Developing the profession

In the past year:

  • We held 360 events, from webinars to a reception at the Tate Modern
  • We held 200 CPD events to promote solicitor professional development
  • Our events were attended by more than 13000 members

Our members and the CPD Centre

Over 3,200 members have now registered with the CPD Centre. Here's what some of them had to say:

'Overall, the Law Society CPD online is excellent.'
Craig Rappel, Rappel Health Law Group

The functionality of the Lexcel Risk Management online CPD course was excellent - very user friendly and simple, plus it was attractively presented.'
Kathy Staward, assistant risk and compliance manager, Dickinson Dees LLP

The ongoing development of the legal profession is a major priority for the Law Society.

We supported solicitor development this year through a vast array of education and networking events and publications, to ensure our members have access to the very latest training, news and legal information. The past year also saw the launch of our online CPD Centre, an easy-to-use, accessible way for our members across the UK to stay on top of their CPD requirements.


Events and training

The Law Society has continued to provide a huge variety of events for our members, from training conferences through to networking receptions. Some of the exciting events in 2010/11 included a reception at the Tate Modern, celebrations for the opening of the legal year and the Excellence Awards. These events recognised, rewarded and celebrated the outstanding contributions made by solicitors during the year.

We utilised online learning programs and different types of events to enable participation by members across the country.

Some of our events in the past year included:

  • annual conferences on subjects such as property, anti-money laundering and regulation
  • conferences for different Law Society membership groups, such as the Junior Lawyers Division and minority lawyers
  • short seminars on topics relevant to today's legal environment, such as alternative business structures, outcomes-focused regulation and professional indemnity insurance.

Find out about the Law Society's upcoming events

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Increasing the scope of the CPD Centre

The CPD Centre was launched in 2010, to provide a one-stop shop for the CPD needs of our members. Through the year we increased the range of training on offer through this portal, which now enables members to book onto a portfolio of almost 40 online CPD opportunities, including:

  • courses on compliance with anti-money laundering legislation, the Code of Conduct and Accounts Rules
  • equality and diversity training
  • training linked to the Conveyancing Quality Scheme and immigration accreditation scheme
  • CPD-accredited assessments linked to the Gazette, Legal Compliance Bulletin and the sections magazines.
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Publications for practitioners

We have added 27 new titles and editions to our range of publications which provide timely and accurate information to develop expertise and support professional practice, including:

Conveyancing Handbook 18th Edition

'Every conveyancer should have access to the latest copy of the Conveyancing Handbook without it you are more likely to miss something or misunderstand the nuances of the activities that you conduct on behalf of your client. It's that simple.'
Today's Conveyancer

Privacy Law Handbook

'This is an extremely interesting and well-written book... It is strongly recommended not only for practitioners who deal regularly with privacy issues, but also for those who deal with Data Protection and freedom of information issues.'
Mike Dodd, Media Lawyer

Good Practice in Child Care Cases, 2nd Edition

'This is not just a text book; it is also a readable guide, particularly for those new to the subject. Even for the more seasoned practitioner, it fulfils the stated role as a (very) useful aide memoire.'
Family Lore

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Students

Helping students and young lawyers develop their careers

Students and young lawyers are the future of the profession, and it's important that they get the best possible start to their careers. In the hugely competitive legal marketplace, many graduates and young lawyers struggle to find their footing. Throughout the year we held a number of events and workshops for students and young lawyers, to help equip them with the skills and knowledge they need to develop their careers in the law. Some of our career development events this year included:

Preparing students for a career in the solicitors' profession

Over 240 students attended career events in London and Bristol aimed at undergraduates, and covering all aspects of preparation for a career in the solicitors' profession, including the realities of legal work, tips on increasing chances of success, completing applications and interview techniques.

Well done to the Law Society, this is by far the best careers event that I have been to. I learnt so much about what it is really like embarking on a career as a solicitor.
- Law student

Careers in Law events

We held three careers events in London and Sheffield for 16-18 year old inner city students, aiming to promote wider access to the legal profession. The event was held in partnership with Inspiring Futures, an organisation that works with young people providing careers and educational guidance and skills development training.

The Careers in Law events were held in collaboration with the Law Society, Bar Council, ILEX, CPS and the Institute of Paralegals.

Find out more about how we support students and graduates to enter the legal profession

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