SQE2 Practice Areas

In the SQE2 assessment, you are evaluated on your legal skills within the context of five key practice areas that reflect the day-to-day responsibilities of a solicitor. These practice areas are carefully selected to ensure you can demonstrate competence across both contentious and non-contentious legal work.

The first practice area is Criminal Litigation, which includes advising clients in the police station. This area requires knowledge of criminal procedure and practice, but questions may also draw on substantive Criminal Law from the Functioning Legal Knowledge (FLK) tested in SQE1. The second area is Dispute Resolution, which includes civil litigation and may involve advising clients on matters related to contract and tort. As such, a good command of the principles of Contract Law and Tort Law is essential to succeed in this area.

The third area is Property Practice, where you will deal with both freehold and leasehold transactions as well as core elements of planning law. This practice area draws on underlying principles from Land Law, again building on the FLK assessed in SQE1. Fourth is Wills and Intestacy, Probate Administration and Practice, which involves advising on inheritance matters, drafting wills, and handling the administration of estates. This area connects with Trusts Law, especially in the context of estate planning and managing fiduciary duties.

The fifth and final practice area is Business Organisations, Rules and Procedures, which includes an understanding of company structures, partnership law, and other commercial entities, as well as Money Laundering and Financial Services Regulations. It is grounded in Contract Law and also includes potential Taxation issues related to business transactions.

It is important to note that Professionalism and Ethics are not assessed separately in SQE2 but are instead pervasive throughout the assessment. Ethical issues are embedded in various tasks, and you are expected to identify and address them without being prompted. You must apply your knowledge of professional conduct rules and exercise sound judgment, resolving dilemmas honestly and with integrity, just as a solicitor would in practice.

Questions that involve Taxation may arise particularly in Property Practice, Wills and Probate, and Business Organisations, adding another layer of complexity. You are not tested on the development of the law but on the current legal position as it stands four calendar months prior to the assessment date. For the avoidance of doubt, areas such as Constitutional Law, EU Law, the Legal System, and Solicitors’ Accounts (apart from aspects relating to money laundering and financial services) are not examined in SQE2.