How SQE2 Preparation Is Different: What I Had to Change

I sat SQE2 in July 2025.

At first, I thought the preparation would feel quite similar to SQE1.

It did not.

For SQE1, I could still rely on recognising the right answer. You read the question, look at the options and choose the best one.

SQE2 is different because you have to produce the answer yourself.

You have to interview, advocate, draft, write, research and analyse a case. There is no list of options in front of you.

That changed how I revised.

SQE2 is not SQE1 with essays

I think this is one mistake candidates can make.

SQE2 is not just SQE1 in a longer written format. It tests practical legal skills.

You may have to interview a client, prepare an attendance note, make submissions, draft a document, write advice or analyse a case.

Every station requires you to create something.

That sounds obvious, but it makes the preparation very different. Reading notes may help with the law, but it does not fully prepare you for the task itself.

I had to move from recognition to recall

That meant remembering the law without prompts.

I had to test myself more. After revising a topic, I would close the materials and try to write out the key points from memory. Then I would check what I missed.

It was slower and harder, but it showed me very quickly what I actually remembered.

The law still matters

Another mistake I think some SQE2 candidates make is assuming that the law matters less.

It is true that SQE2 tests skills like interviewing, advocacy, drafting, writing and research.

But the law still matters.

If you do not know the law, it is harder to spot the issues, advise the client, structure your answer or make the right arguments.

The skills are important, but they still need to be built on legal knowledge.

That changed how I revised. I had to practise the skills, but I also had to keep going back to the underlying law.

Skills need practice, not just reading

It is easier to read notes or model answers.

But for SQE2, I had to actually practise the tasks.

For advocacy, I had to speak out loud. For interviews, I had to practise asking questions in a structured way while still listening to the client.

Timing changes everything

Know your timing.

A client interview gives you only 10 minutes to prepare before a 25-minute interview. Advocacy gives you 45 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to perform. Time passes quickly.

That is why timed practice mattered. It helped me see whether I could actually produce something within exam conditions.

Final thought

SQE2 requires both law and skills. Do not neglect either of them.