Frequently Asked Questions

1 Who is required to undertake the New Practitioners’ Programme (NPP) and what are the requirements?

Practitioners in the first three years of practice are required to undertake the New Practitioners Programme. Within this three-year period, practitioners are required to undertake a minimum of 45 hours of continuing professional development, including at least 9 hours advocacy training, 3 hours of ethics training and 33 CPD hours. If the Accounting Course was not completed during pupillage, this will be added to the NPP requirement.

2 When does the New Practitioners Programme three-year period begin?

The three-year period begins at the start of either a 3rd six, squatting, tenancy or if in employed practice from the day that you start with a firm, as long as you have a practising certificate.

3 What courses qualify for the New Practitioners Programme?

Any event that you attend and wish to claim CPD hours for must be accredited by the Bar Standards Board in advance. It is up to the course provider to organise this. At the end of an event, to register attendance, all barristers must sign the registration form that is produced by the event provider. Accredited courses are offered by chambers, Inns, Circuits, specialist Bar Associations and by authorised external providers. Courses include lectures, seminars, workshops, residential courses, group discussions, conferences and online tutorials.

4 Who is required to undertake the Established Practitioners’ Programme (EPP) and what are the requirements?

All practising barristers who have completed the first three years of practice are required to undertake the Established Practitioners Programme.

5 What qualifies for the Established Practitioners' Programme?

All accredited activities as per the New Practitioners' Programme. The following activities can also be claimed for: · Attending or contributing to unaccredited courses directly relevant to practice as a barrister, including the BVC and any compulsory training courses · Teaching law on undergraduate law or CPE courses · Writing law books, articles or practice notes for publication (up to a maximum of 4 CPD hours per calendar year) and other activities approved in advance by the Education and Training Department. Please refer to the Fools Guide to CPD which is available from the downloads page of the CPD section of this website, for a more detailed explanation of what can and cannot count towards the Established Practitioners Programme

6 How do practitioners find out about accredited courses?

Please see our online course database under the CPD heading on this website.

7 How are records of course attendance kept?

Barristers are required to keep a record of their own attendance, which must also be detailed on the Record Card and sent back to the Bar Standards Board by the 31 January following each calendar year of CPD. It is also important that all barristers sign the registration document that should be provided by authorised course providers at the end of each course, lecture or event.

8 What courses are available for barristers who are on low incomes?

The Bar Standards Board is aware that practitioners may be on a restricted income in their first few years of practice and is making every effort to ensure that there are sufficient courses available at reasonable rates. Chambers have been encouraged to offer in-house provision for new practitioners and many of the specialist Bar Associations and Circuits will be offering courses, which are available at a reasonable rate. Some external providers are offering reduced rates for new practitioners and others may be able to give a discount on request.

9 What courses are available for barristers outside London?

All of the circuits are running advocacy training programmes for new practitioners, and a number of CPD courses. Many provincial universities have received accreditation and are running relevant courses. Some online courses have also been accredited, and the Bar Standards Board is seeking to develop additional course delivery via the Internet.

10 What happens if a barrister is out of practice for a time?

Barristers who are unable to complete their hours due to illness, bereavement etc may apply to the Bar Standards Board for an extension of time in which to complete the requirements. Barristers who take a break from practice of at least three months, whether this is for maternity leave or any other reason, are strongly advised to suspend their practising certificate for this period. This will automatically result in a pro rata reduction in the CPD hours.

If the practising certificate is retained, practitioners will be required to undertake the full CPD requirement. It is possible to apply to the Qualifications Committee of the Bar Standards Board for a waiver from CPD on the basis of a period of maternity leave. However, there is no guarantee that such an application will be approved where an applicant has chosen to maintain her practising certificate throughout her maternity leave. To obtain a form for an extension please contact Pauline Smith at the Bar Standards Board.

11 What should barristers do if they are having difficulty in complying with the requirements?

They should contact the Continuing Education Officer, Elizabeth Prats, immediately for advice and assistance. It may be appropriate to apply to the Qualifications Committee for an extension of time. To obtain an extension form, please contact: Pauline Smith, Training Regulations Officer.

12 What happens if a barrister fails to complete the CPD requirements?

Those barristers who fail to meet the requirements and have not been granted an extension will have their case referred Complaints Committee.