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In an ideal world, training qualified lawyers in business practices shouldn't be necessary. However, I think it may be necessary because certainly in my experience, little attention is given to encouraging solicitors to approach their work as a business rather than a paid vocation. When I left my LPC a number of years ago, I had received little guidance or training about the business side of being a solicitor and how to be a partner in/own a firm. I don't know whether the LPC training in this respect has improved since then or not but I was certainly left in the dark. The only business-orientated content of the course was the coverage of solicitors' accounts and the relevant portions of the Professional Conduct Rules. Presumably hundreds of potential solicitors were being sent out into the legal world unprepared for tackling law as a business. The first down-to-earth advice I received about law as a business was during the compulsory Management Course 1 following qualification - the tutor gave invaluable guidance about issues such as what to do when offered partnership, efficient business practices, the factors to take into account when considering setting up a firm etc. This is essential information and if it's not getting put out there, then something needs to be done before solicitors end up getting themselves into sticky situations and financial jeopardy. Business does not come naturally to all of us and the resources should be there to obtain the training required. I've seen partners in the firms I have worked for make numerous ludicrous and irrational decisions which are counter-active to their businesses.

As for the human rights side, surely solicitors are already aware of the law and regulation relating to diversity, equality, fairness in employment etc and know the consequences of failing to apply these principles within their firms? It should go with the territory of having a legal education and the ability to keep up-to-date on the relevant legislation. However, having said that, my experience of firms which deal with HR issues in an inept and unfair manner and reinforce gender inequality leads me to think that greater intervention is unfortunately needed.