From law graduate to training contract at DWF: how I passed SQE1 in four months

What’s your background, and why did you decide to do the SQE?

I began my LLB at the University of Law in 2022 and graduated in 2025. During my degree, I gained work experience across different legal settings, which confirmed that I wanted to qualify as a solicitor. I also explored alternative career paths, but ultimately felt that the solicitor route aligned best with my interests and long-term goals.

I applied for training contracts during university and was fortunate to secure a training contract with DWF in my final year. After finishing my course, I began preparing for the SQE1, with my studies funded by the firm through BPP.

I sat the SQE1 in January 2026 after four months of preparation and was very grateful to pass. I am now preparing for SQE2, which I will sit during my training contract, while also completing my Master’s in Law before starting at DWF in September.

How did you prepare, and what made the biggest difference in your success?

I prepared through BPP’s SQE1 course, which involved working through their textbooks, creating notes, and attending teaching sessions across the core practice areas. As I had recently completed my LLB, I found the academic subjects more manageable, but still required structured revision.

A key part of my preparation was using multiple question banks. Alongside BPP’s Adapt platform, I used resources such as Law Drills, QLTS, Kinnu, The One Hundred, and Revise SQE.

What made the biggest difference was not just doing practice questions, but focusing on the explanations. Understanding why an answer was correct or incorrect helped me identify gaps in my knowledge and strengthen my legal reasoning.

I also found it helpful to explain legal concepts in simple terms, as if I were speaking to someone without a legal background. This really tested whether I understood the law beyond just recognising the correct answer.

What was the hardest part, and how did you push through it?

The hardest part for me was maintaining focus over such a long period of time, especially over Christmas and New Year. The volume of content, the uncertainty of what could come up, and the length of the exams all felt quite overwhelming.

At the start, I really struggled with stamina. In September, I couldn’t even sit through 20 MCQs in one go, but over time, through consistent practice, I built that up.

Using tools like the Law Drills Pro mock exams really helped, especially because they had an inbuilt timer. I also tried to replicate exam conditions at home, even doing small things like keeping water in another room.

Instead of following a strict timetable, I created daily to-do lists based on what I needed to focus on, as my strengths and weaknesses were constantly changing.

I did have to sacrifice quite a lot of personal time, but I tried to maintain some balance. For example, I kept up with weekly Pilates or would do something small for myself. It gave me something to look forward to.

If you had to do it again, what would you do differently?

If I had to do it again, I would focus more on understanding the law before jumping straight into MCQs.

While practice questions were really helpful for me, starting them too early sometimes affected my confidence and wasn’t always the most effective way to learn.

I would also start tracking my progress earlier. I only created a score tracker around mid-November, and I think doing that sooner would have helped me identify weaker areas earlier and structure my revision more effectively.

Any final piece of advice for SQE candidates?

My biggest piece of advice would be to listen to your body and take care of your wellbeing.

The SQE1 can be all-consuming, and I don’t think I fully appreciated that at the time. I had just finished my LLB and went straight into preparation without much of a break, and I did end up feeling quite burnt out.

Looking back, I really wish I had taken more time to rest and look after myself.

So take breaks when you need them, speak to others who are in the same position or who have already sat the exam, and make time for things that help you switch off.

It’s a tough process, but it’s temporary and it will be worth it. :)