Just over half of candidates who sat the first stage of the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE1) in January 2026 passed, according to new figures released by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. The regulator’s statistical report, published yesterday, confirmed an overall pass rate of 53%, marking an improvement from last summer’s record low rate of 41%.
Legal education provider BARBRI has revealed a first-time pass rate of 83% for its candidates who sat the second Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) assessment – SQE2 – compared to the industry average of 77%.