Plans for radical reform of the training regime, which could allow solicitors to qualify without taking the legal practice course (LPC), have met a barrage of protest from LPC providers, with 20 law schools signing a petition last week to complain about not being consulted on the proposals.

The plans, which were put to the Law Society's standards board this week by the training framework review group (TFRG), have also split the TFRG itself, with two members filing a 'minority report' to the board expressing their concerns.


The LPC providers said there should be a full consultation with relevant stakeholders before the board makes any decision.


TRFG chairwoman Sue Nelson said: 'We have been quite open about the proposals but we will not be able to consult until they have been approved by the Law Society Council.'


Under the proposals, the Law Society would focus on assessing potential solicitors' knowledge and skills at the point of qualification, but would not proscribe a set route to qualification, though a period of work-based training would be necessary to achieve the required skills.


TFRG member Melissa Hardy, LPC director at the Inns of Court School of Law, who filed the minority report along with Professor Phil Knott of Nottingham Law School, said: 'Focusing on assessment and not process creates risk, because it will be impossible to assess every outcome.


'If there are a plethora of routes to qualification, firms will only consider a few that they think are best, but how will those from non-traditional backgrounds choose the right one? This is not about self-interest by course providers, but loss of opportunity [for students].'


Byron Jones, LPC course leader at Cardiff Law School and one of the 20 course directors who signed the petition, said there could be a drop in standards as market forces lead to crammed courses. He added: 'We are not opposed to change but we are concerned that this has not been thought out carefully. Too much flexibility could lead to chaos.'


College of Law chief executive Nigel Savage said: 'There will be more complaints about solicitors, because this will create a new generation of incompetent lawyers.'


Ms Nelson said: 'The current system is not sufficiently flexible and creates barriers to entry. Some City firms have described the LPC as coasting - very able students may not need to pay £5-9,000 for the full course, while others may need to break it up into modules to be combined with work experience.'


Law Society chief executive Janet Paraskeva said there would be full consultation, adding: 'The proposals are designed to provide greater flexibility in the way in which aspiring solicitors can qualify, together with greater rigour in ensuring all those admitted reach the necessary standard. This does not mean the end of the LPC.'


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