The Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) will be introduced in autumn 2021, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has confirmed. The candidate fee is likely to range between £3,000–£4,500. SQE’s launch has been pushed back a year in response to feedback gathered from universities and law firms, who wanted more time to prepare. The exam will be in two parts, the first testing legal knowledge and the second testing practical legal skills. Paul Philip, SRA chief executive, said SQE ‘offers a fresh opportunity to increase access to the profession’.
14 November 2018
SQE coming in 2021
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Birketts—four appointments
Firm expands partnership with four lateral hires across key practice areas
Harper James—Lottie Hugo
Commercial law firm announces appointment of corporate partner
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Carey Olsen—Patrick Ormond
Partner joins corporate and finance practice in British Virgin Islands
NEWS
Serial sperm donor Robert Albon has lost his bid for a declaration of paternity, ‘on the ground that to grant it would manifestly be contrary to public policy’
The government is considering wholesale reform of consumer class actions—the ‘opt-out’ collective claims certified by the Competition Appeals Tribunal (CAT)
A ‘sophisticated suspected fraud’ may have taken place at PM Law involving the improper removal and misuse of about £39.5m of client funds, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has confirmed
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) will invest in technology to catch tech-reliant fraudsters and handle voluminous case materials
Law firms enjoyed rapid
growth in 2025, according
to a Financial Benchmarking
Survey, published by the Law
Society last week
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