Review of CPD
A CPD Working Group, chaired by Derek Wood QC, has been setup to conduct a comprehensive review of the continuing education and professional development of practising barristers (in respect of both new practitioners and established practitioners). This follows reviews of the Vocational and Pupillage stages of barristers’ training, which were also chaired by Derek Wood QC.
The Group will consider and make recommendations in relation to: principles:
1. the need for a mandatory requirement of continuing education and professional development of practising barristers;
2. the nature, extent, content and structure of any such requirement ;
3. the means of satisfying any such requirement and any limitations thereon;
4. the need to be aware of the changing environment and changing needs following the Legal Services Act (or those in ABSs);
specific areas:
1. whether to introduce compulsory equality and diversity training as part of the new practitioners’ and/or established practitioners’ programme (in accordance with Recommendation 44 of the Neuberger Report) and, if so, the nature, extent and content of any such requirement;
2. whether to introduce compulsory advocacy and/or ethics training as part of the established practitioners’ programme and, if so, the nature, extent and content of any such requirement(s);
3. Whether there are any other topics which should be introduced as a compulsory part of the training quality assurance of CPD:
1. the regulations and procedures for the accreditation of course providers and courses including criteria for the removal or refusal of accreditation of providers;
2. the funding arrangements applying to the accreditation process;
3. the monitoring of course providers and courses by means of a robust, risk based approach including developing a sustainable, flexible monitoring system;
4. the appropriateness of CPD delivery online (including consideration of online methods) and how it should be quality assured;
and
5. the guidance for practitioners on the CPD requirements and their satisfaction.
The Working Group will carry out extensive consultation with the Inns (COIC and Education Committees), Circuits, practising barristers and other bodies that it may consider relevant. It is also anticipated that, when conducting its review, consideration will be given by the Working Group to the nature, extent, content and structure of other professions’ continuing education and professional development obligations. The major review of CPD is scheduled to commence in January 2010 and the CPD Working Group expects to report to the BSB by December 2010.
