The Legal Services Board has published a new statutory statement of policy on ongoing competence. It sets clear outcomes that the legal services regulators should meet to ensure that lawyers have the necessary skills, knowledge and behaviours to provide good quality legal services.
The launch of the new statement comes on the back of extensive policy development since 2019, including a public consultation and call for evidence, independent research and cross-sector engagement.
With the new statement, the legal regulators will be required to set standards of competence, get a better understanding of lawyers’ competence, and set new measures to ensure standards are maintained. The statement of policy is designed to be risk-based, outcomes-focused and flexible for the regulators to implement across their regulated communities.