Our free Legal Services notes cover everything you need to know for the Solicitors' Qualifying Exam (SQE). From regulatory principles and money laundering prevention to equality laws and funding options, we've got you covered. Whether you're in a classroom or taking the self-study route, these notes provide added peace of mind, knowing that you have everything you need to help consolidate and revise effectively for the SQE1 exam. Think something could be better? Give us a shout on our contact page, and we'll take a look.
1. Introduction to Legal Services and Regulation
- Overview of legal services in England and Wales
- Role of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA)
- Principles of risk-based regulation
- Regulatory objectives and professional principles
2. Principles and Risk-Based Regulation
- Reserved legal activities
- Professional indemnity insurance (PII)
- Other regulated providers of legal services
- Understanding risk management in legal practice
- Role of PII in risk management
3. The Equality Act 2010
- Protected characteristics and direct discrimination
- Indirect discrimination
- Victimisation and harassment
- Duty to make reasonable adjustments
- Equality and diversity obligations for solicitors
- Application within legal services
4. Money Laundering and Anti-Money Laundering Regulations
- Purpose and scope of anti-money laundering legislation, including international context
- Direct involvement and non-direct involvement offences under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002
- Defences to money laundering offences
- Due diligence requirements
- Client due diligence vs. enhanced due diligence
- Circumstances where suspicion of money laundering should be reported
- Reporting obligations under the Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) regime
- Appropriate person or body for reporting suspicions, timing, and procedures
- Tipping off and confidentiality issues
- Obligations under the Money Laundering Regulations
5. Financial Services and Regulation
- Financial services regulatory framework, including authorisation
- How the framework applies to solicitors' firms
- Recognition of relevant financial services issues
- Identification of specified investments and activities
- Relevant exemptions for solicitors
- Distinction between regulated and unregulated activities
- Application of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and related legislation
- Appropriate sources of information on financial services
- Consequences of non-compliance with financial services regulations