SQE2 Oral Assessments

The oral component of the SQE2 assessment evaluates your ability to interact effectively in real-life legal scenarios, simulating the kind of work expected of a qualified solicitor. It includes two types of assessments: the client interview and attendance note/legal analysis, and advocacy. Together, these oral assessments examine both your communication skills and ability to think and apply the law under time pressure, with professionalism and accuracy.

The oral assessments are conducted over the course of two half days, during which you are assessed in four separate exercises: two advocacy exercises and two interviews with accompanying attendance notes and legal analyses. This structure reflects a realistic balance of both contentious and non-contentious work, across different areas of legal practice.

On Day 1, you will complete an advocacy exercise in the context of Dispute Resolution, which typically involves presenting a structured argument or making submissions to a court or tribunal, focusing on civil matters. You will also conduct a client interview in the area of Property Practice, followed by drafting an attendance note that captures key factual and legal issues, along with your analysis and advice to the client. This mimics the real-world scenario of advising clients in property transactions or disputes.

On Day 2, you will undertake an advocacy exercise focused on Criminal Litigation, where you will need to demonstrate not only persuasive communication but also an understanding of criminal procedure and legal ethics. In addition, you will carry out a client interview in the field of Wills and Intestacy, Probate Administration and Practice, again followed by an attendance note/legal analysis. This tests the ability to engage sensitively and accurately with clients facing complex personal and financial issues, such as death and inheritance.

You should be aware that the order in which you complete these tasks may vary. Some of you may begin with the client interview, while others may start with the advocacy task. This arrangement allows the examiners to handle the assessments more efficiently and should not affect your performance as it does not affect the content and structure of the assessments. This flexibility means that you must be prepared to tackle any of the four skills in any order.

The oral assessments in SQE2 require not only legal knowledge but also interpersonal skills, ethical awareness, and the ability to convey legal advice in a manner that is both professional and understandable to clients and the court. As such, they are a critical part of the overall SQE2 evaluation and a key stepping stone toward qualification as a solicitor in England and Wales.