We are excited to introduce our revolutionary SQE2 course, launching on the 23rd of September 2024. This program uniquely combines SQE training with qualifying work experience (QWE), allowing you to learn essential skills while engaging in real-life legal work. Our work is deeply rooted in serving the community by providing legal assistance in a variety of disciplines to a broad range of clients.

The SQE2 is divided into six assessments. Our program features intense teaching across each of these assessments, complemented by rigorous practice examinations to thoroughly prepare you. During your QWE, your work will be assessed against the SQE2 assessment criteria to ensure that your efforts meet the examination standards.

Comprehensive Training Format of Qualifying Work Experience (QWE)

Our SQE2 program will run from the 23rd of September 2024 to the 13th of January 2025. The course will kick off with a series of seminars covering all subject areas of the assessment, followed by intensive examination preparation from mid-November until January 2025. Seminars will be hosted on Zoom, scheduled to fit around the working day for maximum convenience.

Provisional Timetable Overview

Our provisional timetable is designed to ensure comprehensive coverage and deep understanding of each subject area. Weekly sessions will cover:

• Client Interview and Attendance Note/Legal Analysis
• Advocacy
• Case and Matter Analysis
• Legal Research
• Legal Writing
• Legal Drafting

Each topic will be broken down into six sessions, providing a structured yet varied approach to learning.

Our Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) Program

Our meticulously designed QWE program ensures students gain relevant, practical experience while working on real client cases. The program focuses heavily on feedback, with students receiving regular reports on their practical competencies. It is divided into three tiers—Red, Yellow, and Green—each progressively building and enhancing the student’s legal skills.

Red Tier: Building Foundational Skills

Every student begins in the Red Tier, tackling complex historical criminal appeals cases. This stage is crucial for developing fundamental skills in legal research, analysis, and writing. Students will:

• Analyze extensive case materials.
• Prepare detailed attendance notes.
• Apply basic concepts of the English legal system.
• Collaborate with peers to meet deadlines.

Supervised closely by student caseworkers, Red Tier work lays the groundwork for more advanced tasks in subsequent tiers, ensuring students are well-prepared to handle active cases.

Yellow Tier: Engaging with Active Cases

In the Yellow Tier, students start working on active cases, including those from partner institutions. This tier exposes students to a broader spectrum of legal work and requires them to demonstrate competencies such as:

• Understanding key case issues.
• Identifying practical tasks to advance cases.
• Working independently to create case-support documents.
• Leading small student teams.

Successful completion of Yellow Tier tasks can be signed off as Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) by clinic solicitors, provided there is sufficient evidence of work submitted.

Green Tier: Independent Casework

The Green Tier represents the pinnacle of our QWE program. Students act as active caseworkers on ongoing cases, working on significant preparatory tasks for cases progressing through the courts, often in collaboration with partner law firms. In this tier, students must demonstrate:

• Independence in case progression, including client correspondence.
• Advanced ability to identify and address legal issues.
• Exceptional administrative skills and maintenance of attendance notes.
• Excellence in written communication and legal argumentation.

Green Tier students receive close mentorship from clinic solicitors, ensuring they accumulate the necessary competencies for successful qualification as solicitors.

Diverse Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) Opportunities

Furthermore, our commitment to comprehensive legal education is reflected in our diverse QWE opportunities. Partnering with various organizations, we ensure students gain exposure to multiple areas of law:

• Solidarity Sports: Engaging in tort law and negligence cases to support disadvantaged families.
• Justice for Tenants: Handling land and property law issues, including eviction and housing disrepair.
• Voice for Domestic Workers: Assisting with National Referral Mechanism (NRM) referrals for domestic workers facing abuse.
• The Manifesto Club: Appealing Community Protection Notices (CPNs) and supporting civil liberties.

These partnerships enable students to experience real-world legal scenarios, enhancing their academic knowledge with practical application.

Structured Support and Supervision

Our QWE program is supported by a robust structure of supervision and feedback. Each student is assigned a supervising solicitor who monitors their progress and provides regular feedback. Students store their work in dedicated OneDrive folders, ensuring seamless tracking and review by supervisors.

Quarterly check-in meetings are conducted to evaluate progress and provide detailed feedback. Students are required to maintain meticulous records of their work, which are cross-checked by clinic administrators to ensure accuracy and compliance.

Appraisals and Retention

However, periodic appraisals assess students’ alignment with the Statement of Solicitor Competence. These appraisals include a 15-minute interview discussing recent work, followed by a report linking the student’s work to the required competencies. Successful appraisals lead to QWE sign-off, enabling students to report their experience to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).

After the initial six months, a retention decision determines if the student can continue working with greater independence. Those who do not meet the required level of competence receive detailed feedback and retain access to educational resources.

Course Fees

• Materials and Sign-Up Fee: £495
• Monthly Tuition and QWE Supervision: £295 for 11 months

With the balance to be paid following the passing of SQE2, or if you fail, you can continue using the resources without making any further payments beyond the 11 months.

Join Us

Moreover, we look forward to welcoming you to our SQE2 course, where you will gain unparalleled practical experience and comprehensive training to excel in your legal career. If you believe there is a better way to do legal education and want to make a real difference, get in touch and join us at the Freedom Law Clinic. Be part of a community dedicated to changing the world through legal education and pro bono service.