How extraordinary that the chief executive of the Solicitors Regulation Authority should state, in relation to non-lawyer managers, ‘there is little regulatory sense in requiring, for example, those who have worked within firms and already have a detailed understanding of the accounts rules to go on a prescriptive course'. (see [2008] Gazette, 24 July, 7)

The accounts rules evolve equally as fast as almost any specialist branch of the law. Since 99% of solicitors specialise, the same must apply to them also. So why do we retain the compulsory professional development?