Julie Brannan breaks down the SRA’s proposed new flexible approach to continuing professional development
The Legal Education and Training Review (LETR), published in July this year, confirmed that while the current system of education and training has served the profession and the public well, it now needs to move with the times. Today’s lawyers are delivering legal services in increasingly diverse ways and through a growing variety of business models. Consumer demand and digital delivery are fundamentally reshaping the legal services market. These changes demand a new approach to securing standards of competence, including the continuing competence of solicitors.
New CPD model
The LETR report recommended the adoption of “Models of [continuing professional development] CPD that require participants to plan, implement, evaluate and reflect annually on their training needs and their learning...This approach may, but need not, prescribe minimum hours. If a time requirement is not included, a robust approach to monitoring planning and performance must be developed to ensure appropriate activity is undertaken.”
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has now published its response to LETR in the policy statement
