First Class LLB Grad and 1st Quintile SQE Scorer, Chartered Accountant, Magic Circle Trainee!

Find out more about Kay

• 1) When did you develop an interest in your chosen field and in private tutoring?

  I developed an interest in private tutoring after passing the SQE and having some time before starting my Training Contract. Preparing for the SQE was one of the most challenging academic experiences I have faced, largely because there was so little practical guidance available on how to study effectively for such a unique exam. While there are plenty of textbooks and revision materials, learning to apply the law in the SQE's specific format is a skill in itself.
  
  Through a great deal of trial and error, I developed strategies that worked and ultimately passed in the top quintile of candidates. Having experienced the process first-hand, I wanted to help other aspiring solicitors avoid the uncertainty and stress that I encountered and approach the exam with confidence.
  
  What began as a way of sharing my experience quickly became a genuine passion for teaching. I found that I really enjoyed helping students build their understanding, improve their exam technique, and achieve their goals, and I have continued tutoring ever since.

• 2) Tell us more about the subject you teach, the topics you like to discuss with students (and possibly those you like a little less).

  Although I also coach students and graduates through the recruitment processes for law and accounting firms, having successfully navigated both myself, my main specialism is preparing candidates for the SQE1 and SQE2.
  
  I particularly enjoy teaching the SQE1 because it covers such a broad range of legal topics and often contains concepts that students find surprisingly challenging. Some of my favourite areas to teach are subjects like tax and business finance, as well as those deceptively tricky corners of Tort and Contract law that many people think they understand until we spend half an hour unpicking them. Pure economic loss, anyone?

• 3) Did you have any role models; a teacher that inspired you?

  My dissertation supervisor during my undergraduate degree was definitely an inspiration to me. She had a remarkable ability to make a seemingly dry area of law (antitust) genuinely engaging and thought-provoking. More importantly, she struck the perfect balance between being supportive and challenging, encouraging me to think critically while always having confidence in my abilities. That is a quality I have tried to emulate in my own tutoring ever since.

• 4) What do you think are the qualities required to be a good tutor?

  1) Patience: Law is an incredibly challenging subject, and a good tutor should be prepared to explain every concept front to back and back to front, as many times as necessary, until that final speck of confusion has vanished from a student's eyes!
  
  2) Adaptability: Everyone learns differently, and an excellent tutor should be able to tailor their teaching to the individual student. Whether that's through visual diagrams, memorable stories, practical examples, or simply talking through a concept until it clicks, the key is understanding not only what a student finds difficult, but why they find it difficult. That makes all the difference when it comes to making knowledge stick.
  
  3) Empathy: The SQE exams are incredibly demanding, and while there are plenty of highs (finally understanding that topic you've been wrestling with for weeks!), there are also moments of frustration and self-doubt. Many of my students are re-sitters or people who have lost confidence after disappointing mock results, and I think a great tutor supports the person as much as the student. That means encouraging good study habits, challenging negative self-talk, and creating an environment where making mistakes is not something to fear, but an essential part of learning.

• 5) Provide a valuable anecdote related to your subject or your days at school.

  One of my favourite tutoring experiences was working with a student who was preparing for the SQE without an undergraduate law degree, having instead studied law in a civil law jurisdiction. To make matters even more challenging, they had just eight weeks until the exam.
  
  During our initial consultation, I was completely honest about the scale of the challenge and the amount of work it would require. We put together an intensive study plan, scheduled regular tutoring sessions, and the student committed themselves wholeheartedly to the process, effectively covering the equivalent of three years of legal study in just two months.
  
  Seeing them pass the SQE at the first attempt was an incredible moment. I was immensely proud of the hard work they had put in, and it reinforced one of the things I love most about tutoring: helping students achieve goals that initially seem out of reach.

• 6) What were the difficulties or challenges you faced or still facing in your subject?

  One of the biggest challenges I have faced as a tutor has been adapting to online teaching. Building the same level of engagement and interaction that you get from sitting across the table from a student can take some thought and creativity.
  
  Fortunately, modern technology offers some fantastic tools, and I have learned to make full use of them. Whether it's using an on-screen whiteboard for visual learners, sharing diagrams and resources in real time, or simply paying close attention to a student's reactions and questions, I aim to make online lessons every bit as interactive and effective as face-to-face sessions. In many cases, students are surprised by just how much they can achieve in a virtual setting.

• 7) Do you have a particular passion? Is it teaching in general or an element of the subject or something completely different?

  I have a real passion for coaching and mentoring more generally. For many years, I have volunteered with charities that help students and graduates navigate the path into competitive professions such as law and accounting, which have historically been less accessible to people from working-class backgrounds like my own.
  
  I see tutoring as a natural extension of that passion. Whether I'm helping someone secure a training contract or finally master a difficult area of law, I love seeing people grow in confidence and realise they are capable of achieving goals they might once have thought were out of reach. Nothing is more rewarding than watching a student have that moment when a complex topic suddenly clicks.
  
  8) What makes you a Superprof (besides answering these interview questions :-P) ?
  
  I take a highly personal approach to tutoring because I don't believe that any two students learn in quite the same way. During our initial consultation, I try to understand not only which topics you find challenging, but also how you learn best and what is stopping those difficult concepts from really clicking.
  As we work through the syllabus, I keep track of your strengths and the areas where you need a little more support. That might mean revisiting a topic from the previous week with a quick quiz, sending an interesting problem question between sessions, or simply providing encouragement and accountability when motivation starts to dip. My goal is not just to help you pass an exam, but to help you build confidence and become a stronger legal thinker.
  
  I think what makes me a Superprof is that I genuinely care about my students' progress. Their successes feel like my successes, and there is nothing more rewarding than seeing someone achieve a goal they once thought was beyond their reach. The wonderful feedback I have received from my students, particularly those who have retaken the SQE after a setback, has only reinforced that for me.