CPD Good Practice Case Studies

A proactive approach to professional development, including a series of in-house masterclasses.

Background

Deans Court Chambers is a modern, innovative, and forward-looking set comprising around 100 barristers, 12 of whom are King’s Counsel. We aim to provide the highest service standards and anticipate and respond to our clients’ needs. Originally founded over 125 years ago on Moseley Street Manchester (Circa 1897), Deans Court Chambers is recognised as one of the country's leading sets of independent barristers, with a strong presence nationally and locally.

Chambers believes that continuing professional development (CPD) is extremely important in ensuring we deliver the best possible service to our clients. Professional development allows barristers to develop their understanding of a particular area of law, ensure they are up to date with relevant changes, and uphold our reputation for superb client care.

What Deans Court Chambers does

• We have always promoted a proactive approach to CPD, including completing CPD forms throughout the year. Regular reminders are sent regarding due dates.
• Barristers are expected to complete their CPD requirements to the best of their ability. They are reminded that this process is for their benefit and to further their practice.
• Members are set specific deadlines when chambers expects CPD to be completed. If members fail to meet these deadlines, this is reported to the Head of Chambers for further investigation and explanation.
• We regularly offer ‘Masterclass’ sessions where senior members of chambers present 30-40 minute sessions on topics such as ‘Building a clinical negligence practice and keeping it’, ‘How to cross-examine an expert’ and even ‘Using social media to promote your practice’.
• These sessions encourage younger practitioners to reflect on their practice and learn from the experiences of more senior members' triumphs and mistakes during their time at the Bar.
• Feedback on these sessions has been excellent, and we have seen an increase in CPD engagement, especially from our junior members, as they look to enhance their practice. Senior members have also found that discussions with junior members at these sessions have helped them reflect on their practices and processes.
• Barristers are expected to focus on a particular area of their practice that they would like to evolve or ensure they are up to date with, for example, due to regular changes through case law and statutory updates.
• Improving barristers’ practice through CPD has allowed us to offer a better service to our clients, adding value to chambers and the industry we serve.
• Chambers’ approach to CPD has greatly improved its effectiveness in assisting practitioners in building and maintaining their practice. The use of training sessions, along with high expectations of completing CPD, means barristers understand how to keep themselves up to date and who to speak to to ensure they are doing their best in every aspect of their work.

Next steps

We plan to continue with our internal masterclasses and hope to expand them further, covering a wider range of topics and areas so that they benefit Deans Court members the most.

We also plan to continue to promote the importance of CPD and ensure that all members meet the BSB’s requirements and expectations. CPD is an important aspect of any practising barrister’s career, and chambers will continue to support it as much as possible.

We are willing to contribute to the BSB’s strategic plans for promoting CPD and its benefits on a continuing basis, which highlight the strength of what the Bar offers the legal market.

A strong culture of supporting and learning from each other, including a mentoring programme in the works.

Background

The ethos of 18 St John Street Chambers is to combine the delivery of the very highest standards of professional service to our clients with a friendly and supportive environment for our members. Continuing Professional Development (“CPD”) plays an important role in maintaining and enhancing both strands of this ethos yet further.

What 18 St John Street Chambers Does

Chambers makes it clear that it is the individual obligation of each member to comply with all Bar Standards Board CPD requirements, and we email reminders of the deadlines for doing so. We invite our members to provide their completed records to Chambers so that these can be held centrally and monitored. This is overseen by the Chambers Manager and, in the event of any concerns, raised with the Chambers Management Committee and ultimately the Head of Chambers.

Chambers regularly hosts seminars (usually on a departmental level) for professional clients. We encourage as many members of Chambers as possible to speak at seminars, which enhances those speakers’ development in the process of their preparation and presentation. Members are also encouraged to be involved in, and to attend, Specialist Bar Association (and similar) events.

As a multi-disciplinary set, we provide peer support between departments, and have had internal seminars on topics where there is overlap. If members of Chambers wish to diversify into areas which cross into other departments, we offer guidance, assistance and (where appropriate) supervision.

In addition to the practice development provided by the Chambers Director and the clerking team, the Head of Chambers and other senior members are also available to provide support and advice to those thinking of applying for part time judicial posts or for Silk, as well as to any member wanting career guidance.

Next Steps

We intend to introduce a mentoring programme whereby it is hoped that every member of Chambers will be a mentor to one member and be mentored by another. This will include consideration of CPD in the context of career development.

Importantly, we treat CPD as a part of career development and as a part of the process of life at the Bar.