Chloe Hayes, a trainee solicitor in BPP’s Social Impact Team, discusses her pioneering QWE route to becoming a solicitor

“I’m originally from South Africa and began my law degree there. After about three months, I realised I wanted to move countries, so I started again at Durham University, pursuing an LLB,” explains Chloe Hayes. Having successfully completed the SQE1 and SQE2 exams last year, she is now three and a half months into her role as a trainee solicitor at the housing clinic in BPP’s Social Impact Team—and loving it.

“Two months in, my supervisor told me we had a case in the county court and that I should represent the client — submissions, cross-examinations, the works,” she tells Legal Cheek Careers. She enjoys this fast-paced, hit-the-ground-running aspect of the clinic. “There is so much demand for our work, representing clients from lower socio-economic backgrounds who would otherwise be unable to access justice. Being thrown into the deep end has its advantages,” Hayes says. She notes that her supervising solicitor is incredibly supportive, but having to handle things independently after the initial guidance has been instrumental in demystifying the court process. “It’s not as scary as I once thought, and I now love litigation!” she says.

Hayes is one of five BPP alumni who are employed each year in paid six-month QWE placements in the university’s Social Impact Team. Recounting how she came to spend time in the housing clinic, Hayes explains that she initially volunteered at BPP’s Legal Advice Clinic while studying for the SQE, always being drawn to social welfare law and closing the access to justice gap that so many people, but especially women, face. Her current work perfectly complements these aspirations. “We only advise tenants, usually against councils — never landlords. Our clients are usually from low socio-economic backgrounds, who do not qualify for legal aid mostly due to government cuts so they come to us to close that gap, and our services are completely free,” explains Hayes. In addition to the housing clinic, there are also a family clinic, an enterprise clinic, a consumer clinic, and a welfare clinic.

“As for a typical day, it varies a lot,” Hayes tells us. A client interview, followed by research on the issue and sending out an advice letter, are typical tasks. She also assists clients in litigation, sometimes representing them before the county court and tribunals. “This involves a lot of statements of case, submissions, replies, witness statements, and evidence collection—it’s brilliant experience,” she notes enthusiastically.

Hayes also flags a pro bono project called Streetlaw, where BPP’s trainee lawyers visit schools, women’s refuge centres, homeless shelters, and many other community groups to educate on certain aspects of the law. They also visit prisons to educate prison communities on matters such as probation and how a criminal record might legally affect their lives after prison. . “Just last week, we did a ‘Goldilocks session’ with a class of 10-year-olds, teaching them about the criminal justice system by putting Goldilocks on trial for burglary and criminal damage — it was fabulous,” she recounts, smiling.

We then asked Hayes what the most rewarding aspect of her time in the housing clinic has been so far. “Representing a client for the first time in the county court, definitely.  Naturally, it’s very daunting, but the judge was so nice, and you realise that it’s not about having a fight. Rather, the end goal is to find an equitable solution while still advocating for your client’s needs,” Hayes points out.

On the flip side, the most challenging aspect of her time at the clinic has been time management. “The clinic is so oversubscribed because there are so many people who need the help we offer. Initially, I tried to do as much work as possible, and it took me a  few weeks to figure out how to communicate well with my supervisor.   At first, I struggled to let him know when I was snowed under. But once I communicated that, he was very understanding and worked with me to plan out upcoming deadlines,” she says. Hayes notes that as trainees, there is often an eagerness to please supervisors by taking everything on, but stepping back and communicating when you’re overwhelmed is crucial and very normal.

Having figured out how communication and time management go hand-in-hand, what’s been Hayes’ biggest takeaway from the clinic during her first three months? “This is going to sound so cheesy,” she cautions, laughing, “but it’s that I’ve realised that I was born to do this job!” She explains that a key worry she had was starting to train as a solicitor and realising that the role wasn’t quite what she expected or enjoyed, after having invested significant amounts of time, money and effort into completing a degree and the SQE. “Luckily for me, that hasn’t been the case. Even on the bad days, I really do feel that I love this job,” she says.

Hayes is now just over halfway through her six-month period of Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) in BPP’s Social Impact Team. Under the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) regime, aspiring lawyers are able to qualify by accruing two years’ worth of QWE in up to four different organisations. This introduces greater flexibility into the qualification process by opening up additional avenues alongside the traditional training contract route. Hayes plans to seek further opportunities in a range of practice areas following completion of her QWE in the housing clinic, to stay on track to qualify in 2026.

To finish up our conversation, Hayes offers some practical tips to stay on top of recording QWE. “Keep a weekly record of what you do – you’ll need two years’ worth of records when you apply to be admitted to the roll of solicitors. Even on a weekly basis it can sometimes be difficult to remember every task you’ve worked on if you haven’t actually written it down, and you will be working on a lot– so really make sure you’re diligent about recording, because if not, you’d be shooting yourself in the foot when it comes to getting the QWE signed off at the end of the two-year period,” she advises.

Chloe Hayes will be speaking at ‘How to get Qualifying Work Experience — with BPP University Law School’, a virtual student event taking place this Thursday (11 July). Apply now to attend.

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‘Deeply honoured’, says Amy Marren

A solicitor apprentice has been awarded an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours 2024 for her contribution to further education and apprenticeships.

Amy Marren, a final year solicitor apprentice at BPP and former GB Paralympian, has been made a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.

After taking a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Paralympics in the 200m individual medley, Marren made the switch to law, taking up a solicitor apprenticeship with BPP’s legal team.

Noted in her citation as “a tireless promoter of the opportunities apprenticeships offer”, Marren has established and run the first Legal Apprentice Society, served as a panel member for the Institute of Apprenticeships and Technical Education under the Department of Education, and is an Apprentice Ambassador for the London Apprenticeship Ambassador Network.

“I am deeply honoured to receive this MBE,” she said.

“It has been incredibly rewarding to see the growth of the Legal Apprentice Society and to be part of initiatives that support apprentices across the country”, she continued. “I am grateful for the support from BPP and my colleagues, and I look forward to continuing our work to enhance and expand apprenticeship opportunities.”

Alongside her Rio success, Marren also took home a host of medals three years earlier at the 2013 IPC Swimming World Championships.

Want to find our more about solicitor apprenticeship opportunities? Check out The Legal Cheek Solicitor Apprenticeship Most List 2024, your go-to guide on everything from pay and locations to number of places and training structure.

BPP’s Head of Outreach joins future trainees to discuss the key considerations when selecting a prep course

With so many options available, choosing the right Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) course can feel overwhelming for aspiring lawyers.

During a recent Legal Cheek virtual event (full video embedded above), Jonny Hurst, BPP’s Head of Outreach and former partner at a City law firm, teamed up with SQE1 Award Leader Julie Harris to discuss key factors to consider when making this crucial decision, including costs, pass rates, reputation and content.

They were joined by future trainees from two City firms and a current trainee from BPP’s Social Impact Team, who shared their experiences of preparing for the exams and offered advice to those considering this route to qualification as solicitors.

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

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BPP student Ifeoluwa Aderibigbe shares her experience and why legal work can be the key to success

“The Solicitors Qualifying Exams (SQE) have been interesting,” says Ifeoluwa Aderibigbe, current SQE 1&2 LLM student at BPP University Law School. “I’ve never had to do anything like this before, because all of my exams on my law degree were essay-based. So, it’s taken me some time to get used to the multiple-choice question (MCQ) style.” With this interview coming straight off the back of Aderibigbe finishing her SQE2 exams, Legal Cheek Careers is keen to find out more about her experience so far.

“Even though I’ve done work in a legal clinic, I had never engaged with legal drafting and legal research prior to starting SQE2 preparation, so it has come as somewhat of a challenge,” notes Aderibigbe. “But overall, I’ve found the experience really beneficial because it has taught me so many of the skills that I’ve needed for my work at BPP’s Legal Clinic.”  By working for BPP’s Social Impact team, Aderibigbe is building up her Qualifying Work Experience (QWE). This means that by the time she finishes her six-month placement with BPP, she will have completed 25% of her QWE if she decides to qualify via the QWE portfolio route.

However, she still hopes to secure a two-year traditional training contract at a single employer. “My SQE experience has been really fundamental in helping me to build the skills that I use day-to-day working on cases at the clinic, but also to help build those skills that I’ll need when I ultimately become a qualified solicitor,” she explains.

Talking on why she chose BPP as a provider, she tells us that it’s undeniable that the pass rate influenced her choice. “It’s significantly higher than the national average at BPP, so I wanted to ensure that I was choosing a provider which would give me the best chance of success,” she explains. “And, I have to say that I have no regrets choosing BPP as a provider for the SQE. We’re provided with revision notes and videos which help you to navigate the knowledge that you need to bring over from a law degree,” she says.

“And aside from this, the structure of teaching at BPP is very good,” she continues. “Before each class, we’re all given a ‘prepare task’, and during the session we’re given an ‘apply task’, which really helped me personally to cement my knowledge.”

So, she says, even during SQE1 preparation, students already have an idea of the types of skills they’ll need for SQE2 — given that most of the knowledge tested is ‘applied’ within the classroom. “The tasks that we’re given throughout, whether these are the tasks during each session or the practice exams, all really resonated with the actual formulation of the exams, so in my opinion BPP’s SQE prep course can’t be faulted,” she explains.

After announcing last year that BPP was taking on five ‘qualifying work experience’ trainees to work within its pro bono clinic, Aderibigbe found herself as one of the law school’s first student recruits. We probed her on the kind of work she’s been undertaking. “I had some previous experience in BPP’s Legal Advice Clinic, so I wanted to explore my legal journey with the Social Impact team,” she explains. “But since I’ve started, I advise on civil litigation matters which really relate to what I’ll be doing in practice. I meet with clients and conduct client interviews with a solicitor supervisor, and afterwards I send letters of advice out to each client on their case,” she says. “So, it helps me both to revise all of the knowledge I’ve learned throughout my undergraduate degree and the SQE exams, but also to put this knowledge into practice.”

Although she’s still planning on going down the traditional training contract route rather than building her QWE across multiple organisations, this experience is guaranteed to help her stand out from the TC-hunting crowd. “Interviewing clients is something which I’ve always wanted to do. I really enjoy the aspect of seeing a case through from start to finish, and I find it so rewarding to be able build my confidence and experience,” she says. Working with a lot of qualified solicitors, she tells us that it’s also been incredible exposure to legal practice.

Noting how much this experience helped her in the SQE2 exams, she says:

 “I would advise anyone taking SQE2 to gain work experience before they take the exam. It really helps. When I walked into the client interviewing assessment on the SQE2 exam, it felt so natural because this is something that I do every day at work!”

Aderibigbe will be speaking at Legal Cheek’s event, “SQE courses: everything you need to know”, which is just around the corner, on 6 June. With this in mind, we quiz her on her general advice for SQE students. “The first tip I would give is to make the decision not to self-study. Self-study for the SQE is not going to take you as far as with a provider. There are some things my tutors taught me in class which are not in the materials, yet still became fundamental to my success on the exams,” she explains. “Aside from this, as I mentioned previously, work experience really is key to the SQE2 exams. And, finally, although practice exams are key, try not to focus solely on MCQ prep. Broadening your knowledge so that it’s applicable widely to many types of questions prevents students from the path-dependency that comes with over-reliance on previous practice exam answers.”

On a final note, she urges SQE students to prepare for all eventualities. “The SQE exams can surprise you. Choosing to study in a way which is new or unfamiliar to you may be the key to success. Expect the unexpected”.

Ifeoluwa Aderibigbe will be speaking at ‘SQE courses: everything you need to know — with BPP University Law School’, a virtual student event taking place on Thursday 6 June. Apply now to attend.

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Legal Cheek’s annual conference gathered together key figures from across the profession to discuss skills gaps, innovations, apprenticeships, SQE and more

LegalEdCon 2024 returned to Kings Place in London yesterday with a host of talks exploring the hottest topics in legal education and training.

On the day of the conference, nearly 300 delegates gathered to hear the latest industry insights from leading experts in the legal field. This year’s conference featured sessions on a variety of topics, including the latest developments in the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) regime, innovations in solicitor training, addressing skills gaps, solicitor and graduate apprenticeships, and AI.

The keynote session this year focused on law influencers (dubbed ‘lawfluencers’) and offered attendees unique insights into the growing social media landscape in law. The session was delivered by a group of speakers with different perspectives on approaching working in the law whilst maintaining an online presence, including discussions on their experiences of the SQE and the skills that junior lawyers often lack.

Session 1: Skills and knowledge gaps: where are trainees and junior lawyers strong, and what do they need to improve?

The speakers:

• Jim Moser, Director of Professional Development at The University of Law
• Peter Arnold, Head of Talent at CMS
• Kirsty Wilkins, Head of Professional Development at Willkie Farr & Gallagher
• Emma Lilley, Head of Legal UK&I at SD Worx and Founder of ‘In-house Potter’

In the first session ULaw’s Jim Moser, Director of Professional Development, kicked off LegalEdCon 2024 with a session focusing on the skills and knowledge gaps in trainees and junior lawyers. The speakers candidly spoke on how law students can overcome setbacks and develop into successful, competent, and well-rounded lawyers. As the speakers explained, filling these gaps allows juniors lawyers to hit the ground running in their legal careers.

Peter Arnold, Head of Talent at CMS, spoke about future-proofing legal talent to ensure emerging juniors develop into well-rounded lawyers. He focused on what future lawyers need in the modern day, and how talent teams can focus on developing their juniors to fulfil the needs of law firms. He explained that the key characteristics and skills they need to develop are strong legal knowledge, tech-savviness, and a growth mindset. He noted that learning doesn’t stop at law school, when student are undertaking their qualifying studies or even when they become a newly-qualified lawyer; a “continual growth mindset” is key.

Next up, Emma Lilley, Head of Legal UK&I at SD Worx and Founder of ‘In-house Potter’ took to the lectern. She added some “in-house spice” to the conversation to speak on what in-house clients want from junior lawyers. She highlighted the importance of developing ethical standards by encouraging emotional intelligence, noting that leading by example is crucial in supporting individuals to stand up for their beliefs. Lilley also told the audience that communication skills are valuable in the modern, tech-driven, and hybrid workplace, and that in-house teams must be attuned to evolving forms of communication.

Finally, Kirsty Wilkins, Head of Professional Development at Willkie Farr & Gallagher, spoke on the allusive qualities that partners want to see in their juniors. She mentioned that, although tech skills and legal knowledge are essential, partners often prioritise interpersonal qualities. “People sell people,” she noted, emphasising that team spirit is crucial for juniors to develop into well-rounded lawyers.

Session 2: AI corner

The speakers:

• Mike Kochkin, CEO of BeSavvy
• Matthew Leopold, Head of Brand and Insight at LexisNexis
• Samantha Hope, Head of Emerging Talent at Shoosmiths
• Samantha Wong, Events Coordinator at Legal Cheek presenting Aikanah, Legal Cheek’s AI Ambassador

Matthew Leopold, LexisNexis’ Head of Brand and Technology, opened the AI Corner session with an impassioned talk. He explained the incredible changes coming to the legal industry, pronouncing today’s lawyers as the luckiest legal generation so far. Being able to embed knowledge and experience in a changing world gives today’s lawyers the flexibility to approach AI technology in a way which is going to change the landscape of the legal education, he enthused. “Imagine what the opportunities will be when we think holistically about AI in the law”, he noted. Leopold finished up by explaining that  advances in generative AI technology now gives lawyers the opportunity to draft e-mails and legal statements, and summarise research.

Next to take the lectern was Samantha Hope, Head of Emerging Talent at Shoosmiths, who was unable to attend the conference, but gave her talk via a pre-recorded video for the discussion. Talking on generative AI in training contract applications, she explained that one in three Shoosmiths’ applicants appeared to have used AI in their applications. Embracing this tech in legal practice, she explained, will allow lawyers to devote time on developing their wider skillset. So, she urged law firms to keep on top of technological developments and AI trends in order to make the most of the immense potential of gen AI tech. She finished by throwing a question to the audience: “Are you team AI or team ban AI in applications?”

Following this talk, Mike Kochkin, CEO of BeSavvy, spoke about the use of AI for junior lawyers. Using tech developed at his company BeSavvy, he explained how legal training can be simplified and honed through technology. He told the audience that “what took years can now take one day”, when it comes to legal training, through using “AI agents” to provide memory, tools and planning in the legal training process.

The final speaker of this session was Legal Cheek‘s own Samantha Wong, Events Co-ordinator and creator of Aikianah, Legal Cheek‘s AI influencer. She discussed the process of creating the AI ambassador, from Aikanah’s inception to her role as an influencer on Instagram. She discussed the creation process, including the AI prompts she used to produce images of Aikanah. She also divulged the challenges she faced, including the AI technology creating wonky hands, teeth, feet, and the limited extent to which AI can create photo-realistic videos.

Lunch and networking

Session 3: Solicitor apprenticeships: beyond the hype

The speakers:

• Lorna Bailey, Head of Learning and Development at Fletchers Solicitors
• Jane Robson, CEO at the the National Association of Licensed Paralegals
• Lucy Dolan, Early Talent Manager at Gowling WLG UK
• Bethany Taylor, Associate at Eversheds 
• James Catchpole, Associate Professor and Head of Professional Programmes at City, University of London
• Patrick McCann, Legal Practice Chair of City of London Law Society Training Committee

James Catchpole, Associate Professor and Head of Professional Programmes at City, University of London, opened the discussion. He began by touching on the exceptional characteristics of many solicitor apprenticeships and the outstanding results they’re achieving on the SQE. Urging firms to increase intakes of apprentices, he noted that this route isn’t being embraced widely enough, nor diversely enough. He introduced a debate: “Why are firms so slow to embrace this route to qualification?”

For the Q&A session, our speakers answered questions on creating solicitor apprenticeship programmes, the benefits of having apprentices, and the challenges faced by firms implementing them. Lorna Bailey, Head of Learning and Development at Fletchers Solicitors, gave her tips for firms looking to take on apprentices. “Educate the firm about apprenticeships, as well as the wider communities in local schools,” she advised. “And be sure to track the data!”. Patrick McCann, Legal Practice Chair of City of London Law Society Training Committee, reaffirmed his overwhelming support for solicitor apprenticeships and urged more law firms to tap into this talent pool.

Towards the end of the Q&A session, the microphone was passed to Bethany Taylor, Associate at Eversheds, to talk about her experiences as one of the country’s first solicitor apprentices. She took this opportunity to highlight her career journey throughout the six-year scheme, and the benefits she’s experienced along the way.

Session 4: SQE latest developments

The speakers:

• Liz Ritter, BPP Law School (chair)
• George McNeilly, Early Careers Partner at DWF
• Camilla Brignall, Learning & Development Manager at Linklaters
• Kamila Czerwinski, Graduate Solicitor Apprentice at TLT
• Julie Swan, Director of Education and Training at the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA)
• Tanya Dolan, Senior Counsel at Astra Zeneca

Chaired by Liz Ritter, Head of Client Development at BPP Law School, the session discussed how the SQE is opening up new pathways in the profession and highlighted some of the challenges in its administration.

Taking the form of a Q&A, the first question enabled the speakers to explore how their respective firms and organisations are embracing the SQE. Camilla Brignall, Learning & Development Manager at Linklaters, discussed how the Magic Circle firm has embedded the SQE into its training models, including solicitor apprenticeships and the traditional training contract route. She was followed in quick succession by George McNeilly, Early Careers Partner at DWF, discussing the routes to qualification his firm, and finally by Tanya Dolan, Senior Counsel at Astra Zeneca, discussing qualification opportunities at the Big Pharma corporation.

The speakers also discussed how they had adapted their existing training models to meet the developments in the SQE space, the various study options available to candidates, and the advantages of taking on SQE2 after some Qualifying Work Experience (QWE). This led the speakers onto a discussion focusing on the graduate solicitor apprenticeship model.

Kamila Czerwinski, Graduate Solicitor Apprentice at TLT, took to the mic to reflect on juggling SQE studies with his work at the firm. She highlighted the importance of time management, study approaches and effective communication as an apprentice. Taking the audience beyond the ‘stigma’ of apprenticeships, she discussed how firms can shift their understanding and mindset on apprenticeships.

Ritter then directed the discussion towards high exams fees, accessibility and the uncomfortable pass rates among minority ethnic candidates. McNeilly urged firms to take responsibility to address accessibility issues and the disparity in pass rates across ethnicities. To close the session, Ritter directed a question to Julie Swann, Director of Education and Training at the SRA, regarding the recent SQE marking errors, before opening the floor to questions from the audience. Swann responded with remarks such as “desperately disappointing” and assured that “it will not happen again.

Session 5: Innovation in legal education

The speakers:

• Elizabeth Rimmer, Chief Executive of LawCare
• Ellen Swarbrick, Trainee Solicitor at Vinson & Elkins
• Rachel Boyle, Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the Legal Neurodiversity Network
• Pedro Leake-Bandeira, Trainee Solicitor at Accutrainee
• Dr Naila Anwar, Head of Law at University of Huddersfield
• Robert Dudley, Head of Employability & Engagement at BARBRI (Chair)

Chaired by Robert Dudley, head of Employability & Engagement at BARBRI, innovation in legal education was the penultimate session of the day. The free-flowing panel discussion had a focus on technology’s ability to improve training for trainee solicitors, as well as the challenges individuals entering the legal industry are currently facing.

The session kicked off with Elizabeth Rimmer, Chief Executive at LawCare, who discussed LawCare’s two main objectives. The first, to provide support to those working in the sector. And the second, to focus on advocacy and education. Elizabeth also went on to discuss the challenges a virtual working environment can bring, and the importance of focusing on alleviating stress and anxiety.

Ellen Swarbrick, trainee solicitor at Vinson & Elkins, discussed the challenges she faced while working alongside her studies. Swarbrick argued that the flexibility of completing the SQE with Barbri made juggling these conflicting responsibilities easier. Swarbrick also discussed the benefits of completing BARBRI’s Prep for Practice course, arguing that it helped bridge the gap between having a basic understanding to having more focused knowledge when going into practice.

This positive effect of BARBRI’s courses was also highlighted by Pedro Leake-Bandeira, a recent SQE graduate and current trainee solicitor with Accutrainee. BARBRI’s SQE course helped him to understand how to condense his knowledge, while the flexibility of working for Accutrainee meant that he could adapt his working hours during the day – something which he believes significantly helped him juggle his day-to-day responsibilities.

The session went on to consider the experiences of current undergraduate students, with Dr Naila Anwar, Head of law at the University of Huddersfield, focusing on the mental challenges students are currently facing. Anwar discussed the impact Covid-19 continues to have on students — with many students never having sat an exam, it has left students anxious and has resulted in an increase in mental health issues.

Rachel Boyle, founder of the Legal Neurodiversity Network, advocated for the importance of raising awareness and creating a change in attitudes towards neurodiversity in the legal industry. Boyle discusses the network’s events, which have seen discussions surrounding the challenges neurodiverse individuals are facing. Boyle argued the importance of upskilling and having open and honest conversations.

The session wrapped up with an audience Q&A which highlighted the importance of creating a safe space and celebrating successes.

Keynote from lawfluencers

The speakers:

• Megan Hulme, Founder of ‘It’s All Hearsay,’ Associate at Mishcon de Reya
• Omotayo Anifowoshe, ‘The SQE Babe’ legal influencer
• Jay Heer, Future Trainee Solicitor at Simmons & Simmons and Founder of JaysLawLife

The final session of the day started with Omotayo Anifowoshe, founder of ‘The SQE Babe’ on TikTok. Anifowoshe shared her story and the challenges she is facing while self-funding her legal education. Her TikTok account shares useful tips with students following the same path, as well as providing an insight into the unique challenges that self-funding the SQE brings. Anifowoshe argued that while the SQE has its flaws, it does acknowledge that not all individuals have an easy route into the profession.

The second speaker of this session was Jay Heer, a future trainee solicitor at Simmons & Simmons and founder of JaysLawLife. Heer began by sharing his career journey to date. After passing SQE1 in January, Heer completed SQE2 last week and shared his thoughts on the intensity and experience of the exams. While Heer did not find the concept of a new exam daunting, he found that getting answers to SQE-related queries was difficult. He argued that this ultimately creates a fear of the unknown and increased anxiety in students.

The final speaker of LegalEdCon 2024 was Megan Hulme, founder of ‘It’s All Hearsay’ and litigation solicitor. Hulme qualified two years ago and spent her session time discussing the transition from trainee to associate. Hulme argued the importance of forward-thinking, resilience and determination. Hulme also went on to highlight that her progress has increased significantly since qualification, due to the ability to stay with one team and understand the way senior members of the team like work to be completed.

Alex Aldridge, Legal Cheek‘s publisher, brought the conference to a close, thanking the speakers, delegates and headline sponsors BARBRI, BPP University Law School and The University of Law, as well as silver sponsors LexisNexis and The City Law School, and additional sponsors Oxford University Press,  The National Association of Licensed Paralegals, Intellek and The Food Chain.

BPP’s Head of Client Development, Liz Ritter, talks apprenticeships, exam performance and ‘teething problems’ with the new route

“For the last five years, I’ve really been living and breathing SQE,” says Liz Ritter, BPP’s Head of Client Development. Six years after qualifying at Magic Circle law firm Clifford Chance, Ritter made the move into the learning and development space, and has since spent most of her career at BPP and in law firm learning and development. “For me, making this shift was all about having the opportunity to work with individuals; helping them become the best lawyers that they can be and supporting them to develop their own skills in their chosen careers.” Now, her role sees her helping legal employers of all varieties to navigate their way through the SQE system, identifying different pathways and programmes that best suit their business needs.

With the SQE firmly ingrained in her day-to-day, Legal Cheek Careers asks Ritter for her thoughts on its rollout over the past couple of years. “There have clearly been some teething problems. That’s partially since the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and Kaplan have had to scale up so considerably as more students and law firms have transitioned over to the new pathways,” she explains. But it’s not all negative. “At BPP, we meet with the SRA and Kaplan on a fairly regular basis to pass on feedback that we gather from our student body and from the employers we work with,” she says. “These discussions have led to some positive changes, like those recently made to the booking system, which have had a positive impact on the SQE administration.”

But it would be no lie to suggest that these ‘teething problems’ have impacted confidence in the SQE regime, says Ritter, who will be chairing an SQE discussion at the LegalEdCon 2024. “These teething issues have had an impact on confidence in the administration of the SQE, but separately there is also a question of confidence as to whether the SQE in its current format is the best way to determine competence for future lawyers. There are very capable candidates who would make great solicitors but who are struggling in particular with SQE1.”

She continues: “From an employer perspective, one of their key concerns is certainty, and I don’t think we’re there yet. This is really important to employers, given their need to advance plan recruitment and resourcing.”

It seems though, with the release of recent data, that there is one group of qualifiers reaping the rewards of the SQE regime. “I’m a massive champion of the school-leaver solicitor apprenticeship route,” says Ritter, acknowledging the success of apprentices when it comes to the qualifying exams. “I work very closely with many employers who are implementing these apprenticeships, and it’s been absolutely fantastic to see the success of so many apprentices making their way through to qualification.” But why are this group of aspiring lawyers so successful, particularly on the SQE2 assessments? Ritter tells us apprentices “sit the SQE2 exams towards the end of their six-year programme, and the SQE2 is ideally suited for apprentices because they’ve already built five or six years of practical, on the job experience.”

Since the implementation of the SQE regime, the school-leaver apprenticeship route is just one of the various pathways available for qualification with BPP. “This is one of the real advantages of the introduction of the SQE: it enables multiple routes to qualification. I don’t think you can say one is better than the other because different pathways suit different individuals and different employers,” Ritters says. Many law firms have opted to ‘frontload’ SQE preparation before the beginning of training contracts because they value the certainty that this brings, Ritter explains.

“Frontloading the SQE has also enabled law schools to offer programmes that help future lawyers develop wider knowledge and skills which align more closely with the type of work they’ll be doing when they hit the ground as a trainee. It makes these SQE candidates more practice ready.” She continues: “For example, our very popular master’s programme goes well beyond the SQE curriculum, with different pathways according to the type of organisation that they want to work in (general practice, commercial or corporate), together with an awareness of the impact of ESG, legal tech and AI on the practice of law.”

Equally, the graduate apprenticeship model is particularly attractive to aspiring lawyers and employers, according to Ritter. “What’s exciting is the range of different organisations that have chosen to adopt the graduate solicitor apprenticeship and that previously might not have been able to support or sponsor aspiring solicitors in the same way,” she tells us. “We’re working with law centres and charities, law firms of all sizes, in-house legal teams, local authorities, police authorities and public bodies like the Government Legal Department. These diverse types of organisations provide new and varied opportunities, so that’s hugely attractive.”

With numerous qualification pathways emerging since the introduction of the SQE, we ask Ritter how BPP is uniquely preparing its students for success. “Most of our students are on modes of study that benefit from regular, live teaching from tutors who are experts in their fields, with access to our high-quality resources and MCQ practice questions, all supported by AI driven educational technology platforms to help students to success,” she says. “Our programmes also focus at every stage on development of practice-ready skills, using realistic case studies and incorporating trainee-type tasks as part of their learning.” In BPP’s latest results, 79% of first-time test-takers passed SQE1 in January 2024 across all cohorts, based on the verified results of over 75% of BPP’s students. “Ultimately,” says Ritter, “we’re preparing students for success in the assessments, but we’re also preparing them for success in their future careers.”

Liz Ritter will be chairing a session on the developments to the SQE at LegalEdCon 2024, Legal Cheek’s annual future of legal education and training conference, which takes place in-person on Thursday 16 May at Kings Place, London. Final release tickets for the Conference can be purchased here.

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BPP’s Head of Outreach joins SQE Award Leaders and future trainees to discuss part one of the solicitors’ assessment

The Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) is now just over three years old, and multiple cohorts have already completed both the SQE1 and SQE2 assessments.

During a recent Legal Cheek virtual event (full video above), a panel session led by BPP’s Head of Outreach and former City law firm partner Jonny Hurst, along with SQE Award Leaders Allison Banks (responsible for City Consortium Plus Programme and Essentials for Practice) and Ayesha Anandappa (overseeing LPC Firm Specific and Essentials for Practice), delved into all aspects of SQE1.

The informative discussion covered a range of topics, including the format, booking process, content, and assessments for SQE1. Additionally, it featured an interactive analysis of sample questions aimed at helping aspiring lawyers understand what to expect.

The panel also included current SQE students from BPP who have recently passed SQE1, such as Mikaela Hristova, a future trainee at Stephenson Harwood, and Christian Stocker, a future trainee at Walker Morris. Together, they shared insights into their course experiences and offered advice to those considering the SQE route.

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

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BPP’s Head of Outreach joins future trainees for an in-depth look at part two of the centralised assessment

Now well into its third year, the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) has seen multiple cohorts complete both SQE1 and SQE2 exams. Yet, for aspiring solicitors, these assessments continue to present a daunting prospect.

During a recent Legal Cheek virtual event (full video embedded above), Jonny Hurst, BPP’s Head of Outreach and former partner at a City law firm, teamed up with Laura Bains, BPP’s SQE2 Award Leader, to delve into part two of the centralised assessment.

They were joined by students who are going through the process themselves, including Madelaine Moss, current SQE student and future trainee at Addleshaw Goddard, Jasmine Sayany, future trainee at Watson Farley & Williams, and Daria Slavnova, who is currently studying the SQE LLM with BPP.

The panel shared their experiences, insights gained, and lessons learned, while also offering a comprehensive overview of SQE2 content, format, booking process, and pass rates. Additionally, the event featured an interactive analysis of a sample SQE2 question and a discussion on strategies for maximising success in these challenging assessments.

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

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Mikaela Hristova, future trainee solicitor at Stephenson Harwood and current BPP SQE student, discusses her exam experience

Mikaela Hristova, a future trainee solicitor at Stephenson Harwood, recently completed and passed SQE1 in January. Recounting her post-exam worries, she tells me, “for FLK 2, I was convinced that I’d failed, but I ended up being in the top quintile. It just goes to show, you never know!”

Like many SQE1 candidates, Hristova felt very anxious going into her SQE LLM course at BPP. “The main issue is the uncertainty, just because the SQE is such a new process of qualifying. The information that is out there is, I would say, more negative than it is positive,” she says. Even towards the end, Hristova did not feel better about her prospects. “I was hearing about all these amazing and exceptional students going to top firms who were failing SQE1. I felt that no matter how much work I put into it, there was a 50-50 chance that I would fail, which is a huge gamble.”

It is safe to say Hristova worked hard regardless. When discussing her study technique, she explains that she developed a study system based on her visual learning style. “I was doing a lot of mind maps with a mixture of things.” She recalls taking screenshots of diagrams and flow charts from the resources provided by BPP, then annotating them in mind maps.

She also used flash cards to revise the multiple-choice questions (MCQs) she had answered incorrectly in practice papers. In the final month leading up to the exams, Hristova copied her study notes onto sticky notes, which she then stuck onto her fridge. “Every morning I would spend maybe one or two hours going through every single thing,” she says. “Even the legal rules that I knew and was quite comfortable with, I would really make sure I knew them.”

However, Hristova stresses the importance of being strategic with your learning when it comes to SQE1. “The thing with it is that it’s a very holistic exam. Sometimes it’s about breadth, not depth,” she explains. “Get the general principles, ask the questions in class and all that, but move on afterwards because we just need to be very strategic with how much there is that can come up in the exams.”

While Hristova happily divulges her study methods, she also notes that they may not work for everyone. In her study group, she saw that her peers all had very different approaches. Seeing that some of her classmates were solely doing practice questions in the final month, Hristova at times felt that she was adopting the wrong tactics. “I was putting so much pressure on myself that I started doing MCQs for a whole week, but in the end, I knew that it wasn’t working for me,” she explains. Now, she believes that students should feel less guilty about taking more time to understand the material, because what really matters is just knowing and understanding the law. “If flash cards work better, then just do flashcards. If MCQs work better, just do MCQs.”

I assumed that Hristova would find the SQE’s biggest challenge to be the volume of information that candidates are expected to learn and retain, but that was not the case. “The hardest part for me was actually just going in with the idea that there was a possibility that I might fail regardless of how much work I had done.” It’s no surprise then, that her tutor’s advice to think and stay positive was instrumental throughout her SQE1 preparations. Reflecting on the importance of mental health support during this period, Hristova remarks, “I was very lucky to have a tutor at BPP who would always make the time to speak to me after class and address my concerns”.

When I ask Hristova for her advice for future SQE1 candidates, Hristova offers these words of hope and encouragement: “Don’t focus too much on the negative news out there. Even though there is a lot of uncertainty, hard work actually equals very good results in the end.”

It’s clear that a strong mindset has been crucial to Hristova’s success, whether with exams or with securing a training contract. She explains that she met the firm at law fairs on multiple occasions, building connections and strengthening her resolve to secure a vacation scheme with them. “Getting a training contract is about persistence, so it’s important to stay at it and taking advantage of as many experiences as you can get”, advises Hristova.

In this vein, she notes the importance of “getting yourself out there and speaking to people” as the key to securing legal opportunities. “I attended so many Legal Cheek events. I reached out to a lot of people on LinkedIn. I asked a lot of people about their experience with applications, and I was quite surprised to find that there are actually so many trainees and future trainees who are willing to help.”

As we approach the end of our conversation, Hristova explains that she stood out in her applications by showing how her personality and career aspirations matched the firm she was applying to. “This will sound like such a cliché but it’s just about being yourself – not being afraid to talk about your experiences and how they shaped you as an aspiring lawyer.”

Mikaela Hristova will be speaking at “A deep dive into SQE1 – with BPP University Law School” a virtual student event taking place this Thursday (11 April). Apply now to attend.

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Madelaine Moss, future trainee solicitor at Addleshaw Goddard and current BPP SQE student, discusses her SQE journey

During our conversation, I ask Madelaine Moss, a future trainee solicitor at Addleshaw Goddard, about how she’s found the SQE so far. “Completing the SQE full-time since September has been a lot. From Monday to Friday, 8am to 10pm, I was studying, Saturdays would always be spent working my part-time job, and on Sundays, if I was lucky, I would have a few hours off”.

So, it’s clear the SQE requires a lot of hard work. I was interested to learn how challenging Moss found studying for SQE1 while juggling a part-time job. “I completed the SQE1 exams in January and had to sacrifice time with family and friends during the twelve weeks leading up to the exams. I felt like I was a robot”. Moss goes on to stress that working full-time alongside the SQE would be too much, arguing that she would not have successfully prepared for her SQE1 exams had she attempted to work full-time. With that said, part-time work is manageable and something many of her cohort does, if the position does not require long or regular hours.

But there does appear to be light at the end of the tunnel, with Moss arguing that preparing for SQE2 has been a lot ‘more manageable’ due to the self-study approach used during the SQE2 preparation course at BPP. Moss explains that the practicality of SQE2 does not require processing large volumes of information, making the format less overwhelming – with Moss finding that working part-time has been a lot easier. “I go to the gym now and enjoy going swimming, and have the time to see family and friends, things I couldn’t do while completing SQE1. I feel like I’m back to a level of normality again now”.

Given Moss’s background as a history graduate from the University of Manchester, I was interested to understand how important she believes completing the PGDL is to SQE exam preparation success. “If I hadn’t done the PGDL, I would not have been able to get a basic understanding of the law and be ready to sit the January exams”, Moss notes. This is not surprising: with the SQE’s vast volume of content requiring time-consuming preparation, Moss stresses that the structure the PGDL provided made SQE prep more manageable. “I’m not saying it’s impossible to pass the SQE without completing the PGDL”, she cautions, “but I do think that having a basic level of knowledge already makes it a lot easier”.

Moss went on to discuss what she found most challenging when preparing for her SQE1 exams. “I personally found the volume of information I had to learn the most difficult part; alongside the complete breadth of knowledge the assessments require. On each exam you have five different modules that could come up, and those modules are huge, so it’s been really challenging trying to understand and memorise the law”. Madelaine explains that SQE1 contains 180 MCQs on a wide variety of content — so, a detailed understanding of all the aspects of the law is needed, although that often feels unachievable.

Prior to commencing her SQE studies, Moss worked as a paralegal at two different firms, which she believes is currently aiding her preparation for SQE2, which she will be completing later this year. “Legal writing and legal drafting are the two things I did a lot when I was paralegalling and so I already knew the way they were meant to be written”, she tells me.

Moss goes on to note that having a basic practical understanding is something she would recommend all SQE candidates attempt to gain in some way, due to the knowledge and confidence it has provided her. With that said, she points out that this by no means meant she’s finding preparing for SQE2 easy; just that her prior experience has given her a useful practical foundation.

While it’s clear that SQE2 seems to provide some light at the end of the tunnel, I wanted to know what obstacles Madelaine had faced while preparing for these assessments. “The oral skills necessary are what I find the most challenging. I didn’t do law at university, so I don’t have the practical experience of mooting or doing practice court cases, so I’m finding preparing for the oral exams really difficult”, she tells me.

But this should not deter aspiring solicitors from completing the assessments, with Madelaine pointing out that the exams are supposed to challenge candidates. “If they weren’t hard, everyone would be doing it”, she notes. Madelaine also shares that her cohort and the teaching she has received at BPP has been “really good” and has helped her preparation for these assessments.

As a future trainee solicitor at Addleshaw Goddard, and a previous vac scheme participant at firms including Hill Dickinson and Walker Morris, I asked Madelaine what advice she has for aspiring solicitors hoping to secure vacation schemes or training contracts. “When you’re writing your applications, you’ve got to bring the question back to you and why you want to work at the firm. While it’s easy to say why a law firm is great, I think candidates should bring in an interest or practical experience they have that makes the great thing at the firm pertinent to them. Making an application personal helps show a genuine interest in the firm and that you have engaged with what they stand for and their specialisms”, she advises.

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Follows trial last year

Bar course students will now have the option to take additional resits to enable them to be called to the bar.

After a trial with BPP University Law School in December 2023, the opportunity for additional attempts at assessments will be extended to all bar students this spring.

Students will complete resits with BPP, regardless of the original provider they were enrolled with.

These extra attempts are available even if a student has reached the maximum number of permitted re-sits for the academic award at their original provider. Students who choose to take extra resits with BPP will be eligible to be called to the bar, but will not receive an academic qualification from either BPP, or their original provider. Students will then be qualified to undertake a pupillage.

Whilst students must complete their bar studies within five years of enrolment, “as far as the BSB is concerned, there is no limit to the number of times those elements can be retaken within 5 years”, a document on the programme by BPP reads.

To qualify, students must have exhausted all assessment opportunities and appeals processes at their original provider.

SQE trainee and BPP’s Head of Outreach reflect on lessons so far

The Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) has been in force for just over two years now, with multiple cohorts having sat the SQE1 and SQE2 exams.

At a recent Legal Cheek virtual event (above), we were joined by Jack Sullivan, a trainee solicitor at Cooper & Co who recently completed the SQE2 exams and Jonny Hurst, BPP’s Head of Outreach and former City law firm partner. They came together to discuss lessons learnt from the completed SQE sittings so far, the booking process, pass marks and pass rates, among other SQE-related musings.

The event started off with short introductions from Hurst and Sullivan, as well as a brief overview of the basics of the SQE. Following on from that, Sullivan offered his advice for those undertaking the SQE from a non-law background and whether an SQE prep course or self-study was the way to go. Other topics covered included how to manage the competitive booking process, what the exam experience is like and SQE results.

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

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Experts from the Solicitors Regulation Authority and BPP University Law School come together to reflect on the SQE so far

It has been nearly two years since the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) regime was brought in to transform the route to solicitor qualification.

In the video (above) of our recent virtual student event, representatives from BPP University Law School and the Solicitors Regulation Authority explore what we have learnt during this time, address concerns regarding the SQE pass rates published so far, and contemplate what changes that we are likely to see in the near future.

The event featured:

• Julie Swan, director of education and training at the SRA
• Richard Williams, policy manager at the SRA
• Jonny Hurst, BPP’s head of outreach and former City law firm partner

The speakers started off with the panel’s initial reflections, with over 7,000 different candidates taking the assessments so far. They highlighted the introduction of Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) as an opportunity for students to take their career journeys into their own hands. The panel then touched on other questions from students such as evaluating results from SQE1 and 2 exam sittings, and the so-called “attainment gap” between different ethnic groups, as well as practical advice for students preparing to start their SQE journey.

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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Law school giant liaising with experts following ‘incident’

A top law school has been the target of a cyber attack that resulted in the disruption of its IT services.

BPP University Law School has released a statement confirming that its systems were “accessed by an unauthorised third party”. The legal education provider has been investigating the issue and working to get its systems back online with minimal disruption.

In the statement, BPP said: “Since we first identified network issues, BPP has been working closely with external specialists to bring our systems safely back online. We rapidly implemented interim solutions to ensure that students and colleagues have been inconvenienced as little as possible.”

“We are pleased to say the majority of our core systems and network infrastructure are now securely restored,” it said. “Teaching has been largely unaffected, and we have taken steps to ensure that no student is disadvantaged.”

BPP confirmed it is now working closely with “cyber-security specialists to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident and the nature and extent of any data affected”.

“We are working closely with cyber-security specialists to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident and the nature and extent of any data affected,” the statement added. “If necessary, and in line with our legal obligations, we will contact those affected as soon as we can and provide the appropriate guidance and support.”

“We have informed the relevant authorities and will be keeping them updated of any new developments,” BPP said.

With multiple law firms falling victim to of these type of attacks in recent years, cyber security is an increasingly important issue for the legal sector. Last month Legal Cheek reported warnings issued by the UK government’s intelligence, security, and cyber agency, GCHQ, on the cyber security risks associated with remote working.