SQESQE Mock

SQE2 legal research template

An SQE2 legal research template has five parts: the question, the short answer, the authority, the application to the client's facts, and what to do next. Put the answer first, then show the sources that support it. See the legal research guide and a worked example.

Typical time60 minutes
Marked onIdentifying and using relevant sources, correct and complete law, ethics
OutputA short note or email to a supervisor

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The template

  1. Question. Restate the question in one sentence so the reader knows you answered the right one.
  2. Short answer. One to three sentences. Yes, no or probably, with the main reason.
  3. Authority. The rule, with the exact source: section, regulation, rule or case.
  4. Application. Apply the rule to these facts. Deal with the point that cuts against your client.
  5. Next steps. What to check, send or advise. Mention any ethics or risk point.

The task gives you sources to work from. Expect some of them to be irrelevant. Part of the skill is to pick the right ones and ignore the rest.

How to cite sources

Cite the source at the point you rely on it. Use the form a lawyer would: statute and section, rule number, or case name with year and court.

  • Statute: Limitation Act 1980, s 5.
  • Rule: CPR r 13.3(1).
  • Case: American Cyanamid Co v Ethicon Ltd [1975] AC 396.
  • Code: SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors, para 6.3.

Tell the reader which document in the bundle the source came from if the task asks you to. Do not cite a source you did not read. Do not quote long passages. A short paraphrase with the pinpoint is better.

If the bundle does not answer the question fully, say what is missing and what you would check. Do not guess.

Mini example

Question. Our client, Brightway Ltd, says Harlan Ltd did not pay an invoice for services that fell due on 14 March 2021. Can Brightway still sue?

Short answer. Yes, but only just. A claim on a simple contract must be brought within six years of the date the cause of action accrued, so the period ends on 14 March 2027.

Authority. Limitation Act 1980, s 5: an action founded on simple contract may not be brought after six years from the date the cause of action accrued. Time for a debt runs from the date payment fell due. For limitation, a claim is brought when the court receives the claim form for issue, not when it is served.

Application. The breach is the failure to pay on the due date, 14 March 2021. The six years end on 14 March 2027, so the claim form must reach the court well before then. If Harlan acknowledged the debt in a signed written document, or paid part of it, time starts again from that date (ss 29(5) and 30). I have not seen any such letter in the bundle.

Next steps. Check the invoice due date and look for any acknowledgment. Issue early and do not wait for the last week. Warn the client in writing about the deadline.

Common errors

  • Starting with the law of the whole topic instead of the answer.
  • Using an irrelevant extract because it looks impressive.
  • Citing the case but not the proposition it stands for.
  • Not applying the law to the client's facts.
  • Ignoring an adverse point.
  • Giving no next step or missing a deadline, which is an ethics risk as well as a law point.

Checklist

  • The first paragraph answers the question.
  • Each proposition has a pinpoint source.
  • Every rule is applied to a named fact.
  • Gaps and assumptions are stated.
  • The note ends with action.

Time yourself: about 10 minutes reading the bundle, 35 writing, 15 checking. See the dispute resolution page for typical research topics.

Questions

sqe2 legal research structure?

Question, short answer, authority, application and next steps. Put the answer in the first lines and support it with pinpoint citations.

How do I cite cases in SQE2 legal research?

Give the case name, year and court or report, for example American Cyanamid Co v Ethicon Ltd [1975] AC 396. Say what principle it supports.

Should I use every source in the bundle?

No. Some extracts are irrelevant. Use the ones that answer the question and say if a gap remains.

Is SQE2 legal research a memo or an email?

The task tells you. Follow its format and addressee. The five-part structure works for both.

Related

Sources: SRA presentation: The SQE2 assessment; Limitation Act 1980; Civil Procedure Rules; SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors, RELs and RFLs. Checked 10 November 2026.