Latoyah Thompson

Latoyah Thompson

Charity talks to Latoyah Thompson, Trainee Solicitor at Higgs LLP, about the SQE Review -from a Candidates perspective.

In December 2024, The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) commissioned the IFF, a social and market research agency, to conduct an independent review on the premise of evaluating whether the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) is achieving its objectives. 

Charity: As a candidate who actually completed the SQE courses and assessments, what is your general view of the SQE as a route to qualification?

Latoyah: My general view of the SQE is that it presents a practical avenue for individuals without a law degree, who have not completed the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) or the Legal Practice Course (LPC), to qualify as a Solicitor in England and Wales. That was definitely true for me. Since 2018, I began keeping up with the news regarding the SQE and determined at that time that pursuing the SQE would be my path to becoming a solicitor. 

Overall, I believe it creates opportunities, I am pleased the SQE has been implemented for this reason - although there are still obstacles that I will address later. I wouldn't have been able to qualify within the same timeframe without the SQE and the Graduate Solicitor Apprenticeship.

Charity: There seem to be concerns about the pass rate (in particular for the SQE1 assessments). 

For example, in October 2024, the pass rate hit an all time low of 44%. 

What do you think are the contributing factors? 

Latoyah: I believe the contributing factors for the low pass rates for SQE1 are that candidates are not fully aware of what SQE1 entails. In my view, the SQE1 exam differs from any other exam that an individual has previously undertaken. 

I have encountered numerous exceptionally bright people who opted against taking the SQE because they just can't afford it – it's a gamble; you pay for the exam once and place immense pressure on yourself to succeed because, where would the funds come from if a resit is needed?

I believe that, as a result, numerous candidates may choose to "give it a shot" since it's permitted—there's no necessity to complete a prep course prior to taking the SQE. If candidates truly grasped the SQE1, its structure, and the subtlety of the questions, they would be more reluctant to simply dive in. It's somewhat similar to attempting a driving test without any driving lessons.

Charity: What do you perceive to be the positive aspects of the SQE?  and

Latoyah: I perceive the positive aspects of the SQE is that everyone is assessed to the same standard. 

Charity: The negative aspects of the SQE?

Latoyah: I perceive the negative aspects of the SQE to include the fact that qualification mainly relies on exam results, even though these results may not accurately indicate how an individual performs daily in their job. Some candidates have excelled as paralegals for many years and are exceptional at their roles, yet if they were to fail the SQE after three attempts, they wouldn’t qualify through the SQE route and would have to wait six years to retake it, which is mentally harmful. 

Charity: As a former candidate, what advice and guidance would you give to those wishing to qualify through the SQE route?

Latoyah: My advice and guidance to anyone wishing to qualify through the SQE route would be to ensure it is truly they want to pursue. They need to make sure they’re in the right frame of mind, and that they have the time and space to commit to it. The SQE is very much about mind-set and discipline. Your head has got to be in the game because it is mentally, and psychologically demanding.  

Charity: What aspects of the SQE do you think could be improved to enable the SRA to achieve its goal of advancing social mobility in the legal profession? And

Latoyah: I'm not really sure if anything about the SQE itself can be improved to enable the SRA to achieve its goal of advancing social mobility in the legal profession.  The exam itself is what it is; I believe the obstacles are the fees for taking the exams and the expense of prep courses (although prep courses are unrelated to the SRA). 

I was lucky to have taken the SQE through a Graduate Solicitor Apprenticeship, relieving me of the financial strain. I have encountered numerous exceptionally bright people who opted against taking the SQE because they just can't afford it – it's a gamble; you pay for the exam once and place immense pressure on yourself to succeed because, where would the funds come from if a resit is needed?

Charity: What feasible steps does the SRA need to take to ensure they achieve this?

Latoyah: I believe the SRA needs to reassess the fees and determine if the SQE is financially accessible for everyone. ■

Latoyah Thompson

Trainee Solicitor

Higgs LLP

https://www.linkedin.com/in/latoyah-thompson-121354229/

Interviewed by 

Charity Mafuba 

Commissioning Editor and Director, 

Solicitor (England and Wales), New York Attorney