SQE2 case and matter analysis template

An SQE2 case and matter analysis template follows six steps: summary of the position, issues, law, application, risks and options, and recommended next steps. Use it to turn a file of documents into a clear analysis for a supervisor. See the full guide and a worked example.

The template

1. Position in brief. Two or three sentences: who the client is, what they want, what the file shows.
2. Issues. A numbered list of the legal and practical questions that decide the outcome.
3. Law. For each issue, the rule and its source.
4. Application. Apply each rule to the facts in the documents. Point to the document or fact.
5. Risks and options. Strengths, weaknesses, cost, time, and what the client could do.
6. Next steps. Numbered actions with owner and date, including any ethics step.

Many tasks ask for a memo or email. Keep the six steps but follow the format you are given.

How to work through the file

Read the instruction first so you know the question. Then read the documents once and mark dates, sums, parties and anything that conflicts. Facts that look minor often decide an issue, such as a date a notice was sent or a clause that limits liability.

Then write the list of issues before you write any law. This stops you drifting into a general essay on the topic. Order issues by importance to the client's goal.

Mini example

Client: Norfolk Fabrication Ltd bought a press from Delmar Ltd. It failed after three weeks. Delmar's terms exclude liability for defects.

Position. Norfolk wants its money back and compensation for lost production.

Issues. (1) Was the press of satisfactory quality? (2) Can Norfolk still reject it? (3) Does the exclusion clause bind?

Law. Sale of Goods Act 1979, s 14(2): goods sold in the course of a business must be of satisfactory quality. Section 35: the buyer loses the right to reject after acceptance, including keeping the goods beyond a reasonable time. Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977, s 6(1A): against a business buyer, liability for breach of s 14 can be excluded only if the term satisfies the reasonableness test. Under s 11(5) the party relying on the term must show it is reasonable.

Application. A press that fails in three weeks is likely not of satisfactory quality. Norfolk has used it for three weeks, so acceptance may be argued. Delmar must show its exclusion clause is reasonable. Relevant factors include the parties' bargaining strength and whether Norfolk could buy elsewhere without the clause (s 11 and Sch 2).

Risks and options. Rejection is strongest if Norfolk acts quickly. Damages for lost production depend on proof. Cost and delay of court action should be weighed against a negotiated refund.

Next steps. Send notice of rejection now. Collect the sale contract and production records. Confirm instructions in writing.

Mistakes that lose marks

• Retelling the facts at length with no analysis.
• Listing law with no link to the file.
• Missing a time limit or a procedural step.
• Giving one option only, when the client could negotiate or litigate.
• Ignoring an ethics point such as a conflict, a missing instruction or a money laundering sign.

Checklist

• Position summarised in the first lines.
• Issues numbered and ordered.
• Each issue has law, source and application.
• Adverse points addressed.
• Actions listed with owner and date.

Practise on a timed task with estimated marking against the published criteria.

Questions

Related

• SQE2 case and matter analysis: a 60-minute method
• SQE2 case and matter analysis example
• SQE2 legal research: a method that fits in 60 minutes
• SQE2 business law: what the tasks look like
• SQE2 mock: how to run one that helps

Sources: SRA presentation: The SQE2 assessment; Sale of Goods Act 1979; Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977; Law Society: SQE1 and SQE2 assessments. Checked 10 November 2026.