Understanding SQE1: what employers need to know
By Maxine Warr | 24 September 2026 | 8-minute read
Following recent confirmation that there will be changes to the SQE1 exam structure from January 2027, I thought it would be a good opportunity to offer a reminder of how the assessment works, what its tests and what candidates can expect on exam day.
Introduced in 2021, the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) represented a generational change in how solicitors qualify in England and Wales. It is designed to create a single, consistent assessment for all aspiring solicitors, regardless of their educational background or route into the profession, while providing greater flexibility in how they qualify.
For employers, understanding SQE1 is important because it is so much more than a test of simple legal knowledge recall. The SQE1 pushes candidates to apply their legal knowledge to realistic client based situations.
A deeper understanding of SQE1 can help firms make informed decisions about training programmes and offer clarity when recruiting solicitors.
The basics
SQE1 is the first of two stages of the SQE. It assesses candidates' functioning legal knowledge and, crucially, their ability to apply that knowledge to real-life scenarios they may encounter as qualified solicitors. The second stage, SQE2, is a test of practical written and oral legal skills.
The assessment is divided into two parts, Functioning Legal Knowledge 1 (FLK1) and Functioning Legal Knowledge 2 (FLK2).
These assessments are single best answer multiple-choice based, sat on separate days, and together cover a range of legal subjects and practice areas, and professional principles.
In early September, after listening to candidates, employers, training providers and the wider profession, we announced the first in a series of planned improvements to SQE1.
From next January, the total number of questions across SQE1 will reduce from 360 to 340. Also, the subject areas assessed will be grouped by FLK assessment session, while continuing to be fully randomised. A table on the SQE website provides more detail.
We made these changes to improve candidates' experience of the assessment while maintaining the high professional standard we expect of future solicitors.
What is the candidate experience like?
Understanding what the experience is like for aspiring solicitors will help you support them throughout their learning pathway. The SQE1 assessments are taken at testing centres throughout England and Wales, and internationally which administer high-stakes exams.
Candidates are tested under controlled exam conditions. Each assessment day consists of two sessions lasting two hours and 33 minutes, with a one-hour break between sessions. Each session consists of 85 questions.
The assessment can be demanding because candidates must manage the volume of material they need to know, identify and apply legal knowledge and principles to different scenarios in order to identify the correct answer. This requires concentration and judgement throughout the examination.
What are they tested on?
SQE1 assesses candidates across 14 subject and practice areas (including Ethics) that reflect the core legal knowledge required of a newly qualified solicitor.
It tests candidates' understanding of the underpinning knowledge required to be a solicitor as set out in the SQE1 Assessment Specification. It focuses on the application of law in practice and candidates are expected to demonstrate that they can recognise legal issues, apply relevant principles and reach sound conclusions in realistic scenarios.
How do single best answer questions work?
SQE1 uses single best answer multiple-choice questions. These are specifically designed to test legal reasoning and professional judgement, not just memory.
Each question contains three elements: a stem or scenario, the lead in which sets out the question arising from that scenario, and five plausible answer options. Only one answer is the correct response to the situation presented.
The questions are written by qualified solicitors, and this format requires candidates to identify the legally correct approach and exercise judgement. Single best answer multiple choice questions are widely used in professional high-stakes assessments in the UK and across the world, for law and other professions such as medicine and accountancy. The use of these in SQE1, allows for the assessment of a wide range of topics, with objective marking.
Fairness and equality
A key principle of the SQE is that all candidates should have a fair opportunity to demonstrate their competence.
Assessment data continues to be monitored carefully to identify any potential barriers or unintended disadvantages.
Kaplan has reported that there is no evidence of systematic disadvantage arising from the assessment format. Available evidence indicates that disabled candidates, including many neurodivergent candidates, perform at least as well as other candidates where appropriate reasonable adjustments are in place.
The SRA and Kaplan will continue to review evidence, candidate feedback and assessment outcomes to ensure the SQE remains fair, accessible and robust.
Looking ahead
The recent changes to SQE1 demonstrate our commitment to continuous improvement while maintaining confidence in the assessment.
We recognise that candidates, employers and training providers will continue to have valuable insights into how the SQE operates in practice. By listening to feedback and using evidence to inform decisions, we can continue to refine the candidate experience without compromising standards.
For employers, the key message remains the same. SQE1 is designed to assess the application of legal knowledge and practical legal judgement across a range of subject and practice areas and at the level of a newly qualified solicitor. Firms can therefore have confidence that the assessment has been developed to ensure aspiring solicitors demonstrate more than legal knowledge recall alone. SQE development has involved the profession through annual reviews, focus groups and the wider evaluation programme.
SQE1 is intended to test the analytical thinking, professional judgement and application of law that underpin effective legal practice and help maintain public confidence in the profession.
Author profile
Maxine Warr
Head of Education and Training
Maxine is Head of Education and Training for the Solicitors Regulation Authority. She has led for number of projects to review legal education and training and is the policy lead for the new Solicitors Qualification Examination (SQE).
She has worked at the SRA for more than 20 years and has experience of professional regulation in other sectors including accountancy and media.