SQE1 Ethics and Professional Conduct – Rules, Exceptions & Key Distinctions Cheat Sheet

A comprehensive 23-page SQE1 Ethics and Professional Conduct revision guide designed to help you understand, organise and quickly recall the professional obligations tested throughout SQE1.

The resource is structured to reflect the Ethics and Professional Conduct requirements of the SRA SQE1 Assessment Specification applicable.

The cheat sheet focuses particularly on situations where more than one response may appear reasonable but only one complies with the applicable professional obligation.

Topics covered include:

• The SRA Principles
• Regulation of solicitors and firms
• The SRA and Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal
• Legal Ombudsman complaints
• Confidentiality
• Disclosure to clients
• Conflicts of interest
• Own-interest conflicts
• Duties to current and former clients
• Duties to the court
• Client instructions
• Conduct of litigation
• Undertakings
• Complaints handling
• Referral arrangements
• Professional independence
• Honesty and integrity
• Professional conduct in property and other practice contexts

The guide places particular emphasis on the exceptions, competing duties and factual distinctions that commonly decide SQE1 ethics questions, helping candidates identify which professional obligation takes priority in a scenario.

The resource is designed for use when consolidating Ethics and Professional Conduct, preparing for mocks or completing final-stage revision before the SQE1 examination.

Please note: This is an independently prepared revision resource and is not affiliated with, approved by or endorsed by the SRA, Kaplan, any university, education provider or SQE training provider. It is intended as a supplementary study aid and should be used alongside the official SQE assessment specification and your main study materials.