SQE1 FLK1 Topics — Complete Subject Breakdown

SQE1 FLK1 (Functioning Legal Knowledge 1) is the first of two assessments that make up Stage 1 of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination. It tests core legal knowledge across six subject areas by way of 180 single-best-answer multiple-choice questions, sat in two sittings of 2 hours and 33 minutes. Passing both FLK1 and FLK2 is mandatory before candidates can proceed to SQE2, and together they replace the old GDL + LPC route for most candidates qualifying as a solicitor in England and Wales.

FLK1 subject areas. The SRA syllabus groups FLK1 into six headings: (1) Business Law and Practice; (2) Dispute Resolution; (3) Contract; (4) Tort; (5) Legal System of England and Wales, which bundles Constitutional and Administrative Law together with EU Law; and (6) Legal Services — covering ethics, professional conduct, regulation and the SRA Principles. Ethics is examined pervasively across all subjects, not as a standalone section, so candidates should be ready to spot and apply Codes of Conduct rules inside a contract or dispute-resolution fact pattern.

Assessment format.Each FLK1 sitting contains 90 single-best-answer multiple-choice questions. You are given 2 hours 33 minutes per sitting. There is no essay component, no written problem question, and no negative marking. Questions are overwhelmingly scenario-based: a short fact pattern (one to three paragraphs) followed by a question asking which of five answer options is the best solicitor’s response. Questions are not distributed uniformly — the SRA’s Assessment Specification, specifically Annex Four, sets out approximate weightings so candidates know how many questions to expect from each area.

Business Law and Practice.Business structures (sole trader, partnership, LLP, limited company), corporate governance, directors’ duties, shareholder rights, company procedure, taxation of businesses (income tax, corporation tax, VAT, capital gains) and insolvency. Heaviest in procedural detail of any FLK1 subject — expect questions on board meeting notice periods, written resolutions, and share transfer mechanics.

Dispute Resolution. Civil procedure under the CPR: pre-action protocols, starting a claim, allocation to tracks, case management, disclosure, witness evidence, expert evidence, interim applications, trial, costs, and enforcement. Arbitration and ADR are examined too. Focus on the Civil Procedure Rules by number — examiners expect candidates to recall specific rule references (e.g., CPR 7, CPR 31).

Contract. Formation (offer, acceptance, consideration, intention), privity, terms, vitiating factors (misrepresentation, mistake, duress, undue influence, illegality), breach, discharge, and remedies. See our dedicated 50 must-know contract law cases guide for the cases most commonly examined.

Tort. Overwhelmingly negligence — duty of care, breach, causation (factual and legal), remoteness, defences (contributory negligence, volenti, illegality), and damages. Occupiers’ liability, nuisance, Rylands v Fletcher, defamation and vicarious liability appear but in smaller proportions. Our Caparo test guide covers the duty-of-care framework that underpins almost every tort question.

Legal System, Constitutional, Admin and EU Law. Sources of law, the court hierarchy, statutory interpretation, the rule of law, parliamentary sovereignty, the royal prerogative, devolution, judicial review, human rights under the HRA 1998, and post-Brexit EU law (retained EU law, the TCA, Northern Ireland Protocol). This area rewards candidates who can hold the constitutional big picture in mind while recalling the technical rules.

Legal Services and ethics.The SRA Principles, the Codes of Conduct for firms and individuals, conflicts of interest, confidentiality, client money handling, and anti-money-laundering. Ethics questions will appear inside other subjects’ fact patterns, not just as standalone items.

How to study. The SQE1 rewards breadth and speed over depth. Our revision-strategy guide sets out an eight-week plan that works well for SQE1 candidates: five weeks on flashcards and active recall, two on timed practice, and one on light review. For SQE1 specifically, skew the ratio further towards timed MCQ practice — pattern recognition under time pressure is the single greatest predictor of FLK1 scores.

Comparison with the LLB. SQE1 covers areas the LLB does not (Wills, Business Law and Practice, Dispute Resolution procedural detail) and treats other areas (EU law, jurisprudence) only as background. Holding a qualifying law degree does not exempt you from any part of SQE1. See our SQE1 vs LLB comparison for a full breakdown.

Practice materials. Our SQE1 past papers include model answers, marking criteria, and examiner tips for each question. Pair them with our SQE1 FLK1 flashcard decks to cover case names, statutory references and procedural rules with spaced repetition.