Our approach
Study with those who passed!
Academy of Smart Lawyers – we are a cohort of dedicated legal practitioners united to revolutionise legal education.
Since early 2018, we have been dedicated to helping aspiring solicitors pass the SQE (previously known as QLTS). Over time, our services have been expanded beyond the SQE – to preparing legal professionals for Higher Rights of Audience assessments, training bar students for the bar course exams and providing other professional training.
We take pride in providing services that are not based on the conveyor-belt approach.
Instead, we offer a personalised and innovative preparation. Despite not being as large as international providers, we have proven our expertise.
We’ve assisted hundreds of lawyers who struggled with passing qualifying law exams.
6+ years of exam preparation experience
330+ inspiring success stories
30+ tutoring solicitors
Our SQE prep methodology
Putting our academic training to practical use, we have developed and piloted The Smart Methodology (the Methodology) of exam preparation.
The Smart Methodology (the Methodology) uses mistake-driven and practice-based teaching – with students encouraged to construct their own knowledge through experience, and to reflect on those experiences.
The opportunities to construct knowledge are created by the Smart tutors’ active teaching.
Underpinning this Methodology are four articulate premises:
(i) that learning produces meaningful knowledge,
(ii) that the opportunity to take risks, make wrong choices, and remedy the problem, stimulates long-term knowledge retention and comprehension,
(iii) that in establishing a positive learning outcome, the primary role is played by self-directed learning – with learners assuming personal responsibility for planning and carrying out their learning activities,
(iv) that drawing on their individual professional expertise, tutors encourage the student’s learning and reflection process by:
- identifying mistakes
- building on the learner’s current knowledge
- assessing the learner’s progress.
Fundamental to the Methodology are the concepts of:
(i) Active teaching,
(ii) Practice-based education,
(iii) Self-directed learning,
(iv) Mistake-driven learning, and
(v) Rational approach to exam techniques.
Active
teaching
Mistake driven
learning
Methodology concepts
The Methodology contains two components – tailored lectures with notes, and simulations which are designed and carried out similar to the SQE1, SQE2, bar exams conditions.
Within the Methodology, the learners are provided with the opportunity to learn from their own experience and possible mistakes through individually conducted simulations or mock stations aimed at challenging and reinforcing the learners’ knowledge of fundamental legal concepts and principles.
The lectures and mock tests have been designed by OSCEsmart based on common mistakes and confusions within each practice area and each key subject as registered by OSCEsmart. OSCEsmart mock stations are conducted via active teaching in the form of:
- Client interviews with non-lawyers of academic or acting background;
- Advocacy/presentation sessions with lawyers;
- Handwritten attendance notes;
- Legal writing exercises: typed letters/e-mails of advice;
- Legal drafting exercises: drafted documents;
- Legal research exercises: typed legal research record sheets;
- Legal case and matter analysis exercises: typed case-based reports to a partner containing client-focused advice.
Our SQE 1 methodology
Our study programme targets three main goals to give you a clear understanding of the law and the SQE1 exam:
- Comprehensive Learning:
- access to pre-recorded law lectures. In these, we implement team-teaching, with at least two solicitors discussing various legal concepts, referring to relevant cases, and drawing on their practical experience. Each lecture is segmented into short 15-minute videos, which are indexed to allow easy access to every topic.
- participation in regularly conducted interactive revision group sessions. These live online sessions seek to cover law updates, answer candidates’ questions, and jointly work on complex MCQs while elaborating on exam tactics.
- Focused Study: visualised Synopsis notes. Incorporating well-structured visual aids accelerates understanding, allows learners to process information faster and retain it better.
- Practice and Improvement: regular practice under timed exam conditions, based on OSCEsmart bank of high-quality MCQs. Our testing system is designed to identify gaps in your knowledge and guide you towards focused revision. Doing tests under exam conditions allows you to consolidate knowledge, get used to the exam format and time constraints, which in turn helps reduce anxiety and improves your ability to perform under pressure.
Our SQE 2 methodology
Our SQE2 training revolves around personalised 1-to-1 SQE2 mock simulations with individual feedback. These mock exams serve three primary purposes:
- Identifying Knowledge Gaps. Through SQE2 simulations, we pinpoint any knowledge gaps in the candidate’s preparation. This helps them focus on areas that need further revision and improvement.
- Enhancing Legal Skills. With years of training, our experienced tutors share valuable insights and best practices. They help candidates develop the specific legal skills required to excel in the SQE2 exam.
- Sharing Exam Tactics. As a close-knit community of successful examinees, we share effective exam tactics and strategies. These insights are invaluable in boosting candidates’ confidence and preparation.
Identifying
Knowledge
Gaps
Enhancing
Legal
Skills
Sharing
Exam
Tactics
The Methodology covers, but is not limited to:
- System of training – specific challenges applied to each individual mock activity and group session, the manner and regularity of conducting the latter;
- Exam techniques – elements of training developed and accumulated by OSCEsmart team in the course of conducting training, and delivered to aspiring solicitors as part of their exam preparation, including oral tips and suggestions for how to prepare for the SQE1/SQE2;
- Database of common mistakes and confusions identified by OSCEsmart within each practice area and each key subject, and utilised for the purposes of training aspiring solicitors;
- Business model – a system of work, including application of different internal and external software and web solutions used by OSCEsmart team in order to run the course.
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