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It’s that time of the year when personal goals and career advancement are high on our wish lists. Given the explosion of interest in governance and the growing need to be multi-skilled to keep career options open, now is the perfect opportunity to add this extra string to your bow.
The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland recognises that professionals with a legal background already have much of the knowledge and skills needed for its Qualifying Programme to reach Chartered status in governance. For this reason, it offers a fast-track route for those with a law degree who also meet specific requirements regarding work experience. This means that Chartered status could be gained within a year by completing two modules rather than the full seven modules required of others studying for the qualification. If your role or career aspiration involves governance, it is a route worth exploring. By fast-tracking into a career in governance, your Chartered status – a benchmark governance qualification – will be recognised and valued by employers worldwide.
Today, there is much greater attention on organisations working legally, ethically and sustainably to find ethical solutions to global issues such as COVID-19, climate change and social inequality, and few roles offer as much opportunity to be directly involved in decision-making as that of the governance professional.
1. Influence: Governance offers a direct route into the boardroom. As the board’s most valued strategic adviser, you will use your legal knowledge in a job that sits at the heart of public, private and not-for-profit organisations.
2. Value-add: The role directly influences strategy and decision-making, how an organisation achieves its aims and ensures that all activities comply with legal, ethical, and regulatory requirements.
3. Breadth: You will be rewarded not just financially, but professionally too as no two days are the same – you will have a role jam-packed with variety. All-seeing, all-knowing, and highly valued governance professionals are the eyes and ears of an organisation. There is much more to the role than simply ensuring statutory and regulatory compliance.
If you are a qualified barrister, solicitor, chartered legal executive, or compliant with the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Regulations, with at least five years of relevant post-qualified experience, you should be eligible to apply for the Institute’s Chartered Governance Qualifying Programme via the Fast Track Professional route.
The qualification can take as little as 9 to 12 months to complete, with just two modules to sit – Level 6 Corporate Governance and Level 7 Risk Management. By fast-tracking, you could quickly become a Chartered Secretary or Chartered Governance Professional giving you the core professional qualifications required to tackle challenges and make a positive impact in 2023.
To find out more, see cgi.org.uk and search ‘fast track’ or contact us at fast-track@cgi.org.uk

It’s that time of the year when personal goals and career advancement are high on our wish lists. Given the explosion of interest in governance and the growing need to be multi-skilled to keep career options open, now is the perfect opportunity to add this extra string to your bow.
The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland recognises that professionals with a legal background already have much of the knowledge and skills needed for its Qualifying Programme to reach Chartered status in governance. For this reason, it offers a fast-track route for those with a law degree who also meet specific requirements regarding work experience. This means that Chartered status could be gained within a year by completing two modules rather than the full seven modules required of others studying for the qualification. If your role or career aspiration involves governance, it is a route worth exploring. By fast-tracking into a career in governance, your Chartered status – a benchmark governance qualification – will be recognised and valued by employers worldwide.
Today, there is much greater attention on organisations working legally, ethically and sustainably to find ethical solutions to global issues such as COVID-19, climate change and social inequality, and few roles offer as much opportunity to be directly involved in decision-making as that of the governance professional.
1. Influence: Governance offers a direct route into the boardroom. As the board’s most valued strategic adviser, you will use your legal knowledge in a job that sits at the heart of public, private and not-for-profit organisations.
2. Value-add: The role directly influences strategy and decision-making, how an organisation achieves its aims and ensures that all activities comply with legal, ethical, and regulatory requirements.
3. Breadth: You will be rewarded not just financially, but professionally too as no two days are the same – you will have a role jam-packed with variety. All-seeing, all-knowing, and highly valued governance professionals are the eyes and ears of an organisation. There is much more to the role than simply ensuring statutory and regulatory compliance.
If you are a qualified barrister, solicitor, chartered legal executive, or compliant with the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Regulations, with at least five years of relevant post-qualified experience, you should be eligible to apply for the Institute’s Chartered Governance Qualifying Programme via the Fast Track Professional route.
The qualification can take as little as 9 to 12 months to complete, with just two modules to sit – Level 6 Corporate Governance and Level 7 Risk Management. By fast-tracking, you could quickly become a Chartered Secretary or Chartered Governance Professional giving you the core professional qualifications required to tackle challenges and make a positive impact in 2023.
To find out more, see cgi.org.uk and search ‘fast track’ or contact us at fast-track@cgi.org.uk

Far-ranging month for the Chair of the Bar
Endometriosis Awareness North, a charity raising awareness of endometriosis and supporting those affected across the North of England, has received a £500 boost from AlphaBiolabs via the company’s Giving Back initiative
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, examines the most recent data on alcohol misuse in the UK, and the implications for alcohol testing in family proceedings
Clement Cowley, Partner at The Penny Group, explains how tailored financial planning can help barristers take control of their finances and plan with confidence
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs
A £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs has been made to the leading UK charity tackling international parental child abduction and the movement of children across international borders
Seeing the full picture – Baljit Ubhey OBE outlines the CPS action plan to tackle violence against women and girls, offering insights directly relevant to courtroom practice
Heritage as an anchor and a compass, finding our common humanity and embracing the power of the outsider – Melina Antoniadis’s lessons learnt
Is the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office process fit for purpose? Women barristers’ experiences of bullying are not being reported or, if they are, they are not making it through the system, says Tana Adkin KC
Review by Daniel Barnett
Chair of the Bar reports back