Candidates’ confidence in the Solicitors Qualifying Examination has plummeted, according to official research published this week - with one aspiring lawyer criticising the multiple-choice element of the exam for teaching people to guess the correct answer.

An independent evaluation published by the Solicitors Regulation Authority yesterday shows that law firms’ confidence in the exam has grown since 2022, when an initial perceptions survey was conducted. Some 38% of law firm employers agreed that ‘the SQE will ensure consistent high standards at the point of qualification’, compared to 34% in 2022. However, 41% of candidates agreed, compared to 68% in 2022.

Nearly two-thirds (63%) of candidates disagreed that ‘the SQE is a fair assessment and is able to objectively pass and fail candidates based on their competence’, compared to 31% in 2022. One candidate who failed SQE1 said: ‘Testing somebody on a single best answer question is not teaching people how to be a solicitor, it's teaching people that if you don't know the answer, then guess.’

Some candidates felt the exam was unfair to candidates who are neurodivergent or from ethnic minority backgrounds. A candidate who passed SQE1 and SQE2 said: ‘It [the SQE] isn't fair to people who have dyslexia or ADHD. You ask them to sit in a room and click through however many hundred multiple choice questions in a row, and then use that as a basis for determining whether or not they're suitable to become a lawyer.’ Another candidate who passed both exams said everyone who failed in their class was black or Asian.

The SRA said assessment provider Kaplan has published guidance on the multiple choice questions and will run another workshop for relevant organisations on how the SQE1 questions are written next year.

On the cost of qualifying, 17% thought the SQE training options were affordable and 10% considered the exam fees reasonable. Julie Swan, the SRA’s director of education and training, said: ‘The written assessment can be taken across the world, while candidates also have a choice of multiple venues in England and Wales for the live oral assessments. That does come at a significant cost, but we are making sure it is delivered as efficiently as possible.'

On a positive note, 87% of candidates who completed qualifying work experience were satisfied with their overall experience and 73% felt the experience helped them feel prepared to practise effectively as a solicitor on day one.

 

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