SQE Resit Policy by Law Firm

[Jaysen]

Hi everyone,

One of our members started this thread and were a little worried to keep it up in case there was any risk for them as an applicant. I'm taking it over as I appreciate the concern.

I know there is a lot of worry about how law firms view the SQE (and what happens if you don't pass). While law firms also had policies on this during the LPC, I understand from speaking to many of you that the worry comes from the fact that the SQE is not the LPC, and that there are issues with how the SQE is being taught/examined. Further thoughts from Patrick McCann here.

So the goal of this thread is to provide an accessible list of law firm resit policies. I'm not making a comment on whether this is a good or bad thing, but I think it's useful to be open about this information. If you have information you would like to share with me, feel free to private message me with evidence and I can update the list. It'll be a little unstructured for now until I get more information.

Ashurst

• Appears that there was an announcement sent that future cohorts are expected to pass first time

Bird & Bird

• Feedback from future trainees that they received an email prior to results day reassuring them that they can resit

Clifford Chance:

• Training contracts rescinded after failing to pass on the first attempt (Link)

CMS:

• Attempts: Single first attempt
• Resit: No
• Additional info: You may be need to repay the maintenance grant and/or SQE fees in full if you fail to pass the SQE at the first attempt.

Freshfields

• “While we reserve the right to withdraw offers if assessments are not passed, we consider all circumstances and speak to the individuals before coming to a decision. To date, we have allowed resits in almost all cases, and have provided additional financial support, as well as covering all exam fees. (The Lawyer)

Macfarlanes

• No resit policy (Link)

Linklaters

• One resit allowed

Slaughter and May

• Training contracts rescinded after failing to pass on the first attempt (Link)

White & Case

• Allows resits (unverified)

 

[Zi48]

I’ve also seen Slaughter and May has ‘taken similar action’ to CMS and CC but they said “each instance is assessed on a case-by-case basis.”

CMS and Slaughters latest firms to withdraw TC offers - Legal Cheek

SQE fallout continues

www.legalcheek.com

 

[O]

https://www.reddit.com/r/uklaw/s/MMucAu7sPy

The above link says HSF is first attempt and Linklaters isn’t

 

[hiremeplz]

Can confirm that Linklaters allows resits. Does anyone have any news about any American firms?

 

[axelbeugre]

Can confirm that Linklaters allows resits. Does anyone have any news about any American firms?

Many US firms have allowed resits, I still have to hear about a US law firm that does not to be honest.

 

[InvesmentBanker]

Hi everyone,

One of our members started this thread and were a little worried to keep it up in case there was any risk for them as an applicant. I'm taking it over as I appreciate the concern.

I know there is a lot of worry about how law firms view the SQE (and what happens if you don't pass). While law firms also had policies on this during the LPC, I understand from speaking to many of you that the worry comes from the fact that the SQE is not the LPC, and that there are issues with how the SQE is being taught/examined. Further thoughts from Patrick McCann here.

So the goal of this thread is to provide an accessible list of law firm resit policies. I'm not making a comment on whether this is a good or bad thing, but I think it's useful to be open about this information. If you have information you would like to share with me, feel free to private message me with evidence and I can update the list. It'll be a little unstructured for now until I get more information.

Clifford Chance:

• Training contracts rescinded after failing to pass on the first attempt (Link)

CMS:

• Attempts: Single first attempt
• Resit: No
• Additional info: You may be need to repay the maintenance grant and/or SQE fees in full if you fail to pass the SQE at the first attempt.

According to LegalCheek, Macfarlanes does not allow resits.

 

[Jaysen]

Thanks everyone. I will keep updating the first post the more I hear back. Please feel free to let me know as and when you hear of other law firms.

 

[Jaysen]

I'll use this post to collate any noteworthy accounts from social media.

1. SQE marking error (Link)

 

[Phoebe Turner]

This is a great thread thank you Jaysen

 

[LawyerUpPal]

Hi everyone,

One of our members started this thread and were a little worried to keep it up in case there was any risk for them as an applicant. I'm taking it over as I appreciate the concern.

I know there is a lot of worry about how law firms view the SQE (and what happens if you don't pass). While law firms also had policies on this during the LPC, I understand from speaking to many of you that the worry comes from the fact that the SQE is not the LPC, and that there are issues with how the SQE is being taught/examined. Further thoughts from Patrick McCann here.

So the goal of this thread is to provide an accessible list of law firm resit policies. I'm not making a comment on whether this is a good or bad thing, but I think it's useful to be open about this information. If you have information you would like to share with me, feel free to private message me with evidence and I can update the list. It'll be a little unstructured for now until I get more information.

Ashurst

• Appears that there was an announcement sent that future cohorts are expected to pass first time

Bird & Bird

• Feedback from future trainees that they received an email prior to results day reassuring them that they can resit

Clifford Chance:

• Training contracts rescinded after failing to pass on the first attempt (Link)

CMS:

• Attempts: Single first attempt
• Resit: No
• Additional info: You may be need to repay the maintenance grant and/or SQE fees in full if you fail to pass the SQE at the first attempt.

Macfarlanes

• No resit policy (Link)

Linklaters

• One resit allowed

Slaughter and May

• Training contracts rescinded after failing to pass on the first attempt (Link)

White & Case

• Allows resits (unverified)

Weil rescinded a TC from someone who failed. Bursary was not repayable.

 

[LawyerUpPal]

Many US firms have allowed resits, I still have to hear about a US law firm that does not to be honest.

Weil does not.

 

[axelbeugre]

Weil does not.

Thank you for sharing this, I did not know but it is good information for those applying!

 

[Jaysen]

A good article in The Lawyer today regarding the NDA students have to sign when completing the SQE exam. For those worried, this was particularly relevant to me (bold added for emphasis):

'A spokesperson for the SRA said: “The confidentiality agreement relates to the content of the assessments and is to protect the security and integrity of the assessments. It is not uncommon for exam candidates to have to sign confidentiality agreements covering the content of the exams, for example the Nursing and Midwifery Council does this in the UK.

“This is about not sharing the question content in public/with others to protect integrity of exam moving forward – we don’t prohibit people talking about their experience/the process.'

“Students feel like their mouths are zipped”: SRA under fire for SQE secrecy policy

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has come under fire for its candidate confidentiality policy for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), as the backlash surrounding the latest set of…

www.thelawyer.com

 

[Shreya Verma]

Hi everyone,

One of our members started this thread and were a little worried to keep it up in case there was any risk for them as an applicant. I'm taking it over as I appreciate the concern.

I know there is a lot of worry about how law firms view the SQE (and what happens if you don't pass). While law firms also had policies on this during the LPC, I understand from speaking to many of you that the worry comes from the fact that the SQE is not the LPC, and that there are issues with how the SQE is being taught/examined. Further thoughts from Patrick McCann here.

So the goal of this thread is to provide an accessible list of law firm resit policies. I'm not making a comment on whether this is a good or bad thing, but I think it's useful to be open about this information. If you have information you would like to share with me, feel free to private message me with evidence and I can update the list. It'll be a little unstructured for now until I get more information.

Ashurst

• Appears that there was an announcement sent that future cohorts are expected to pass first time

Bird & Bird

• Feedback from future trainees that they received an email prior to results day reassuring them that they can resit

Clifford Chance:

• Training contracts rescinded after failing to pass on the first attempt (Link)

CMS:

• Attempts: Single first attempt
• Resit: No
• Additional info: You may be need to repay the maintenance grant and/or SQE fees in full if you fail to pass the SQE at the first attempt.

Freshfields

• “While we reserve the right to withdraw offers if assessments are not passed, we consider all circumstances and speak to the individuals before coming to a decision. To date, we have allowed resits in almost all cases, and have provided additional financial support, as well as covering all exam fees. (The Lawyer)

Macfarlanes

• No resit policy (Link)

Linklaters

• One resit allowed

Slaughter and May

• Training contracts rescinded after failing to pass on the first attempt (Link)

White & Case

• Allows resits (unverified)

The same article by The Lawyers says that HSF is firm on resits. One current A&O trainee today posted on LinkedIn that she has passed the SQE 2. She's a third seat trainee currently.

The link to her post:

Aastha Malhotra on LinkedIn: So pleased to share that I have passed the SQE 2! I'm grateful to the team… | 11 comments

So pleased to share that I have passed the SQE 2! I'm grateful to the team and my supervisors at Allen & Overy for their continued support throughout this… | 11 comments on LinkedIn

www.linkedin.com

 

[bangarangbass39]

Bakers allows students to resit. They haven't had anyone who has failed their resist so they said they will review it when that happens. No repayment of funds is required.

 

[sunnyd]

Hi @Jaysen, I hope you're doing well! I had a quick question regarding the issue of firms rescinding TC offers if the SQE isn't passed the first time round.

I am currently on a scholarship and am sitting the SQE1 this July. I also have two TC interviews this July, and perhaps this is a bit farfetched, but if I am able to secure a TC with either of the firms, the concept that it may be taken away is absolutely terrifying.

My question was, as I have completed the SQE course on my own basis and haven't relied on the firm's grant, is it likely that the firm(s) I've applied to will take a more lenient approach with me, if I were to fail the SQE1 first time round?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jaysen, I hope you're doing well! I had a quick question regarding the issue of firms rescinding TC offers if the SQE isn't passed the first time round.

I am currently on a scholarship and am sitting the SQE1 this July. I also have two TC interviews this July, and perhaps this is a bit farfetched, but if I am able to secure a TC with either of the firms, the concept that it may be taken away is absolutely terrifying.

My question was, as I have completed the SQE course on my own basis and haven't relied on the firm's grant, is it likely that the firm(s) I've applied to will take a more lenient approach with me, if I were to fail the SQE1 first time round?

Typically this is not the case - the policy will be a standard one that they apply to all trainees as a matter of fairness/consistency and they won’t differentiate trainees by self finders va sponsored trainees.

However, the policy could be that they look at resits on a case by case basis before deciding.

 

[sunnyd]

Typically this is not the case - the policy will be a standard one that they apply to all trainees as a matter of fairness/consistency and they won’t differentiate trainees by self finders va sponsored trainees.

However, the policy could be that they look at resits on a case by case basis before deciding.

Hi @Jessica Booker, thank you so much for your response.

That makes a lot of sense. Thank you for clearing that out for me.

Generally, in terms of the TC interviews I have secured, they are both first stages and I have not been given information about what they entail. The firms are Wedlake Bell and Winckworth Sherwood. I have tried looking for specific advice regarding the two firms on this forum but have come up short.

Would you have any advice on how I can best prepare for the two? Any advice would be greatly appreciated