Continuous Professional Development

 

 

Continuing competence and continuing professional development

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All solicitors and registered European lawyers (RELs) in legal practice or employment in England and Wales must comply with the Solicitors Regulation Authority's continuing professional development requirements or continuing competence requirements.

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The current CPD system is being replaced by the continuing competence requirements. Solicitors can choose to move to the new system as of 1 April 2015 or they may remain under the old system until 1 November 2016 when they must move to the new system.

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Continuing competence is the new system which is replacing the old CPD regime. It is a way of showing that you meet the requirement under principle 5 of the SRA Handbook to provide a proper standard of service to your client by meeting the competences set out in the Competence Statement adopted on 1 April 2015.

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In order to comply you will need to undertake regular learning and development so your skills and knowledge remain up to date. This should form part of a process of reflecting on your learning needs, planning your CPD activities, carrying them out and recording what you have done in order to make an annual declaration to the SRA.

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The new system does not require a set number of hours, or that you undertake accredited courses or training. It is for you to decide which activities to undertake to best address your learning needs.

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