Petition calls for SQE reform amid concerns over candidate wellbeing and transparency

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Nearly 800 people, as of 6 August, have signed a petition calling for reforms to the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE), highlighting mental health concerns and requesting a more transparent process. In response, a Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) spokesperson acknowledged that the SQE is a “demanding, high stakes assessment that gives successful candidates access to a licence to practise” but stated that an “independent reviewer has confirmed it’s a robust and fair” one.  

The petition was launched by a trainee solicitor under the pseudonym Hannah Cox, who said the SQE had taken a “severe toll” on their “mental, financial and physical wellbeing”. Cox said: “This is a sentiment echoed by the vast majority of other candidates who have undertaken this exam.”

The campaign calls for a more transparent and accountable assessment process. Cox added: “The SRA must commit to transparency and furthermore, thorough review of the SQE's content and structure is necessary to ensure it accurately assesses a candidate's capability without placing undue stress on their mental and physical health.”

The SRA explained: “The questions are written by a pool of solicitors reflecting what is expected of a newly qualified solicitor and the pass mark is determined using well-established methods. The SQE’s independent reviewer has confirmed it’s a robust and fair assessment. Many candidates have now passed the SQE. Pass rates and statistical information about candidates are published after each sitting.”

The regulatory body, informed by research commissioned from the University of Exeter, is continuing to take action to address “the causes of such differential outcomes that are within” its influence.

This article has been created with the assistance of Copilot.

This article was amended on 6 August 2025 to include a comment from the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

This article was amended on 8 August 2025. An earlier version reported that research by the University of Exeter began after pass rate data revealed an ethnicity attainment gap. However, the Solicitors Regulation Authority stated that this research began before the first SQE result and should not be directly related to differential outcomes. It also highlighted that differential outcomes by ethnicity were also seen on the Legal Practice Course, and other legal professional assessments and assessments in other sectors.

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