Online SQE live classes, like the session held on 15 June 2025, are a cornerstone of effective preparation for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE exam).

Led by qualified solicitors from the Academy of Smart Lawyers, these SQE live streams guide aspiring solicitors through challenging topics, answering questions in real time and helping bridge the gap between academic study and professional application.

In the most recent session, Oliver and Olga covered essential topics including professional conduct, client money rules, referral arrangements, and key differences between English and Welsh law — with a focus on taxation and property law.

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Why Join SQE Live Classes?

These SQE live revision lectures blend academic rigour with practical insight. Unlike pre-recorded materials alone, live classes allow candidates to:

• Stay up-to-date on law updates that may appear in the SQE exam.
  
• Practice applying legal principles to realistic scenarios through the analysis of complex multiple-choice questions.
  
• Benefit from the experience and strategic advice of practising solicitors.

Importantly, the insights shared go beyond just passing the SQE – they help build critical thinking, ethical judgment, and real-world problem-solving skills.

These sessions also benefit law students preparing for university assessments, developing legal writing, oral presentation, and case analysis skills. They provide clarity on how English and Welsh law operate in practice – a crucial skillset for confident, capable solicitors.

Key Insights from the SQE Live Stream: Professional Conduct & English vs Welsh Law

This SQE live stream offered invaluable lessons and clarifications on complex areas of practice, equipping participants with the tools and strategies necessary for success in the SQE exam. With real-time interaction, questions, and examples, the SQE sessions were designed not just to teach the law but to train attendees to apply it under exam conditions. Below we explore the main takeaways, showing how these insights directly help aspiring solicitors succeed in the SQE exam and beyond.

Professional Conduct and Real-Life Scenarios

Professional conduct remains one of the most tested areas in the SQE exam, appearing both explicitly and embedded in scenario-based questions. In this SQE live stream, Oliver highlighted how ethical dilemmas often arise when least expected.

• Gifts and referral arrangements were explored through realistic examples. Even seemingly small gifts, such as free subscriptions or vouchers, can put solicitors at risk if they create a conflict of interest or compromise independence.
  
• Participants were reminded that gifts over £500, while rare, trigger additional scrutiny, and all gifts — regardless of value — should be formally recorded or declined if inappropriate.
  
• Referral arrangements were dissected in depth: they are acceptable only when transparency, client consent, and written agreements are in place. Solicitors should always act in the client’s best interest, even if this conflicts with their own financial gain.
  

The SQE sessions underscored that candidates must remember these principles not just as rules to memorise but as practical safeguards in day-to-day practice.

Client Money & Unclaimed Funds

Managing client money ethically and properly is a cornerstone of the solicitor’s duties. The SQE live stream covered:

• How firms should handle unclaimed client balances, ensuring no costs are unfairly deducted.
  
• What steps to take to trace clients — and when to apply to the SRA for permission to donate funds to charity if the client remains untraceable.
  
• Why the effort to protect client money must always be proportionate but thorough.
  

Tutors explained that this is a common trap in the SQE exam, where candidates often miss subtle details about the sequence of steps. The SQE sessions helped clarify that the client’s money remains their property until the SRA expressly allows otherwise.

Solicitor Independence in Property-Developer Referrals

Over-reliance on one source of referrals — such as a single property developer — can quietly undermine solicitor independence. The SQE live stream explored scenarios where such a relationship, even if technically lawful, can lead to ethical pitfalls:

• Solicitors may feel pressured to prioritise the developer’s interests over the client’s.
  
• Clients may not feel truly free to choose, which contradicts the principle of solicitor’s independence.
  
• Firms must raise concerns with the compliance officer if they feel their independence is at risk.

Participants in the SQE sessions discussed how to identify and mitigate these risks in practice, strengthening their understanding for the SQE exam and their future practice.

Referral Rules & Marketing Restrictions

Another area where many candidates struggle in the SQE exam is recognising when referral fees and marketing practices are outright prohibited. The SQE live stream explained:

• Referral fees are strictly banned in criminal, personal injury, and fatal accident claims.
  
• In other areas, referrals are permitted only with written agreements, informed client consent, and assurance that no undue influence is exerted.
  
• Cold calling and other intrusive marketing methods remain forbidden in all circumstances.

This section of the SQE sessions encouraged candidates to adopt a conservative and transparent approach to referrals — a key takeaway both for the exam and professional practice.

Property Tax & Licensing: English vs Welsh Law

The SQE live stream went further to examine the differences between English and Welsh law, particularly relevant to property transactions and landlord-tenant law:

• Standard Occupation Contracts in Wales simplify landlord-tenant relations compared to the English system.
• Wales imposes Land Transaction Tax (LTT), while England applies Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT), with different rates and reliefs.
• First-time buyer relief, available in England, does not exist in Wales.
• Wales also mandates landlord registration and licensing via Rent Smart Wales.

Understanding these distinctions is critical for the SQE exam, which may test these nuanced differences in scenario-based questions.

Devolution & Legislative Powers

Finally, the SQE sessions covered constitutional law and the reserved powers model adopted by Wales post-2017:

• The Welsh Government can legislate on all matters not explicitly reserved to Westminster.
  
• The Sewel Convention, though a political, not legal, requirement, reinforces the principle that Westminster does not legislate on devolved matters without consent.

Such discussions in the SQE live stream helped candidates appreciate the bigger picture — how legal principles, devolution, and professional ethics intersect in practice.

Conclusion: Beyond Exam Technique

This SQE live stream delivered more than legal knowledge — it built confidence in applying law to practice, thinking independently, and making ethical decisions.

With expert insights from Oliver and Olga, attendees strengthened their readiness not just for the SQE exam but for real-world legal practice. These SQE live classes offer an invaluable opportunity to interact with professionals, sharpen your skills, and confidently navigate the intricacies of both English and Welsh law. 

Whether you’re preparing for the SQE or building your professional expertise, these sessions help you become a well-rounded, practice-ready solicitor.