SRA Professional Skills

Course Information

The Solicitors Regulation Authority now stipulates that the Client Care & Professional Standards module must not be completed until a trainee has served at least 6 months full-time or full-time equivalent in a training contract. This means, for example, that a trainee might choose to attend day 1 of the module early in their training contract and then attend day 2 later. We are happy to advise trainees on this and other requirements.

Kaplan Altior also offer a Trainee Litigation Programme based in London. The programme involves one week of classroom based tuition, and one week of supervised work at the Kaplan Legal Advice centre.

Course Content

Core Modules

• Client Care & Professional Standards 2 days of face to face tuition
• Financial & Business Skills 3 days of face to face tuition including a 1.5 hour exam
• Advocacy & Communication Skills 3 days of face to face tuition

Why choose our Professional Skills Course?

• Law Society/SRA approved provider since inception of course
• Specialist team of highly qualified tutors with considerable experience as practitioners and trainers
• 100% examination success rate on many of our courses
• Thoroughly practical tuition based on easy-to-use notes, course materials and case studies
• Quality venues and facilities
• Our course is planned to offer complete flexibility to trainees
• The course is designed to be user-friendly:

- Each core module is available several times in a two year period
- Electives may be completed at a convenient time during the training contract
- Tuition times planned to assist travel to the venue

Electives
In addition to the Core Modules, trainees (unless exempt) are required to complete 24 hours of Electives of which at least 12 hours must be face to face tuition.

Assessment
Financial and Business Skills - 11/2hr written examination
Advocacy & Communication Skills - assessment throughout the module
Client Care & Professional Standards - satisfactory attendance
Electives - satisfactory attendance and distance learning

Higher Rights of Audience
Trainees who complete Stage 1 of the Development Route (Evidence, Procedure & Ethics) will satisfy the PSC Electives requirement.
This is a great opportunity for trainees to learn how to handle a Civil or Criminal case-load, develop their career and enhance their value to
their firm.

Course Details

We offer two types of course; Normal and Fast Track.

Normal course

• This is designed so that the Core Modules may be completed early or at any convenient time during the training contract. The Electives may also be completed at any stage
• Trainee solicitors attend face to face tuition interspersed with periods of normal work within the office
• To give firms complete flexibility, we run a series of courses at a number of venues throughout the country
• Trainee solicitors who miss the start of the course may still be accommodated

Fast track course
This covers the Core Modules in 8 days. Fast Track courses are ideal for students who do not have to enter a training contract prior to admission and are exempt from Electives eg Fellows of the Institute
of Legal Executives (FILEX) and some Magistrates’ Court Clerks. However, all trainees may attend a Fast Track course if their firms prefer this option.

Electives

In addition to completing the Core Modules, all trainee solicitors must complete Electives, unless exempt.

Who is exempt from attending Electives?

• Students who, after completing the Legal Practice Course (LPC) do not have to enter a training contract prior to admission - these include Fellows of the Institute of Legal Executives (FILEX) and some Magistrates’ Court Clerks
• Trainee solicitors who completed a LPC that began before Autumn 1997 and who therefore have not completed Accounts on the LPC (please contact us for more information about the requirements affecting you)

How many Electives do I need to complete?
Trainee solicitors must attend 24 hours of Electives, 12 hours of which may be distance learning. Each of our Electives carries distance
learning.

When must I attend?
Electives may be completed at any time during the training contract.