Technical Legal Skills Test (TLST)

Please note that sample on-line legal research, legal writing and legal drafting assessed exercises are provided at the end of this information. These sample assessed exercises do not represent all the material that will be covered by the TLST.

Description of the test

The TLST will examine Parts C, D and F of the SRA's Day One Outcomes.

The TLST will cover the 3 practice areas of Business, Civil & Criminal Litigation and Property & Probate. In each of these 3 areas candidates will be required to undertake 3 assessed exercises one in on-line legal research, one in legal writing and one in legal drafting.

Timing of the test

Candidates will be allowed 60 minutes for the on-line legal research assessment, 30 minutes for the legal writing assessment and 45 minutes for the legal drafting assessment.

The following table illustrates the assessed exercises candidates will be required to undertake for the TLST together with the timings.

Skill	Business	Civil & Criminal Litigation	Property and probate
On-line legal research	1 x assessment (60 minutes)	1 x assessment (60 minutes)	1 x assessment (60 minutes)
Legal Writing	1 x assessment (30 minutes)	1 x assessment (30 minutes)	1 x assessment (30 minutes)
Legal Drafting	1 x assessment (45 minutes)	1 x assessment (45 minutes)	1 x assessment (45 minutes)

It is anticipated that you will undertake TLSTs in the 3 practice areas on 3 separate but consecutive days. The assessed exercises in each of the practice areas will take place over half a day. Further details will be given for each sitting. Please note that this is a computer based assessment and if there are technical difficulties you may be recalled on the day following the end of the TLST.

Components of the test

On-line Legal Research

The on-line legal research will take the form of an email from a partner asking you to research an issue or issues so that the partner can report back to the client. You will be given 60 minutes to complete the on-line legal research.

You will be provided with an electronic template on which to write your answer. The template will be divided into two sections, namely advice to give to the client, and legal reasoning mentioning any key sources or authorities.

You will be provided with a computer with the databases lexis library and westlaw on which to conduct your research. You will not be able to access other sites. All legal research questions can be answered using either lexis library or westlaw but in any particular case it may be easier to use one of these databases rather than the other. PLEASE NOTE however that in the event of technical difficulties with one of the databases during the exam period you will expected to do the legal research on the other database.

Your answer should be written in Microsoft word using MS Office Professional 2010.

Legal Writing

In the legal writing assessed exercise you will be given 30 minutes to write a letter as the solicitor acting in a matter.

You may be provided with relevant cases and authorities but only where it is considered that a solicitor in practice would need to look up these cases and authorities. You will have access to lexis library and westlaw while doing your legal writing but there will not be time to do any significant research.

Your answer should be written in microsoft word using MS Office Professional 2010. You will be provided with your firm's headed notepaper on which to do this.

Legal Drafting

In the legal drafting assessed exercise you will be given 45 minutes to draft a legal document or parts of a legal document. This may take the form of drafting from a precedent or amending a document already drafted but it may also involve drafting without either of these.

You may be provided with relevant cases and authorities but only where it is considered that a solicitor in practice would need to look up these cases and authorities. You will have access to lexis library and westlaw while doing your legal drafting but there will not be time to do any significant research.

You may be asked to write your answer in Microsoft word using MS Office Professional 2010 or on an electronic form or by hand depending on the task.

Please note that at the end of the TLST all question papers will be collected in as will all rough work. You will not be allowed to remove the question paper or anything else including rough working.

Marking of the test

The TLST will be marked by solicitors using the assessment criteria outlined in the Marking and Moderation Policy.

Passing the test

In order to pass the TLST candidates must obtain the overall pass mark for the TLST. Law and skills will be weighted equally. The overall pass mark will be set using the borderline group method.

For further details see the Marking and Moderation policy

Permitted Materials

There will be no permitted materials for the TLST.

Fit to sit

You should be aware that a "Fit to Sit" Policy will be in operation for all assessments. Essentially by attending an assessment you are certifying yourself as being fit to sit it and you will be required to sign a form to this effect at the beginning of each assessment. Full details of the Fit to Sit Policy are in the Assessment Regulations.