LLM Legal Practice (SQE1&2) Online - Full-time

Our LLM Legal Practice (SQE1&2) course is designed for graduates who want to qualify as a solicitor using the new SQE route to practice and also gain a Master’s award. We focus on the skills that employers are seeking so that you can enhance your academic knowledge while preparing for the realities of life in legal practice, that’s why you’ll receive four weeks of guaranteed Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) within our Legal Advice Clinics. This course will ensure you’re fully prepared for your career as a solicitor, as well as success in the SQE exams.

Pass first time or study for free

We’re so confident in our SQE courses that, if you don’t pass SQE1 or SQE2, you can repeat our Exam Preparation Courses for free, as many times as you need.*

*See Terms and Conditions for full details

Careers support

With one of the largest legal careers services in the UK, ULaw gives you the support and opportunities you need to make the best start in your legal career.

Flexible study

Study when and where you want and access world-class learning materials, including our unique methods of online engagement and unrivalled online tutor support.

SQE ready

We have SQE covered. Be ready to progress your legal training and take the SQE exams with a course that covers all you need to succeed in the SQE assessments.

Course Details

Our online LLM Legal Practice (SQE1&2) course will offer you the best possible preparation to practise law. This course incorporates preparation for both SQE1 and SQE2, as well as additional content considered highly desirable by law firms, including key practice areas (KPAs) and enhanced skills. This programme will ensure you’re fully prepared for your career as a solicitor, as well as success in the SQE exams.

It is professionally-focused, and will equip you with the key legal knowledge and skills required to pass SQE and will prepare you for practice before your qualifying work experience (QWE).

Why choose this course?

• Develop the knowledge and skills required for a career as a solicitor by studying a suite of modules in KPAs, along with modules in skills and practice area essentials.
• With one of the largest legal careers services in the UK, ULaw gives you the support and the Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) opportunities you need to make the best start in your legal career.
• Experience of working in practice. You’ll learn in the context of our virtual law firm, ULaw LLP. ULaw LLP replicates the working environment of a law firm and students perform real-world tasks on simulated cases, deals and transactions as if they were in the office.
• Confidence for the assessments, we will prepare you for all the SQE assessments, giving you the best preparation for success.
• Brand new resources, developed specifically for SQE by our expert tutors. You’ll be provided with all course materials, including:
  • An extensive bank of practice exam questions
  • ULaw SQE – our intelligent revision app provides practice tests and feedback
  • Brand new online study manuals.
• In-depth guidance and support from our experienced tutors, who will monitor your progress and give feedback using predictive analytics, so you’ll know where to focus.
• Taught by qualified lawyers, with practical workshops to develop your legal skills, so you’ll know what to expect in a real-life work environment.
• Enjoy flexible study – choose to study online full-time.
• We also work with 90 of the top 100 law firms.

Our years of experience in training more practising lawyers in the UK than any other law school has helped our students go on to succeed in law, business, politics and more. We believe in training students for the real world from the moment they accept a place with us.

Introductory offer

When you book this course, you’ll get our SQE1 Exam Preparation Course and SQE2 Exam Preparation Course for free. These short, intensive revision courses will ensure you’re confident and fully prepared for the SQE1 and SQE2 assessments. More information about our SQE2 Exam Preparation Course is coming soon.

Course Requirements

UK Entry Requirements

Students are required to possess an undergraduate degree in any subject at 2:2 or above or equivalent qualifications.

In addition, students require knowledge of the seven foundation subjects of English Legal System, Constitutional and Administrative Law including retained EU Law, Contract, Tort, Land Law, Equity and Trusts and Crime, which they can evidence through the successful completion of these modules on an LLB or equivalent; or a law conversion course or equivalent.

English language requirements for applicants whose first language is not English

• An English Language level equivalent to IELTS 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each component.

Course Structure

Required pre-course study

Students will be recommended to take a pre-study online diagnostic test to check their understanding of the key foundation law subjects.

We use diagnostic testing to assess each student’s level of knowledge in black letter law for SQE1.

Modules

This course is divided into three parts:

SQE1 preparation (60 credits)

• Functioning Legal Knowledge (FLK)1 (Business Law and Practice, Legal Services, Dispute Resolution) (30 credits)
• Functioning Legal Knowledge (FLK)2 (Property Practice, Wills, Solicitors’ Accounts, Criminal Practice) (30 credits)

SQE2 preparation (30 credits)

• Interviewing
• Advocacy
• Case and Matter Analysis
• Legal Research
• Legal Writing
• Legal Drafting

Key Practice Areas (90 credits)

• 3 Key Practice Areas (KPAs) (20 credits each) plus 3 Additional Modules (10 credits each)
• Or
• 4 Key Practice Areas (KPAs) (20 credits each) plus 1 Additional Module (10 credits each)

KPAs include:

• Mergers and Acquisitions (20 credits)
• Debt Finance (20 credits)
• Advanced Dispute Resolution (20 credits)
• Advanced Real Estate (20 credits)
• Commercial and International Trade (20 credits)
• Competition (20 credits)*
• Employment (20 credits)
• Insurance (20 credits)*
• Intellectual Property and Data (20 credits)
• Advanced Criminal Practice (20 credits)*
• Family (20 credits)
• Immigration (20 credits)*
• Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence (20 credits)
• Private Wealth (20 credits)
• Availability of the Key Practice Areas is subject to demand.

*These KPAs will not be offered in March 2022 (full-time).

Additional Modules include:

• Innovation, Technology and Legal Project Management (10 credits)
• Professional Effectiveness (10 credits)
• Law Firms and their Clients (10 credits)
• Commercial Law (10 credits)
• Competition Law (10 credits)
• Corporate Crime (10 credits)
• Employment Law (10 credits)
• Finance and Funds (10 credits)
• Intellectual Property (10 credits)
• International Trade (10 credits)

**These Additional Modules will only be available on a live-streamed basis in January 2022 (part-time). The other Additional Modules will be available online in February 2022 and March 2022.

You will also study the skills that employers are most interested in so that you can enhance your academic knowledge while preparing for the realities of life in legal practice. These include commercial awareness, legal tech, resilience and wellbeing (10 credits).

Course Information

Assessment

SQE1 and SQE2 will be assessed by centralised assessments introduced by the SRA, which will be an essential requirement to qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales.

You will sit your SQE assessments at Pearson VUE test centres in the UK and internationally.

Structure

Each unit will follow our unique adaptive and personalised learner journey, using our dynamic learning model: Prepare, Engage, Consolidate (PEC), covering all professional practice subjects and revision of all law subjects in the SRA’s assessment specification.

How to Apply

• Applications for this course are now open.
• You can apply for the LLM Legal Practice (SQE1&2) Online directly with the University.

Duration

56 weeks for September intakes and 63 weeks for March intakes

The SQE Explained

From September 2021, the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) will be phased in to become the new centralised way to qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales. It will eventually replace the current route to practice – the Legal Practice Course (LPC).

94% Employed

94% of postgraduate students in employment were in Highly Skilled Occupations 15 months after graduating (2017/18 Graduate Outcomes data).

Choice of Courses

With a range of SQE courses, locations and flexible study options, we will prepare you for your career as a solicitor, as well as SQE exam success.

More than SQE

Alongside our careers support, you’ll work in our virtual law firm, with our expert tutors, and develop knowledge and skills beyond the SQE.

Your Route to Becoming a Solicitor

You can continue with the current Legal Practice Course (LPC) route if, before 1 September 2021, you complete, start, accept an offer, or pay a non-refundable deposit for one of the following:

• A Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) / the Common Professional Examination
• Our MA Law
• The Legal Practice Course (LPC)
• A period of recognised training (also known as a training contract)

For a qualifying law degree (QLD) and exempting law degree (ELD), such as our LLB, you must complete, start, accept an offer or pay a non-refundable deposit by 21 September 2021.

In most cases, for the qualifying law degree (QLD), exempting law degree (ELD) and CPE, the relevant course must start at the latest on or before 31 December 2021.

If you have already started a qualifying law degree, Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) or training contract there are transition arrangements in place until 31 December 2032 to qualify as a solicitor under the current routes, as long as courses still remain available.

Alternatively, we’ve developed a range of new courses that will prepare you for a career as a solicitor, as well as SQE success.

Frequently Asked Questions

We understand you may be uncertain about how the SQE could affect you. Don’t worry, we’re here to ensure you have all the information you need to make an informed decision about your future.

What is the SQE?

The SQE will be the centralised assessment for anyone who wants to qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales. It will be part of a new, four-stage route to becoming a solicitor:

• A degree (or equivalent) in any subject
• Pass SQE1 and SQE2 assessments
• A minimum of two years of Qualifying Work Experience (QWE)
• Show you are of satisfactory character and suitability

What does the SQE involve?

The SQE has been divided into two parts – SQE1 and SQE2.

In SQE1 you will be tested on ‘functioning legal knowledge’ which tests your application of law based on realistic client-based scenarios in multiple-choice questions. The assessments will cover subjects you will have studied on a law degree or a conversion course, as well as the vocational practice areas in stage 1 of the LPC. There will be two lengthy multiple-choice papers of 180 questions each, covering all aspects of the SQE1 syllabus. You must pass SQE1 before being eligible to sit the SQE2 assessments.

In SQE2 you will be tested on the practical legal skills required for practice, including:

• Interviewing (with written attendance note/legal analysis)
• Advocacy
• Legal research
• Legal drafting
• Legal writing
• Case and matter analysis

What is the Qualifying Work Experience (QWE)?

Under the new route, you will need to complete a minimum of two years’ Qualifying Work Experience before you can qualify as a solicitor.

Qualifying Work Experience is similar to a training contract and can be completed at any point during the qualification process (although it is anticipated that most students will complete this after SQE1).

Qualifying Work Experience may be completed with up to four different legal employers. The type of work which qualifies as Qualifying Work Experience includes placements while studying for your degree, time spent as a paralegal or working in a law clinic, as well as working for a two year period with a single law firm.

All Qualifying Work Experience is signed off by the legal employer, who must be a solicitor, and is usually also the compliance officer.

If you have already completed part of the required Qualifying Work Experience, such as through a Pro Bono placement, it will be up to individual law firms to decide how they accept your previous work experience. On obtaining Qualifying Work Experience at a law firm, you might be required to complete the entire two year period of Qualifying Work Experience with them, if that is what they require for practice at that firm.

Will I have to complete a training contract?

No, if you do the SQE, you will not be required to complete a training contract. In order to qualify with the SQE route, you will need to complete two years of Qualifying Work Experience instead.

How much will the SQE assessments cost?

In addition to tuition fees, students will pay exam fees directly to the SRA. The total cost for taking both SQE assessments will be £3,980.

• SQE1: £1,558 for the two examinations, consisting of 180 questions each, testing functioning legal knowledge.
• SQE2: £2,422 for the written and oral tasks, testing both practical legal knowledge and skills, including advocacy, client interviewing (with written attendance note/legal analysis), legal research, legal writing, legal drafting, and case and matter analysis.

The SRA has not confirmed a cost to re-sit the SQE. It is likely that the re-sit will cost the same as a first attempt.

If I start a course can I switch to the SQE later?

Yes. If you have chosen to study the LPC during the transitional period, you will be able to sit the SQE exams in the future if you wish. Although this is unlikely to be necessary if you pass the LPC as you can continue to qualify under the current route.

If you have chosen to study the GDL or MA Law, you will be able to select either route on completion of your programme.

Do I have to do the SQE?

If you’re already studying or training you can continue to qualify through the existing routes. For example:

I’ve started a qualifying law degree.

• Current route: if you’re currently studying for an LLB or other qualifying law degree, or you plan to start in September 2021, you’ll be able to continue on to the LPC, whether or not you have a training contract. Our LPC will run until at least 2026.
• SQE route: you could do the new LLM Legal Practice (SQE1&2), which starts in August 2021, or you could do our new SQE preparation courses.

I’m doing a non-law degree and I’ll graduate in Summer 2021.

• Current route: if you’re planning to start a GDL or MA Law conversion course in September 2021, you can continue to the LPC, which will run until at least 2026.
• SQE route: you also have the choice of our new PGDL or MA Law (SQE1) conversion courses. Both will give you access to the new LLM Legal Practice (SQE1&2). Or you could do our new SQE preparation courses.

I’m doing a non-law degree and I’ll graduate in Summer 2022 or later.

• You’ll qualify on the SQE route. We recommend that you apply for one of our new law conversion courses – PGDL or MA Law (SQE1) or MA Law (Conversion) – and then the new LLM Legal Practice (SQE1&2). Or you could do our new SQE preparation courses.

Webinar: SQE or LPC

In this webinar, you’ll find out about the different routes available to qualify as a solicitor and how to decide which route is best for you and your career.

This is the transcript of the webinar that was recorded in October 2020.

Our SQE Courses

Whether you’re a law or non-law graduate, want to study full-time, part-time, on-campus or online, we have the right course for you. We offer a wide range of SQE courses from Master’s with SQE1 and SQE2 included, to short revision courses to help you get ready for your SQE exams.

Our SQE Support

We’re committed to your legal career, as well as SQE success. From our award-winning Employability and Careers Service, to help to fund your studies, we’ll support you every step of the way.