My SQE Journey: Lily Clarke on studying the SQE 1 & 2 LLM at Nottingham Law School
The Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) represents the new route to qualification as a solicitor in England and Wales, requiring both academic knowledge and practical resilience.
By Emma Groman | Published on 30 September 2025
At Nottingham Law School (NLS), our SQE 1 and SQE 2 LLM course is designed to give students the best possible preparation – combining expert teaching, tailored support, and opportunities to gain valuable experience through our on campus law firm, NLS Legal and Support Through Court's National Helpline and National Online Service.
One of our students, Lily Clarke, recently passed the SQE 1 assessment and is now progressing towards qualification. In this article, Lily shares her journey through the course, reflecting on the challenges, highlights, and skills that have helped her take the next step in her legal career.
“I have always known that I wanted to pursue a career in law. At A-level I chose to study law, psychology, and criminology and quickly realised how much I enjoyed studying law in particular. Naturally, I chose to study law for my undergraduate degree at Nottingham Trent University, and had a real enthusiasm for more civil law areas such as contract and tort. I graduated from Nottingham Trent University with a First-class LLB, and I then chose to progress straight onto the SQE Preparation course LLM.
My goal is to qualify as a solicitor in commercial property at a national firm. Through attending open days and networking with lawyers from a variety of firms, including magic circle during my final year of LLB, I gained a clear sense of the type of environment I want to work in. I believe I am better suited to the opportunities offered by national firms and would like to stay within Nottingham. I am now focused on securing a paralegal role in commercial property or dispute resolution as qualifying work experience, which will enable me to qualify through the SQE route rather than the traditional training contract.
Choosing to study the SQE and LLM at NTU felt like a natural next step. My undergraduate experience had been such a positive one – I was familiar with the campus, lecturers, facilities and the NOW platform – which meant I could fully focus on the demands of the SQE without having to adjust to a new environment. The opportunity to attend in-person workshops was particularly important to me, as I find face-to-face teaching far more engaging and supportive than online-only like other providers. Another key factor for choosing NTU was the chance to complete my masters’ through a placement and placement report with Support Through Court, which allowed me to gain practical legal experience alongside my studies.
The support I received through the course was outstanding. The lecturers who I had were all experienced solicitors in that field. They were approachable, knowledgeable, and always willing to answer questions or set up a meeting to go through more difficult areas.
Lily Clarke, SQE 1 & 2 LLM
The teaching was supported by OUP manuals and MCQs, and NTU’s own lectures and MCQs, and plenty of opportunities in workshops to practice and consolidate knowledge. The sense of community I felt among my peers this year has also been invaluable – we supported each other constantly through group chats, and study groups in the library which even continued after the course had finished. For the SQE 2 part, the smaller groups meant advice and feedback felt more tailored, which really enhanced my preparation for the assessments. Having a personal tutor, recorded lectures, and a familiar workshop structure made the year feel more manageable.
I would offer a few key tips to future students. Make the most of the workshops, they are excellent for understanding the material in depth but also building the support with peers. Be prepared for a very demanding year – you may need to balance SQE preparation, and the extra LLM element of the course. I found strong resilience and organisation to be the foundations of this year. Start revising the black letter law early, as this is not retaught, and read through the OUP manuals in full so you do not miss the smaller niche topics which come up in the SQE exams. Using a range of MCQ resources is important, as no single provider mirrors the SQE MCQs exactly. Personally, I found flashcards, the pomodoro technique, and a variety of mock exams the most effective. I tried to vary my revision methods to stay motivated. Also, consolidate your notes immediately after each workshop – you won’t have time to revisit everything later.
For me, this year was about perseverance. Balancing everything has been rather challenging but treating it like a 9-5 everyday has helped me stay consistent without burning out too much. I made sure to revisit the full SRA SQE assessment specification at least twice before focusing on weaker areas and reached out to lecturers whenever I needed support.
Overall, studying the SQE preparation LLM was both intense and rewarding. The combination of excellent teaching, supportive peers, and high-quality resources gave me the confidence to sit the SQE. It was a demanding year, but equipped me with the knowledge, resilience, and determination to move forwards towards qualification.”
NTU’s SQE Preparation courses offer outstanding academic and pastoral support, with expert tutors, high-quality resources, and a structured learning environment designed to help students thrive in their SQE assessments and progress confidently towards qualification as a solicitor.
To find out more about NTU’s SQE preparation courses, please contact our Course Leaders, Chris Ratcliffe or Alan Dury, or the Course Manager, Kate Mills.