This fifth edition of this manual provides a thorough, up-to-date and practical review of how solicitors in criminal practice work. It starts at the police station and then looks at how cases progress to trial and sentence. It looks at adult and juvenile defendants and the range of appeal processes available to both.

This Study Manual covers the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s syllabus for the SQE1 assessment for Contract in a concise and tightly focused manner. The Manual provides a clear statement of relevant legal rules and a well-defined road map through examinable law and practice. The Manual aims to bring the law and practice to life through the use of example scenarios based on realistic client-based problems and allows the reader to test their knowledge and understanding through single best answer questions that have been modelled on the SRA’s sample assessment questions.

For those readers who are students at the University of Law, the Study Manual is used alongside other learning resources and the University’s assessment bank to best prepare students not only for the SQE1 assessments, but also for a future life in professional legal practice.

The new editions of The University of Law SQE1 manuals have been revised to bring the law and procedure up to date as at 1 May 2025 and incorporate changes in the SQE1 assessment specification. These updated versions, together with our periodic updating service, will make sure your knowledge of the SRA’s SQE1 syllabus is ‘exam ready’.