SRA Handbook

Returning to practice

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Version 2 of the Handbook was published on 23/12/2011. For more information, please click 'History' Above

Part 8: Returning to practice

Regulation 13: CPD requirements upon return to full-time or part-time legal practice or employment following a suspension during the newly admitted or registered period

13.1

Upon your return to full-time or part-time legal practice or employment, your CPD requirements will be dependent upon the length of time you have worked from the date of your admission to the roll or registration with us.

13.2

If you have:

(a)

suspended the requirements in the newly admitted or newly registered period; and

(b)

not worked at all from the date of admission or registration;

you must undertake one hour of CPD for each complete month from the date of your return, up to the end of the CPD year.

13.3

If you:

(a)

suspended the requirements in the newly admitted or newly registered period; but

(b)

worked following the date of your admission or registration;

you must undertake one hour for each month before and after the suspension if returning before the end of the CPD year.

13.4

If you have not completed all of your CPD requirement for the period before the suspension began you should make up any shortfall and undertake the requisite number of hours when you return to work. We may grant an extension of time if necessary.

Guidance note to 13.2:

(i)

If you have not worked at all from the date of your admission to the roll, or of registration with us, you will be treated as newly admitted on your return regardless of the length of the suspension.

(ii)

The newly admitted or registered period covers the first 12 months following the date of your admission or registration.

Guidance note to 13.3:

(i)

If you have completed all of your CPD requirement for the period before the suspension began you may, upon returning to work, choose one of the following options:

(a)

if you return on or before 1 May, undertake two hours for every complete month up to the end of the CPD year, up to a maximum of 16 hours, attending if you feel necessary due to the length of the suspension, the Financial and Business Skills (but you would not be required to attempt or pass the examination) and Client Care and Professional Standards modules of the PSC; or

(b)

if you return after 1 May, undertake at least 12 hours, attending, if you feel necessary due to the length of the suspension, the Financial and Business Skills (but you would not be required to attempt or pass the examination) and Client Care and Professional Standards modules of the PSC.

(ii)

Either option would count as completion of the first CPD year.

Guidance note to 13.4:

(i)

In determining whether you have completed your requirements you may count the following circumstances as a complete CPD year:

(a)

accrual of at least 12 hours of CPD and attendance, where appropriate, at a compulsory course or the Financial and Business Skills (but not the examination) and Client Care and Professional Standards modules of the PSC, whichever was applicable at the time before the suspension began;

(b)

accrual of at least 12 hours of CPD and attendance, where appropriate, at a compulsory course or the Financial and Business Skills (but not the examination) and Client Care and Professional Standards modules of the PSC between the date of your return and the end of the CPD year; or

(c)

accrual of a total of 12 hours during the period before the suspension began added to the amount required from the date of your return to the end of the CPD year, plus, where appropriate attendance at a compulsory course or the Financial and Business Skills (but not the examination) and Client Care and Professional Standards modules of the PSC.

Regulation 14: CPD requirements upon return to full-time legal practice or employment following a suspension at any time from the end of your first CPD year or onwards

14.1

If you have suspended the requirements at any time from the end of your first CPD year or onwards, and return to work full-time you will be required to complete two hours of CPD for every complete month from the date of your return until the end of that CPD year, up to a required maximum of 16 hours.

Guidance note:

(i)

The table below can be used to calculate your CPD requirement for the remainder of the CPD year.

(ii)

If you return to work on for example 5 December, your CPD requirements will start from 1 January, the first full month following your return. If you return to work between 2 October and 31 October, your CPD requirements will start at the commencement of the new CPD year.

Return date	CPD hours
1 November	16
1 December	16
1 January	16
1 February	16
1 March	16
1 April	14
1 May	12
1 June	10
1 July	8
1 August	6
1 September	4
1 October	2
2 October - 31 October	0

Regulation 15: CPD requirements upon return to part-time legal practice or employment following a suspension at any time from the end of your first CPD year or onwards

15.1

If you have suspended the requirements at any time from the end of your first CPD year or onwards, and you return to work part-time, you will be required to complete one hour of CPD per year, for every two hours worked weekly.

15.2

If you return to part-time legal practice or employment after 1 March you should calculate your annual CPD requirement based on the number of hours worked per week, and undertake one-eighth of the annual requirement for each complete month from the date of your return to the end of the following CPD year.

Guidance note: For example,

(i)

if you work 20 hours a week you are required to undertake 10 hours of CPD per CPD year.

(ii)

if you return to work on 1 April, and you are working 20 hours a week, you would be required to undertake eight and three quarter hours of CPD up until the end of the CPD year.