As the name suggests, our Reddit Roundup is centred around answering the most asked questions on the social media platform. This includes tips for studying and employability advice.
By April Baniqued. Published 29 March 2024.
Here are the top questions posed this month along with our answers below.
- What materials are available for studying academic law for SQE1?
- How can I support my loved one preparing for the SQE?
- What are some examples of summer jobs that offer legal experience?
1. What materials are available for studying academic law for SQE1?
The expectation when you start our SQE1 course is that you’ve already studied academic law, for instance through a LLB or law conversion course.
However, in preparation for the SQE1, it’s natural to want to refresh your memory and to support you, we have a range of resources you can utilise:
SQE Manuals
Our SQE Manuals are written to the SQE1 assessment specification.
These manuals focus on both the professional practice subjects of Functional Legal Knowledge (FLK) and academic law subjects.
Every manual will also include summaries to help reinforce your understanding of the academic law material. This is either in a form of a bitesize video (approximately 10-minutes long) within every academic law chapter or a consolidation chapter at the end of the manual.
They are available for purchase through our eStore.
We provide all students on our SQE courses with these manuals in electronic format (not including short revision courses), and current students and our alumnican take advantage of discounts on hard copies.
SQE Revision app
Our intelligent app is a great tool for studying for the SQE1. It includes structured tests with a broad range of ‘single best answer questions’ (SBAQs), all based on the SQE1 syllabus. Academic law comprises a substantial part of these bank of questions.
A feature you may find helpful within the app is the predictive exam pass analytics, which not only helps you understand your progress but also gives insight into your development to your lecturers.
The app is available to everyone for free, with limited access to questions and materials. Here are the links for the app for Android devices and for Apple devices.
Our SQE students benefit from having, full access to the bank of practice questions and materials.
Our SQE Revision app user guide gives a rundown of what this tool provides.
Practice tests
To ensure you fully understand the topics at hand, our SQE1 courses have practice tests after each unit which include subjects within academic law.
SQE1 Mock assessments
These assessments have a realistic feel of the official SQE1 exams and are a step up from the practice tests mentioned above. They are longer, timed and test you on more subjects. Half of the questions cover academic law, giving you much-needed practice and insight into your level of progress.
Make use of previous study material
On top of the resources we provide, it is also a good idea to utilise previous materials you may have used to study academic law. These will likely intersect with the SQE1 assessment specification.
SQE1 Preparation for Legal Professionals course
Whilst our other SQE courses focus on teaching new material in professional practice, our SQE1 Preparation for Legal Professionals online course includes subjects within academic law, to support the legal knowledge you’ve gained working in industry..
Do bear in mind that academic law is often confused with Black Letter Law (BLL). Though BLL commonly overlaps with the term ‘academic law’, they aren’t the same as BLL includes other firmly established legal principles.
Look through our SQE page to learn more about the SQE.
2. How can I support my loved one preparing for the SQE?
The period leading up to the SQE exams can be stressful. If you have a loved one studying for these exams, there are multiple ways to support them, in both an emotional and practical way. We have listed some ideas below:
Take the pressure off
It can be difficult to manage everyday responsibilities such as household chores or taking care of children on top of learning. Helping with these practical tasks can be of great help; for example, you could cook meals, keep the house tidy, shop for groceries or do the laundry.
This is a great way to take a weight off their shoulders and help them balance their study and personal life.
Listen to them
This may seem simple but sometimes having someone to talk to about any worries or concerns is enough to help ease the mind.
- Be present.
- Remove distractions like your phone or television, to give your full attention.
- Really listen to what’s being said so you can discuss it with them.
Help with revision
People revise in different ways. Ask what’s best for them and if you can help in any way. This may involve listening to them reciting chapters or reading flashcards. This can make the learning process more entertaining and remind them that they’re not alone.
Encourage breaks
It’s easy to lose track of time and forget to take a break or even feel too guilty to take that necessary downtime. It’s not practical to study non-stop and in reality, not taking a break can even hinder someone’s productivity.
Gently encourage them when it’s time for a rest and remind them of the importance of mindfulness in times of guilt. It may also be useful to suggest potential break activities, such as going for a short walk or watching an episode of a show before returning to their studies.
Reassure them
Having someone to encourage them during these trying times is important. Remind them that they’re capable and express pride in their efforts. Knowing there is someone who believes in them can provide motivation and reassurance.
Celebrate
Remember to celebrate the small wins. Taking time to congratulate them on the milestones they reach can be a great source of encouragement. It will remind them of the progress they are making.
Communicate
Sometimes the best way to know what they need is to simply ask them. Have an open conversation about what they may need support with; it may be some of the things we’ve listed above or it could be something specific to them. This alone will also let them know there is someone there who cares about them, and that can help boost their mood.
3. What are some examples of summer jobs that offer legal experience?
You may be wondering how to best utilise your summer vacation to gain legal experience. We reached out to our Careers Service to understand the options available and for any useful tips.
Other than vacation schemes, there are no formal ‘summer legal jobs’. However, there are two options to consider:
Contact your local legal employers
A top tip is to research your local legal employers and send them a speculative application asking for work experience.
Here are some things to consider when doing this:
- Gather insight from their website: Employers will typically mention any work experience or formal schemes they offer on their website. Do be mindful that if they run a formal scheme, chances are that they will not accept a speculative application, so manage your expectations.
- Contact them: Send them an email with an attached CV. Avoid sending a generic email, and write a ‘mini cover letter’ to support your application..
- Introduce yourself: Explain why you want to work in that particular law firm to help you stand out. Include some useful skills, such as being reliable and hardworking.
Temporary work through an agency
Temporary work is a short-term paid contract that is usually found through a recruitment agency. They are great as they work well around the summer break and employers are a lot more lenient over how much experience someone has.
Any office administration work or work in a professional environment will be beneficial to your CV and future applications.
Are there any additional questions you have? Browse through our SQE or employability pages for further help.
