The Solicitors Regulation Authority is responsible for making sure that solicitors ensure that they keep up to date with changes in law and procedure. This is done by requiring that solicitors obtain 16 Continuing Professional Development (otherwise known as CPD) credits each year. Generally speaking 1 hour of study or attendance is equal to 1 CPD credit.
Solicitors have to obtain at least four CPD credits a year from having attended at external courses, the other 12 CPD credits can be obtained by a variety of other means. Courses offered to train solicitors in order to provide CPD credits are usually quite expensive. Some of the courses are very good because the speaker is knowledgeable and actually provides a genuinely interesting format of information.
It is possible to obtain CPD credits at no cost. Solicitors can record the fact that they have read or studied a subject for a period of time and self certify that they have qualified for a CPD credit. In house training is another source of free CPD credits.
I have recently set up a free CPD scheme on the Criminal Solicitor Dot Net web site. This project was funded by donations from members of the Criminal Solicitor Dot Net web site and does offer genuinely free CPD credits. If you are a solicitor working within the criminal justice system you might want to have a look at the free CPD scheme as it can provide up to 12 CPD credits per year at no charge.
2 comments:
Hi Gavin,
I have found your blog refreshing to read. Thanks.
I'm about to embark on the Legal Practice Course and have taken a year out after graduating with a law degree. I'm being lazy and not making much effort into gaining legal work experience. I am told I need to be pro-active. At the moment, I cannot be bothered as I feel very homesick. Left my native island for I fell in love with a wonderful person who is now my husband.
I have no idea what lies in store for me. I am frustrated at the moment but I'm glad I've got nice things to read.
Thanks for a bit of light and good luck with what you do.
The Criminal Solicitor Dot Net web site is registering with the Law Society to provide CPD credits. To take part in the Criminal Solicitor Dot Net CPD distance learning scheme you must register as a member on the Criminal Solicitor Dot Net web site. Registered members are able to access the CPD area.
The Criminal Solicitor Dot Net web site operates a simple system to obtain CPD credits. A newsletter is sent to newsletter subscribers on a (usually) weekly basis. The content of the Criminal Solicitor Dot Net newsletter draws together the most important news and developments in criminal law and criminal contracting. Registered members will find within the CPD area a series of tests. Each test contains multiple choice questions based on the content of Criminal Solicitor Dot Net newsletters from a particular month.
Registered members can take the test and answer the multiple choice questions. Upon completion of the test the registered member will be shown their score, and an e-mail will be sent to the registered e-mail address of the member. If the pass mark for the test has been attained or exceeded that registered member will qualifiy for 1 CPD credit. The member wil be able to print out a CPD certificate to retain for their CPD records confirmation of the successful compleion of the test. Registered members can access their previous scores within the CPD area.
No charges are made for registration or completion of the CPD distance learning scheme. At present the Criminal Solicitor Dot Net CPD scheme is free. There are costs involved in operating a CPD scheme as registration fees have to be paid to the Solicitors Regulation Authority. There have been a number of very generous donations made by members of the Criminal Solicitor Dot Net web site to fund this project.
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