Review asks whether ethics training should be compulsory for solicitors
updated on 10 February 2011
As reported on Legal Futures, a Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) review into the continuing professional development (CPD) of solicitors is considering whether ethics training should become compulsory. The purpose of the review - which has been described as "overdue" by the SRA - is to ensure that CPD "works in the new world of alternative business structures and outcome-focused regulation". It will examine, among other things, the most common issues that are brought to the SRA's ethics helpline, current ethics training offered by firms and CPD course providers (along with attendance levels on courses), and how best to deliver management and ethical training.
The review is working to a relatively tight timeframe as there are plans to pilot any new CPD requirements in October 2011. It is being overseen by the SRA's education and training committee, to which five new external members were recently added. They are: head of education and quality assurance at the General Pharmaceutical Council, Damian Day; director of performance and development at the Parole Board, Chitra Karvé; head of HR and training at Slaughter and May, Louise Meikle; head of Leicester De Montfort Law School, Sheree Peaple; and Cardiff Law School lecturer, Steven Vaughan.
The news comes after a Law Society plea last year to introduce ethics training for students, particularly focusing on law undergraduates (see "Ethics must be taught to law students, says Law Soc").
