core aim of the Solicitors Regulation Authority in driving the new SQE route, and BARBRI will offer Flex Legal’s 5,000 paralegals SQE scholarships and fee discounts.

The new SQE route is also predicted to increase access for school leavers. Indeed, as Paul Kendall, the head of Squire Patton Boggs’ learning and development (L&D) team discussed, “the SQE will allow for greater alignment in the different routes into the legal profession and also allow for opportunities to be ramped up at the school leavers stage”. Already a handful of law firms have launched SQE-ready apprenticeships.

Should I take the LPC or the SQE?

Those who begin a law degree or Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) before 31 August 2021 will have the choice of electing between the LPC or SQE routes up until 2032. In turn, the question arises: shall I qualify via the old or new route?

Ultimately, the answer to this question varies according to circumstance. As Hook explained, under the new SQE route, a graduate could do a quick “top up” to sit SQE1 and spend considerably less than the LPC, then going on to build their own qualifying work experience. Taking the LPC without a training contract is therefore always going to be the greater economic gamble of the two — it is more expensive to fund and qualification is reliant on law firm backing. Like all things then, choosing between the old and new route will likely come down to personal preference and individual cost-benefit analysis.

I already have a training contract — what does the SQE mean for me?

For those whom have already secured a training contract, law firms currently have the option to elect between the different routes, with firms such as Squire Patton Boggs preparing for their transition and working with their future trainees to determine the best route for them, and Reed Smith flying the flag for the new SQE route as early as 2022.

Regardless of route taken however, the impact of the new SQE route will likely be felt by everyone on qualification. This is because, whilst the SQE will reduce the bottleneck which currently exists at graduate level, the excess supply here will likely shift upwards to newly qualified (NQ) positions. As Watson explained, “I suspect the bottleneck will just move; as more people are able to put themselves through the process without training contracts, more people will be competing for associate level positions at firms.”

On the flip side however, the supposed increased supply at NQ level may well drive increased demand, especially as the SQE presents new flexible training options for employers. This is predicted to be particularly significant for in-house legal teams, alongside the Big Four consultancy firms, which have long had experience managing ‘earn whilst you learn’ models within the accountancy arm of their businesses.

 

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LegalEdCon London 2020 returned on Thursday 14 May, virtually, to adapt to the unprecedented circumstances brought by COVID-19.

One thing the pandemic has shown is the importance of technology to keep businesses and their people connected. Over 600 delegates from across the country and beyond tuned in from their homes last month to Legal Cheek’s annual conference to gather insights into the future of legal education and training.

LegalEdCon featured sessions on areas including diversity, inclusion and social mobility; online learning; the latest Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) developments; the new bar course; and a closing keynote. A key theme that emerged was how the coronavirus and our increasing reliance on tech will have a lasting impact on these areas.

The morning session focused on legal training, and more specifically, what the trainee of the 2020s will look like. The speakers (view the full speaker roster) agreed that future lawyers must understand the relevance of tech in the workplace, but also display commercial awareness and have an understanding of black letter law. They said, however, that interpersonal skills will continue to remain the most important for aspiring lawyers. Kate Gaskell, director of transformation at LexisNexis, one of the speakers on the panel, summed up by stating that “law is still a human business as its core”.

Our first #LegalEdCon session is underway ? 350 delegates are hearing from 6 speakers present a picture of the trainee of the 2020s pic.twitter.com/5Fblg71k76

— Legal Cheek (@legalcheek) May 14, 2020

During the second conference session which focused on diversity and inclusion, the speakers acknowledged that remote-working policies ramped up in response to COVID-19 could bring benefits to firms’ trainee recruitment processes. With home-working and remote methods of assessment, such as virtual assessment centres, likely to stay in place for the time being, it was acknowledged that employers could potentially recruit on a far wider scale than they do currently, and perhaps globally.

The speakers, which included Mayer Brown’s UK managing partner, Sally Davies, and Clifford Chance’s global head of inclusion, Tiernan Brady, encouraged delegates, who primarily consisted of graduate recruitment and learning & development teams, to harness the benefits a diverse workforce can bring in terms of skills and experience.

Tech is revolutionising the way students learn. Sharing their viewpoints on online learning were prominent figures from leading law schools during sessions three and five.

Into ‘Session 3 — Reimagining Online Learning Part I’ now, and senior figures from law schools @UniversityofLaw, @BPPGroup, @barbri and @collegalpract are sharing insights into innovative course delivery using live demos! ? #LegalEdCon pic.twitter.com/d4MKmIiOm2

— Legal Cheek (@legalcheek) May 14, 2020

Peter Crisp, pro vice chancellor external at The University of Law (ULaw), said that it is the responsibility of law schools to create well-rounded lawyers of the future with “smarts and hearts”. This is part of being an ‘O-Shaped Lawyer’ — lawyers that are not only technically adept but can adopt an emotionally intelligent approach to interact with and understand their client’s needs and goals.

He further suggested that there are four pillars of online learning: community, flexibility, technology and quality. “ULaw has developed socially immersive learning experiences… the mode of online learning has already been reimagined by ULaw through developing student-centric online education,” he said, adding that the pandemic has provided an opportunity for students and teachers to experience online learning perhaps for the first time.

The biggest challenge he said educators will face is reimagining online assessment. Further, Crisp predicted that online learning will continue to play an increasingly significant role in the future of legal education, with possibilities for an augmented blended approach (online as well as face-to-face teaching).

BPP University Law School’s director of new programmes, Jo-Anne Pugh, and head of learning innovation, Tom Pieroni, explained how the law school is using technology to support online learning. “We have redesigned our programmes to reconcile them with the wider skillsets that are demanded by future legal practice,” Pugh said.

The duo outlined BPP’s ‘contextualised’ approach to teaching in which students will be prepared to pass exams through personalised and adaptive learning processes. “BPP students will engage in virtual practice environments that are based around realistic case studies in a digital platform that mimics an intranet or case-management system typically found in a law firm or chambers. This gives students the opportunity to undertake the types of activities they will be expected to do in practice and to consolidate and apply their knowledge,” explained Pieroni.

BARBRI’s vice president of instruction and online education, Samuel Farkas, said that “the COVID-19 outbreak has provided for what some have coined the great experiment of online learning”. Farkas, who was joined on the virtual stage by BARBRI’s director of UK programmes, Victoria Cromwell, observed that online learning is often considered to be secondary to face-to-face teaching. This misconception is unfounded. Farkas explained: “Online learning is as effective, if not more effective, for adult learners.”

Tuning into @barbri’s demo during Session 3 — @vickscromwell (in London) and Sam Farkas (in Florida!) are sharing insights into the effectiveness of online learning ? #LegalEdCon pic.twitter.com/3vIqR8KA4E

— Legal Cheek (@legalcheek) May 14, 2020

He went on to distinguish between ‘emergency’ remote teaching brought by necessity during the coronavirus pandemic with effective and established online learning processes. The latter uses a systematic development approach to achieve specialised learning outcomes, he said.

BARBRI’s online learning approach is designed with the outcomes in mind. Through creating immersive and contextually relevant content BARBRI engages its students using a ‘lean-forward’ learning approach. They are also regularly assessed and are provided customised learner paths.

Neville Carter, chief executive officer of The College of Law Australia, observed that course delivery has shifted online for the most part in recent years, and outlined the law school’s approach to tech. “We’re often asked, ‘what are the particular technologies used to deliver our programmes?’ I always say, well we call them teachers… skilled teachers make the difference. The content and communication and technologies around them are important, as well as student interaction, but we build the technology around the teachers as they are essential to the outcome.”

“Technology was a hot topic prior to the COVID-19 crisis but is now more relevant than ever,” confirmed Christopher O’Connor, head of segment marketing at LexisNexis. He outlined the ‘macro-trends’ of online learning for the future:

“In the short-term, the impact of the coronavirus can be seen with universities moving teaching and exams online. In the medium-term, the pandemic will also hugely impact universities and their finances… I think some students will be asking for partial tuition fee refunds, which will put pressure on universities. This will be used as an opportunity to shape the university sector, with opportunity to move more online. It is very likely we will see a pivot away from research to teaching in the long-term. I suspect law will be something of a safe haven for universities, however, with students favouring vocational courses, yet, online learning could transform education.”

Matthew J. Homewood, head of department at Nottingham Law School, demonstrated how the use of educational technologies, and in particular predictive analytics, can be used in conjunction with a dedicated personal tutor system to provide outstanding pastoral and academic student support. Fellow panellist Dr Steven Truxal, associate dean at The City Law School, shared his experience developing an online international business LLM for the law school.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Schwarz, barrister at Temple Tax Chambers and programme director of the Online International Tax Law LLM at King’s College London, said that “the adoption of the latest in teaching technology is perhaps the best solution for the international challenges we currently face”. Schwarz added that online learning is “a stimulating opportunity” enabling students to learn at their own pace and in their own time.

Thought-provoking insights shared on online learning by speakers from @NLS_NTU, @LexisNexisUK, @CityLawSchool and @KCL_Law in the afternoon second half of ‘Reimagining Online Learning’ #LegalEdCon ? pic.twitter.com/sP4FuvAGLk

— Legal Cheek (@legalcheek) May 14, 2020

It will be interesting to see how the future of education will change with the recognition of how technology can be used to support students, whether through online learning or a blended approach.

The SQE will be introduced in the post COVID-19 world.

During the headline centrepiece debate, ‘The SQE as a blank canvas’, the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA) education and training chief, Julie Brannan, emphasised that there will be no delay to the new solicitor super-exam which is due to come into force next autumn. While her team is working remotely, “we are very much on target for the 2021 introduction”, she said.

LC founder and publisher @AlexAldridgeUK has just kicked off the centrepiece SQE debate at #LegalEdCon — really looking forward to hearing how the new super-exam can be rolled out at a time of upheaval from senior figures including SQE co-creator Julie Brannan ? pic.twitter.com/3wnIK4f22V

— Legal Cheek (@legalcheek) May 14, 2020

In her talk Brannan said that the SRA has reviewed the pilot for the second stage of the SQE assessment which took place in December. It is now considering the final design for SQE2, which examines candidates’ practical skills. “The fundamental question for the SRA is whether candidates will be permitted to choose the legal context in which those skills are assessed, or whether the qualification will be a single, broad qualification as a uniform exam,” she said. The results of the SQE2 pilot were published on Friday, with the SRA releasing its blueprint for the new route to solicitor qualification yesterday. The final design is subject to approval from the Legal Services Board.

Liz Ritter, head of business development at BPP, said that the most effective student learning experience will integrate knowledge with practical skills. The SQE serves as a blank canvas to educators not least because it has no fixed curriculum beyond the requirement that students are prepared to pass the centrally set exams. Ritter added that BPP’s SQE prep course will be filled with experiential and collaborative learning, plus exposure to practice to develop a wide range of skills, all supported by the use of technology. Dr Giles Proctor, the chief executive officer of The College of Legal Practice, said during his talk that use of technology will be central to the SQE, and so students should be comfortable using it.

ULaw’s national SQE programme director, Jill Howell-Williams, explained the law school’s SQE approach. ULaw has developed a student-centric mobile app ‘IPAS’, which will track student scores, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and encourage them to prepare for the two-part assessment. ULaw is also utilising new technology to teach students how to be prepared for the new world of work that will exist after COVID-19, she said.

Continuing on this theme, James Catchpole, associate dean at The City Law School, said “one key thing we’ve learnt today so far is that there is going to be a lot of change in the future and the SQE is just one microcosm of that”. During his talk, Chris Howard, the director of professional legal education at The Dickson Poon School of Law, King’s College London, emphasised the importance for students to adapt to such change.

Another fantastic mix of speakers for the second part of ‘SQE as a Blank Canvas’ at #LegalEdCon ? “One key thing we’ve learnt today so far is that there is going to be a lot of change in the future and the SQE is just one microcosm of that,” says @CityLawSchool’s James Catchpole pic.twitter.com/HiDix5giw0

— Legal Cheek (@legalcheek) May 14, 2020

BARBRI’s managing director, Sarah Hutchinson, explained that the legal education provider’s role is to find flexible pathways to the SQE and help students to effectively prepare for the stage they are at. “BARBRI does the heavy lifting for the students to maximise their chance of success,” she said.

Jenny Chapman, the executive dean of Nottingham Law School, considered how aspects of SQE1 preparation could be integrated into the undergraduate curriculum, and explained that optional modules giving students this opportunity have been developed as part of Nottingham Law School’s LLB curriculum.

Changes to education and training aren’t limited to the solicitor profession — the bar training regime is set to be overhauled. Eight key bar figures shared their respective takes on the upcoming changes to the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) and discussed how the new bar course can be rolled out at a time of upheaval.

Great line-up at the #LegalEdCon Bar session pic.twitter.com/VYh7pnNzxm

— Legal Cheek (@legalcheek) May 14, 2020

Kicking off the session was Hardwicke property law barrister Andy Creer, who gave an overview of how the Bar Standards Board’s proposals will impact chambers.

ULaw’s Jacqui Cheltenham, national programme director, addressed how technology will be used in its new Bar Practice Course, while BPP’s Mark Keith, lead designer, and Ishan Kolhatkar, director of group education technologies, discussed preparing the digital barrister of the future through online teaching, learning and assessment.

James Lee, vice-dean for education at The Dickson Poon School of Law, King’s College London, talked about the university’s validation agreement with the Inns of Court College of Advocacy (ICCA) to help launch the ICCA’s new two-part bar course.

The City Law School’s assistant dean Peter Hungerford-Welch touched on the BSB’s four key principles (accessibility, affordability, flexibility, and maintaining high standards) in the context of producing bar training that is both practical and academically rigorous.

Ian Fox, principal lecturer and course leader at Nottingham Law School outlined the law school’s plans for the phasing out of the BPTC in place of a more flexible bar course including, for their LLM Barristers Training Course, the provision of a compulsory module covering key topics such as expert evidence, vulnerable witnesses, negotiation, mediation and trial advocacy.

The University of Oxford’s Professor Rebecca Williams delivered the closing keynote at LegalEdCon.

Now Dan Kayne, founder of the ‘O-Shaped Lawyer’ and GC at @networkrail has taken to the (virtual) stage to interview Rebecca! pic.twitter.com/atlaXMPG56

— Legal Cheek (@legalcheek) May 14, 2020

Williams, who was joined by colleagues Václav Janeček and Professor Ewart Keep, revealed the initial findings of a new research project focused on the interplay between technology and legal education, and the resulting impact on the training of future lawyers.

She said that while the numbers of law students appear to be healthy, law as an academic discipline still lags behind more technical fields in attracting students.

“Until now, there has been no single subject to rival law as an undergraduate degree for aspiring lawyers. In the future, computer science-related fields may provide such a rival,” she added.

Williams explained that the talent pool is growing larger, since law firms have already begun hiring employees from non-law backgrounds. This is why core legal skills remain central to succeeding in law and as such, aspiring lawyers should have a strong understanding of black letter law.

Shortly after the talks concluded, the speakers and delegates took part in virtual networking over drinks in 14 interactive Expo booths on all aspects of legal education as well as live yoga and a cookery school.

…And that’s a wrap! ?? Thank you to all 500 #LegalEdCon delegates that tuned in throughout the day. Now for some virtual networking over drinks in 13 special Expo booths ? #VirtualLegalCheek pic.twitter.com/9NurQGZ1UZ

— Legal Cheek (@legalcheek) May 14, 2020

The author is a law student at Liverpool John Moores University and a Legal Cheek Campus Ambassador.

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