The Solicitors Regulation Authority will today launch the first review of solicitors’ continuing professional development obligations for more than 25 years, to create a new scheme designed to improve solicitors’ competence and ethical conduct.

The review will form part of important changes to education and training to ensure that standards within the profession are ‘robust’, the regulator said.

Legal education expert and Westminster University professor Andrew Boon has been appointed to carry out the work.

The SRA wants to create a new CPD scheme that: properly helps to maintain and improve solicitors’ competence, performance and ethical conduct; is properly monitored and enforced; is proportionate, targeted and based on the principles of outcomes-focused regulation; and actively helps solicitors to progress their careers and remain competent.

The SRA, Bar Standards Board and Institute of Legal Executives Professional Services launched a comprehensive review of legal services education and training earlier this year.

Boon’s research will feed into this wider review.

SRA head of training Di Lawson said: ‘Other than the mandatory management course that solicitors attend within the first three years following admission, and specific requirements for higher court advocates, we do not currently specify how solicitors should meet their annual 16-hour CPD requirement, how we assess the relevance of the CPD undertaken, or even ask solicitors to do so themselves.’

She added: ‘Our research into CPD [is] long overdue. The current compulsory scheme was introduced in 1985 and only minor amendments have been made since that time.

'The findings of the project will contribute to the overall education and training review and form the basis of important changes we need to make to ensure that the [standards] of the profession are robust, ensure competency and public confidence.’

Solicitors interested in taking part in the review and testing new CPD models can contact trainingconsultations@sra.org.uk.

Solicitors can earn up to 10 CPD hours through Gazette CPD by answering questions about Gazette articles. Visit the Law Society’s CPD Centre for more information.