Source: Legal Cheek
As the shockwaves continue to be felt from Clifford Chance’s decision to cancel TC offers for several students who failed SQE1, future trainees at Macfarlanes are wondering if they could be next — after remembering that the firm has already committed publicly to a no-resit policy.
Macfarlanes’ graduate recruitment website states that “future trainees are required to pass all SQE exams (including the Macfarlanes essential for practice modules) on the first sitting”.
While this approach ensures that potential applicants understand what is expected from them regarding the SQE, it also places additional pressure on students — who are already under significant pressure due to the nature of the assessments — to pass first time around.
Last year, the City of London Law Society proposed several options for law firms to consider regarding trainees who fail the SQE. This included deferrals and rescission of the training contract, but warned the latter could could potentially lead to “negative publicity”.
Read full article: https://www.legalcheek.com/2024/03/macfarlanes-future-trainees-fear-for-careers-amid-firms-must-pass-first-time-sqe-policy/
