Regulator will keep responding to student feedback
The chair of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has acknowledged “teething problems” in the transition to the SQE, as part of a summary of discussions from the regulator’s latest board meeting.
Since its introduction in 2021, the SQE route to qualification has come under criticism as candidates have been forced to contend with clunky online booking systems, disruptive tech issues and marking blunders.
SRA boss Anna Bradley has acknowledged these issues, stating that “there have inevitably been some teething problems” with the new system and promising to continue responding to “feedback about the candidate experience”.
The board highlighted the attainment gap between Black and Asian candidates and their white counterparts as a key area of focus. “This is not specifically an SQE issue,” Bradley explains, noting that similar disparities were observed in the LPC and other non-legal assessments. She adds that the SRA is “developing an action plan” to address this issue, based on the findings of the review it commissioned in 2023.
Despite these challenges, the board’s overall reflections on the SQE appear positive. Bradley writes, “The primary aim was to ensure that every solicitor was being assessed to the same high standard, and we are confident that this is the case.” The board also expressed confidence that the new qualification route will improve access to the profession, with Bradley stating: “There is also more opportunity to earn-as-you-learn, and a range of more affordable choices in the training market, which we hope will enable wider access to the profession.”
