Bridge Group report addresses diversity in the legal sector
The ‘powerful potential’ of SQE for diversity
14 July 2020
Bridge Group report on the new Solicitors Qualification Examination (SQE) finds that the assessment design is fair and that the qualification could help to improve diversity in the legal sector.
While recognising the SQE will not address all the diversity challenges in the legal profession, the Bridge Group conclude that the SQE could help, while emphasising there is more work for the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) to achieve this.
The report finds that a major problem with the “current, fragmented system” is a lack of dependable, comparable data. Standardised data from the SQE could help the sector better understand diversity issues and inform potential solutions. This data could also help both employers and aspiring solicitors make choices.
It says that law is one of only a few professions where to qualify people must borrow large amounts of money at significant personal risk, with many shut out by the high cost of training. The report says the SQE could potentially increase the range and choice of legal training, while also driving down the costs through competitive pressures.
The report also challenges the SRA to focus on gathering and analysing data - including on protected characteristics and socio-economic background - to enable it to review and evaluate the SQE’s impact. The SRA can then take informed decisions around the SQE’s continued development. It recommends it should summarise its approach to data and evaluation so stakeholders know what will be published and when.
Nicholas Miller, Chief Executive, Bridge Group:
“There is no silver bullet to address diversity in the legal profession, but the SQE could help. The current system is comparably fragmented and expensive. The SQE could reform the training market and give people more choice, while sharing standardised data has powerful potential to give the sector a better basis to understand - and address - diversity issues.
The SRA also must make sure there is good information available for aspiring solicitors, while careful analysis and sharing of data will be crucial. It can then work with the sector to make informed decisions around the continued development of the SQE.”
Paul Philip, SRA Chief Executive :
“Introducing a single rigorous assessment is fairer for everyone. Employers will have better information to recruit and the public can have greater confidence in consistent standards. Candidates will be judged on an equal basis, and by giving them more choice about how and where they train, we hope to enable more talented people to have a fair shot at qualifying.
We are pleased this report recognises the progress we have made, and we welcome both the robust review and the recommendations, which will help us to realise the benefits for everyone.
We know we don’t have all the answers and that the SQE cannot on its own resolve all the diversity issues that the sector faces. This is a shared challenge for all the sector, but the insights we gain through the SQE should mean we are better placed to work together to tackle this problem.”
You can read the full report here.