The Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) is reshaping legal education in England and Wales—but simply passing the exam is not enough. At Freedom Law Clinic, we believe that professional legal skills must be at the heart of any SQE preparation program. That’s why our approach goes beyond theory, giving students the hands-on experience they need to succeed as solicitors from day one

The Problem: A Lack of Practical Legal Skills

Too many aspiring lawyers enter the SQE pathway without having developed core professional skills. Whether they’re coming from university or another route, we consistently see the same skill gaps:

• Poor legal writing
• Limited oral communication abilities
• Inadequate legal analysis and research techniques

These aren’t optional extras—they’re essential to performing in any real legal environment. Unfortunately, most traditional legal education models don’t equip students with these tools before throwing them into high-stakes situations.

Our Solution: Tiered Casework as QWE Preparation

To address this, we’ve built a structured, skills-focused progression model that allows students to develop and demonstrate practical competence before working independently. It’s part of how we deliver Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) in a way that is meaningful, supportive, and aligned with the expectations of legal practice.

🔴 Red Tier Casework – Build the Foundation

Before working with clients, every student starts with Red Tier Casework. These are real criminal appeal cases, active within our clinic, but with no urgent deadlines. Students are assigned a case and asked to produce a substantial piece of written work—such as an advice on evidence or a detailed case summary.

This serves two purposes:

1. Real-world experience: Students contribute to live casework from day one.
2. Skills audit: We assess the student’s abilities in legal writing, analysis, and research, and identify where improvement is needed.

This is not a simulation. It’s genuine casework—just with the time and space needed for students to learn, make mistakes, and grow.

🟡 Yellow Tier Casework – Working With Clients (With Support)

Once students complete red tier, they graduate to Yellow Tier Casework. Here, they begin managing their own clients—but under close supervision from a qualified solicitor. This allows them to practice client care, time management, and real legal communication, all while having the safety net of expert oversight.

🟢 Green Tier Casework – Independent Client Work

Finally, when a student has demonstrated competence and confidence, they move to Green Tier Casework. At this stage, they work more independently, supporting real members of the public, providing advice, and progressing cases as part of a functioning legal clinic.

Every student is expected to:

• Maintain detailed attendance notes
• Complete and update their QWE log
• Reflect on their development
• Undergo regular reviews with a supervising solicitor

This structure ensures they are not only meeting the SRA’s QWE requirements—but developing into practice-ready solicitors who can hit the ground running.

Don’t Wait to Build the Skills You Need

Getting a law degree, applying for training contracts, or securing work experience without professional legal skills is like buying wings before building the aeroplane. When the opportunity comes to work with a client or interview for a job, you need to impress immediately. There are no second chances.

At Freedom Law Clinic, we don’t just prepare students for the SQE—we prepare them for practice. Our structured casework model, built around the real-world demands of QWE, is designed to develop the skills that firms want and clients need.