How SQE2 Preparation Is Different: What I Had to Change

When I started preparing for SQE2, I thought it would feel quite similar to SQE1. It did not. For SQE1, I could 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 will have to interview, advocate, draft, write, research and analyse a case, and there is no list of options in front of you.

SQE2 is not SQE1 with essays

One mistake candidates can make is treating SQE2 as 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. In every task, you have 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.

The law still matters

Some candidates assume the law matters less in SQE2 because it tests skills like interviewing, advocacy, drafting, writing and research. But 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 need to be built on legal knowledge. So while I practised the skills, I also kept 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.

Know your timing

For the client interview, you get 10 minutes to prepare before a 25-minute interview. For advocacy, you get 45 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to present. The time passes quickly, which is why timed practice mattered so much. It showed me whether I could actually produce something under exam conditions.

Final thought

SQE2 tests both law and skills, so do not neglect either of them.