The University of Leicester has today announced its collaboration with global legal education provider, BARBRI, to increase access to Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) preparation. The SQE, which was officially introduced by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) in 2021, will replace the Legal Practice Course (LPC) as the new route to qualification for aspiring lawyers in England and Wales. With over 1,000 candidates having sat the inaugural SQE1 exam in November, more prospective lawyers are expected to follow suit in 2022. Now, as part of this collaboration, students from the University of Leicester will have access to an exclusive discount for SQE1 preparation with legal education and training experts, BARBRI. With over 1.3 million alumni worldwide, BARBRI’s SQE1 Prep courses have been created by industry experts with LawTech at the core to provide students with the knowledge and tools needed to achieve SQE success. Edward Jones, Director of Recruitment for Leicester Law School, explained: “Social conscience is a key consideration for all that we do as a university and therefore it’s important that we support our students beyond traditional means. The SQE will be a revolutionary change for the lawyers of the future and our collaboration with BARBRI will enable our students to access the resources and support they need to comfortably pursue this route to qualification.” Alongside a requirement for two years of Qualifying Work Experience (QWE), the SQE is split into two exams - SQE1 and SQE2. With multiple-choice questions and skills-based assessments, BARBRI’s courses help students prepare for both exams. Chris Jorgenson, senior director of institutional partnerships for BARBRI, said: “We’re proud to announce our collaboration with the University of Leicester to help broaden access to the legal industry. Our mission is to help shape a profession that is more representative of society today, and we align with the SRA on this. Yet despite the SQE’s innovative approach, financial concerns remain a barrier for many. So, we're proactively working alongside university partners and firms to help increase accessibility and improve affordability around SQE Prep.” BARBRI’s innovative testing and learning technologies provide future solicitors with the best opportunity to succeed. It offers a range of full-time and part-time course options to prepare candidates for SQE success. For more information, please visit: barbri.com/sqe