SQE conference reveals fixes and future plans as 14,600 candidates tackle new route

Over 900 tune in as regulators and providers address progress and pain points of new solicitor pathway

More than 900 legal professionals joined the 2025 SQE Virtual Conference live, with hundreds more expected to stream the sessions in the coming weeks. Three years after its launch, the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) remains a talking point, prompting both praise and probing questions at this year’s annual gathering.

The conference served as a pulse check on the state of solicitor qualification in England and Wales. Attended by training providers, candidates, law firms, and QWE (Qualifying Work Experience) supervisors, the event aimed to demystify lingering confusion and offer practical updates.

Julie Swan, the SRA’s Director of Education and Training, opened proceedings by noting that, while the SQE had disrupted decades-old norms, it was already delivering results. More than 14,600 individual candidates sat at least one SQE assessment in 2023/24. Solicitor apprenticeships have surged, with over 3,000 now enrolled—many from state school, working-class, and first-generation university backgrounds.

Despite early “teething problems,” Swan described 2024 as a “largely positive year,” with improvements seen across candidate support and assessment processes.

The first session, SQE Three Years On: Lessons and Reflections, offered a frank appraisal of how the new system is bedding in. Ricardo Lé, Independent Reviewer for the SQE, praised the exam’s breadth and fairness. “You want an appropriate mix of reliability and validity, and we do see that,” he said. “The diversity of assessment type is really a strength.”

The second session zeroed in on improving the candidate experience. Tim Allen, Kaplan’s Head of Candidate Services, revealed that a new seat reservation form—trialled in January’s SQE1—had helped ease anxiety around booking exam slots. “Every person who completes a form is allocated a seat,” Allen confirmed, describing the move as a major step forward in exam logistics.

Jackie Panter, Kaplan’s Head of Quality and Equality, explained how mitigating circumstances—from illness to bereavement—are handled. “These are situations a candidate could not have expected,” she said, stressing the importance of a fair and supportive process. Kaplan also confirmed that 170 past SQE1 questions are now available on the website, responding to repeated calls for more sample material.

The final session, QWE: Ensuring a Positive Candidate Experience, tackled the work-based component of qualification. Richard Williams, SRA’s QWE policy lead, reminded delegates that employers need only confirm the two-year work period and exposure to key competencies—not assess legal ability. That task is reserved for the SQE exams themselves.

Panellists from Vodafone and Shoosmiths shared their experiences of embedding QWE in their organisations. Matt Doyle, Senior Legal Counsel at Vodafone, admitted the company hadn’t previously supported solicitor qualifications directly. But the SQE’s flexibility changed that. “We’ve been learning and adapting to make it work,” he said.

Kieran Ng, a newly qualified solicitor at Vodafone, praised the company’s support: “I always made clear my ambition to qualify. I was grateful they offered me the SQE route.”

Across the sessions, a common theme emerged: while the transition hasn’t been seamless, the SQE is beginning to fulfil its promise of broadening access and levelling the playing field. It’s also forcing traditional players to rethink how they train and support legal talent.

All three conference sessions, along with slides and handouts, are available to watch on-demand via YouTube and the SRA website—providing ongoing insight for the thousands still navigating this evolving qualification landscape.