Helen Pamely

The SQE was supposed to make becoming a solicitor cheaper and more accessible. Instead: pass rates are falling. In July last year just 41% of students passed SQE1. Costs are also rising - fast. And thousands of aspiring lawyers are chasing a qualification that may never lead to a legal career. James Richardson - former Big Law lawyer, now co-founder of Law Student Academy - says it's time the profession faced some uncomfortable truths. Because if three out of five students are failing, the problem isn't the students. It's the system. Listen to the full conversation on Lawyer Unleashed - The Podcast. (A note on accuracy: figures on Kaplan's revenue from the SQE contract are our own estimate based on public candidate numbers and fees, not a confirmed company figure. On the SRA's original SQE consultation, a clear majority of respondents who took a position were opposed, rising to over 80% among academic respondents specifically.) #LawyerUnleashed #SQE #Solicitor #FutureLawyers #LegalEducation #LawStudents #LegalProfession #LawSchool #SolicitorQualifyingExam #FutureOfLaw