Risk management

Hours not to reason why?The Continuing Professional Development year ends on 31 October.

Have you met the Law Society's requirement of 48 hours over the past three years?If you are in a last-minute rush to comply, next year could be worse.

From 1 November all solicitors will have to obtain 16 hours of CPD every year.If the impending deadline has been an unwelcome surprise, you've probably been searching for a suitable course to attend.

Alternatively, if you're the partner responsible for training, you may have been sighing and scratching your head as you look at the budget - these courses can involve considerable expense, and you'll want to get your money's worth.Do you look at the courses your staff are choosing to make sure they are appropriate? It's not unknown for a solicitor specialising in residential conveyancing, for example, to turn up on a course about intellectual property.

Of course they might be trying to expand their field of work - but the chances are, it was the only course within easy reach of the office on a day when they had no appointments.

They may well learn something, but whether or not it will be relevant to their everyday work is a moot point.Even if staff are going on courses that relate to the work that they do, how do you know whether they are worthwhile? A good way to find out - and to double the value you get from the course - is to ask the delegate to give a brief summary of the course to colleagues in the same department.

All too often, the notes are just put in the library where they sit on a shelf.

No one reads them, but they have probably cost your firm a lot more than a standard textbook.

The summary could be by e-mail, although a brief presentation will probably be more useful.

The fee-earner concerned will refresh their memory and get a lot more out of the course, and their colleagues will have more chance of understanding the notes if they look at them.If your firm is large enough, then what about in-house training? There may be someone in the firm with a special interest in a subject, or you could ask local counsel to give a talk.

You don't think this would work because your firm is too small? Consider teaming up with another practice or organise training through your local law society if they don't already provide it.

Remember that training on time management, IT and other non-legal subjects is just as valuable to your staff and may qualify for CPD hours as well.Finally, don't just focus on the need to get hours - look at the wider picture.

Unqualified or support staff could also benefit from training even though they don't need to accumulate points.

Of course it costs money and time away from the office, but in return you'll have a more productive and motivated workforce.l This column was prepared by the St.

Paul risk management team.