What does the SQE1 Legal System section actually test?

Legal system of England and Wales, constitutional and administrative law, and EU law. The SRA assessment specification breaks Legal System into 4 topics, each examined through single-best-answer (SBA) questions in the FLK1 paper.

Is Legal System part of FLK1 or FLK2?

Legal System sits in FLK1. Both FLK1 papers are 180 single-best-answer questions in two 2h 5m sittings on the same day.

How many topics are in Legal System?

4. Our notes, flashcards, and question bank are mapped one-to-one against the SRA's LS specification so nothing is missed.

How long should I spend on Legal System?

Most candidates allocate roughly 15–20 hours across notes, flashcards, and timed practice. The exact split depends on your background — re-sitters can usually focus on weak topics rather than re-reading.

What is the best way to revise Legal System?

Active recall beats re-reading. Read the notes once, then practise SBA questions in mixed order, then revisit weak topics. Our weak-area tracker surfaces the topics where your accuracy is below 70%.

Can I practise Legal System questions without paying?

Yes. The free readiness quiz includes a sample from every subject, and free accounts can access sample questions across all subjects. The full LS question bank is unlocked with a one-time lifetime purchase and is covered by the 14-day money-back guarantee.

LSFLK1 · 4 topics

SQE1 Legal System.

Legal system of England and Wales, constitutional and administrative law, and EU law.

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All 4 topics in Legal System

SRA-aligned

01
Courts and the Judiciary
Court hierarchy, jurisdiction, judicial roles, and legal personnel
Free
02
Doctrine of Precedent
Stare decisis, ratio decidendi, binding and persuasive authority, and how precedent operates in the court hierarchy
03
Primary Legislation
Parliamentary sovereignty, the legislative process, delegated legislation, EU retained law, and the Human Rights Act 1998
04
Statutory Interpretation
Rules and approaches to interpreting statutes, aids to interpretation, and presumptions

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4 sample LS questions

Real SBA questions from the Legal System bank, with the full explanation. The paid bank covers all 4 topics and difficulty levels.

A solicitor is advising a client who wishes to bring a claim for breach of contract against a builder who failed to complete renovation work. The loss suffered by the client is valued at approximately £8,500. The client is concerned about the costs of litigation and wants to know what type of court procedure will apply.

Which of the following best describes the track to which this claim will be allocated?

The small claims track, because the claim value is below £10,000. Correct
The fast track, because the claim involves a contract dispute which is always allocated to the fast track.
The multi-track, because construction disputes are treated as complex regardless of value.
The small claims track, because the claim value is below £25,000 and the client is an individual.
The fast track, because the claim value falls between £5,000 and £10,000 for contract claims.

Why: The correct answer is A. The small claims track handles claims up to £10,000 (or £1,000 for personal injury). Since this claim is valued at approximately £8,500, it falls within the small claims track limit. The small claims track is designed to be informal, with limited costs recovery and typically no expert evidence. B is incorrect because the fast track covers claims from £10,000 to £25,000, not below £10,000. C is incorrect because complexity can push a case to the multi-track, but the notes do not indicate this case is complex — it is a straightforward breach of contract valued below £10,000. D is incorrect because the threshold for the small claims track is £10,000, not £25,000. The £25,000 threshold separates the fast track from the intermediate track (introduced on 1 October 2023). E is incorrect because there is no separate value range for contract claims — the standard small claims limit of £10,000 applies.

A defendant has been convicted in the Magistrates' Court of two separate summary offences: common assault and criminal damage valued at £800. The magistrate is considering the appropriate sentence. The defendant has a previous conviction for a similar offence two years ago.

What is the maximum custodial sentence that the Magistrates' Court can impose on this defendant?

6 months in total for both offences. Correct
12 months for each offence, to run concurrently.
6 months for the assault and 3 months for the criminal damage, to run consecutively, giving a total of 9 months.
12 months for the most serious offence only.
6 months for each offence, to run consecutively, giving a total of 12 months.

Why: The correct answer is A. Both offences here are summary-only: common assault (maximum 6 months), and criminal damage valued at £800, which is summary because the value does not exceed £5,000 (maximum 3 months under s.33 Magistrates' Courts Act 1980). Under s.133(1) of that Act, where a magistrates' court imposes consecutive terms for summary offences, the aggregate must not exceed 6 months. So the maximum total custodial sentence here is 6 months. (Note that since 18 November 2024 a magistrates' court can impose up to 12 months for a single either-way offence tried summarily — but neither offence here is either-way.) B is incorrect because a single summary offence cannot attract a 12-month sentence — common assault carries a maximum of 6 months. C is incorrect because, although the individual maxima are 6 months (common assault) and 3 months (low-value criminal damage), s.133(1) caps the aggregate of consecutive summary sentences at 6 months, so the total cannot reach 9 months. D is incorrect because the cap operates on the aggregate of the sentences, and the magistrates can in any event sentence on both offences, not just the most serious. E is incorrect because the 12-month aggregate is reserved by s.133(2) for two or more either-way offences tried summarily; for these summary offences the aggregate is capped at 6 months.

A solicitor is advising a client who has been dismissed from her job and wishes to bring a claim for unfair dismissal. The client has never been involved in legal proceedings before and is worried about the costs and formality of going to court.

Which of the following best describes why an Employment Tribunal is likely to be the most appropriate forum for this claim?

Tribunals are generally quicker, less expensive, and less formal than courts, and Employment Tribunals specialise in employment disputes. Correct
Employment Tribunals are the only forum that can hear unfair dismissal claims, as the County Court lacks jurisdiction over employment matters entirely.
Tribunals always award higher compensation than courts, making them more favourable to claimants in employment disputes.
Employment Tribunals do not require legal representation, whereas courts mandate that both parties must be represented by solicitors.
Tribunals are presided over by High Court judges, ensuring higher-quality decisions than the County Court.

Why: The correct answer is A. Tribunals offer significant advantages over courts: they are generally quicker, fees are lower (or non-existent), costs orders are rare, and proceedings are less formal. Employment Tribunals are specialist bodies with panel members who have expertise in employment matters, making them purpose-built for disputes like unfair dismissal claims. B is incorrect because the statement is too absolute — some employment claims could theoretically be brought in the County Court, but the Employment Tribunal is the primary and most appropriate forum for unfair dismissal. C is incorrect because tribunals do not automatically award higher compensation — compensation depends on the individual case and the applicable statutory limits. D is incorrect because parties can represent themselves in both tribunals and courts; neither mandates solicitor representation. E is incorrect because Employment Tribunals are not presided over by High Court judges — they are heard by a panel that includes an employment judge and lay members with employer and employee experience.

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