Scotland has launched CPD Online, which provides e-training services for members of the bar. The program aims to further the professional development of lawyers in the country by providing them with a combination of legal updates and training in management and soft skills.

The Law Society of Scotland has used the new rules relating to the continuous professional development (CPD) training for members of the legal profession to offer them five hours of CPD through distance learning modules.

A pilot program launched to test the waters generated a more than average response with over 200 lawyers expressing their interest in participating. Out of these, 30 were selected across the breadth and depth of the legal profession.

A few statistics from the pilot:

• Over 90 percent of those who took the test said the website was easy to access and navigate.
• Around 63 percent said the course content was easy to follow.
• The level of the content got a thumbs-up from 68 percent who termed it useful and beneficial.
• A whopping 95 percent said they would like more modules to be introduced.

The delivery method works well for the largely mountainous country as most solicitors cannot afford to spend time traveling across the country to attend classes and seminars. But keeping up to date with developments in the industry is as must, as is the need for good management skills.

CPD Online is sponsored by The Ridley Partnership, a training group based in Yorkshire. The company has started out with modules on training in client care, accounts rules, conflicts of interest and confidentiality, stress management, financial management, anti-money laundering and diffusing conflict through communication, before moving on to more specialized offerings in the near future.