SQE2 Professional Legal Skills B - LAW00108M

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Module summary

This module, together with SQE2 Professional Legal Skills A, will enable students to develop and practise the range of professional legal skills required of a competent day one solicitor, as prescribed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, and assessed in SQE2, the second part of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination. The skills are: client interviewing and attendance note; advocacy; legal writing; legal drafting; case and matter analysis; and legal research. These skills will be developed, practised and assessed in the five practice areas in which they are assessed in SQE2: criminal litigation; dispute resolution; property practice; wills and probate; and business organisations. Students will be assessed as to their competency in these skills, and their functioning legal knowledge of the relevant practice areas, in the same formats as are used in SQE2. Therefore, both the learning and assessment in this module is also designed to prepare students for the external SQE2 professional assessment.

Related modules

The SQE1 Functioning Legal Knowledge modules A to C will be pre-requisites to these modules for students on the LLM in Professional Legal Practice (SQE1 & SQE2) because Functioning Legal Knowledge is required both in the development and assessment of the SQE2 Professional Legal Skills.  The same applies should students study this module in the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice (SQE1 & SQE2).  Should a student be studying this module as part of the Certificate in Professional Legal Practice (SQE2), then the SQE1 Functioning Legal Knowledge modules may not be pre-requisites if the student has previously passed the SRA's SQE1 assessments or equivalent modules at another provider.

Module will run

Occurrence	Teaching period
A	Summer Semester 2024-25

Module aims

This module aims to enable students to prepare for the Solicitors Regulation Authority SQE2 skills assessments. Students will have opportunities to develop and practise the range of professional legal skills required of a competent day one solicitor and assessed in SQE2. The skills comprise: client interviewing and attendance note; advocacy; legal writing; legal drafting; case and matter analysis; and legal research. These skills will be developed, practised and assessed in the five practice areas in which they are assessed in SQE2: criminal litigation; dispute resolution; property practice; wills and probate; and business organisations. Students will be assessed in this module as to their competency in these skills, and their functioning legal knowledge of the relevant practice areas, in the same formats as are used in SQE2. The assessments will thus also provide a formative experience for a subsequent sitting of SQE2.

Module learning outcomes

Students should, be the end of this module, be able to:

1. Demonstrate a systematic understanding of the functioning legal knowledge of a competent newly qualified solicitor

2. Analyse realistic client-based cases and matters to identify relevant legal and ethical issues

3. Critically apply relevant core legal principles and rules to realistic client-based and ethical problems and situations to determine courses of action and provide advice that meets client needs

4. Identify the processes and procedural steps required to progress legal matters and transactions for individual and business clients

5. Interpret, evaluate and apply the results of research, including practitioner know-how and legal documents

6. Demonstrate oral communication skills in advocacy and client interviewing at the level required of a competent newly qualified solicitor

7. Demonstrate written skills in communications with clients and other professionals, and in drafting legal documents and attendance notes, at the level of of competent newly qualified solicitor

Module content

In addition to the relevant professional legal skills, the syllabus will comprise the Functioning Legal Knowledge for day one solicitors, as prescribed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and which is the syllabus for the SQE1 Functioning Legal Knowledge modules A to C.

Indicative assessment

Task	% of module mark
Essay/coursework	100

Special assessment rules

None

Additional assessment information

The assessment will comprise six skills stations, one for each of: writing; drafting; case and matter analysis; research; advocacy; and client interviewing/attendance note. Students will be assessed against the SRA competency framework for day one solicitors, which includes assessment of both skills competencies and the application of functioning legal knowledge.

Indicative reassessment

Task	% of module mark
Essay/coursework	100

Module feedback

Students will receive feedback on individual skills performances and outputs during skills workshops throughout the module. Individual feedback on summatively assessed skills performances and outputs will be provided in the form of a feedback sheet on each performance or output within the University's turnaround time.

Indicative reading

Legal Systems and Skills (5th Edition) - OUP - Slorach, Emblem, Shepherd and Goodchild