SQE2 Practice Areas
Share
The SQE2 assessment evaluates legal skills within specific practice areas that reflect the core competencies required of newly qualified solicitors. Below is an explanation of each practice area.
Criminal Litigation
Criminal litigation assesses your ability to advise clients and handle various aspects of criminal cases. This includes providing legal advice to clients at the police station, ensuring their rights are upheld during police interviews, and advising on procedural matters. You are tested on your understanding of criminal liability, including offences, defences, and procedural rules. Additionally, advocacy skills play a key role, with assessments involving tasks such as making bail applications or presenting arguments in court.
Dispute Resolution
Dispute resolution evaluates your ability to resolve civil disputes, either through litigation or alternative methods such as negotiation or mediation. You must demonstrate a solid understanding of contract law and tort law, as these are often the legal bases for civil claims. Skills tested include case analysis, drafting court documents, and presenting arguments effectively. Negotiation may also be integrated into the assessment, requiring you to find practical solutions for resolving disputes.
Property Practice
Property practice focuses on the legal and procedural aspects of land and real estate transactions. You are tested on their knowledge of land law, including freehold and leasehold distinctions, and your ability to handle transactions such as drafting contracts, leases, and deeds. Taxation issues, such as Stamp Duty Land Tax and Capital Gains Tax, may also be included.
Wills and Intestacy, Probate Administration, and Practice
This practice area assesses your ability to handle estate planning and administration following a person's death. You must demonstrate knowledge of trusts law as it applies to wills and estate management. You are also tested on your ability to draft wills that reflect the testator's intentions and comply with legal standards. Probate administration, including asset distribution, debt settlement, and tax planning, is a key component.
Business Organisations, Rules, and Procedures
The business organisations practice area evaluates your understanding of the legal and regulatory framework governing various business entities. This includes advising on the formation, management, and dissolution of companies, partnerships, and sole proprietorships. You are also tested on compliance with anti-money laundering regulations, financial services rules, and corporate governance requirements. Tasks may involve applying contract law principles to business agreements and addressing regulatory risks.
Ethical Considerations Across All Practice Areas
Ethical issues are integral to all practice areas in SQE2, and you are expected to identify and address them without explicit prompts. This includes recognising potential breaches of professional conduct rules and resolving dilemmas in line with the SRA standards. Ethics assessments require you to exercise judgment, honesty, and integrity, ensuring you can maintain high professional standards in practice.
The SQE2 assessment comprehensively evaluates practical legal skills across key practice areas, including criminal, civil, property, probate, and business law. Each area emphasises the application of legal principles, practical skills, and ethical considerations, preparing you to handle the challenges of real-world legal practice as a newly qualified solicitor.
Criminal Litigation
Criminal litigation assesses your ability to advise clients and handle various aspects of criminal cases. This includes providing legal advice to clients at the police station, ensuring their rights are upheld during police interviews, and advising on procedural matters. You are tested on your understanding of criminal liability, including offences, defences, and procedural rules. Additionally, advocacy skills play a key role, with assessments involving tasks such as making bail applications or presenting arguments in court.
Dispute Resolution
Dispute resolution evaluates your ability to resolve civil disputes, either through litigation or alternative methods such as negotiation or mediation. You must demonstrate a solid understanding of contract law and tort law, as these are often the legal bases for civil claims. Skills tested include case analysis, drafting court documents, and presenting arguments effectively. Negotiation may also be integrated into the assessment, requiring you to find practical solutions for resolving disputes.
Property Practice
Property practice focuses on the legal and procedural aspects of land and real estate transactions. You are tested on their knowledge of land law, including freehold and leasehold distinctions, and your ability to handle transactions such as drafting contracts, leases, and deeds. Taxation issues, such as Stamp Duty Land Tax and Capital Gains Tax, may also be included.
Wills and Intestacy, Probate Administration, and Practice
This practice area assesses your ability to handle estate planning and administration following a person's death. You must demonstrate knowledge of trusts law as it applies to wills and estate management. You are also tested on your ability to draft wills that reflect the testator's intentions and comply with legal standards. Probate administration, including asset distribution, debt settlement, and tax planning, is a key component.
Business Organisations, Rules, and Procedures
The business organisations practice area evaluates your understanding of the legal and regulatory framework governing various business entities. This includes advising on the formation, management, and dissolution of companies, partnerships, and sole proprietorships. You are also tested on compliance with anti-money laundering regulations, financial services rules, and corporate governance requirements. Tasks may involve applying contract law principles to business agreements and addressing regulatory risks.
Ethical Considerations Across All Practice Areas
Ethical issues are integral to all practice areas in SQE2, and you are expected to identify and address them without explicit prompts. This includes recognising potential breaches of professional conduct rules and resolving dilemmas in line with the SRA standards. Ethics assessments require you to exercise judgment, honesty, and integrity, ensuring you can maintain high professional standards in practice.
The SQE2 assessment comprehensively evaluates practical legal skills across key practice areas, including criminal, civil, property, probate, and business law. Each area emphasises the application of legal principles, practical skills, and ethical considerations, preparing you to handle the challenges of real-world legal practice as a newly qualified solicitor.
