Morning, Wednesday, 24th September 2025
Online
This conference will consider the future for legal education and training in England and Wales, looking at ethics, digital skills and qualification routes.
It will bring together key stakeholders and policymakers to discuss progress, challenges and next steps for widening participation, and integration of ethics into legal education, training and continuous professional development, as the sector prepares for the impact of artificial intelligence and digital innovation
Qualification routes, funding pressures, and access to the profession
With the SRA confirming increased SQE fees from September 2025, delegates will also consider implications arising from the DfE’s withdrawal of funding for Level 7 solicitor apprenticeships, and the transfer of apprenticeship oversight responsibilities to Skills England. Sessions will examine access to the profession, particularly for disadvantaged candidates and smaller firms, as well as the future of apprenticeship models under revised funding structures. It will be an opportunity to discuss the way forward in light of the BSB’s January 2025 report highlighting differential outcomes for students of colour and those from low socio-economic backgrounds, and the recent removal of the new diversity duty.
Evaluation, consistency, and support
Sessions in the agenda assess implications of recent SQE evaluation findings, with a 56% pass rate and notable disparity between the SQE1 and SQE2 results, and the formal approval of the new barrister apprenticeship standard. We expect discussion on stakeholder perspectives, including concerns around the SQE format and challenges with multiple-choice assessments, delivery timelines, regulatory oversight, consistency of quality across providers, and the adequacy of pastoral and financial support for candidates navigating new qualification routes.
Digital skills, evolving client needs, and longstanding competence gaps
Further discussion will focus on preparing the profession for future demands, including the integration of AI tools, data literacy, and wider digital competencies into initial and continuing training. We also expect delegates to examine options for addressing persistent competence gaps in areas such as probate, family, and housing law, particularly in light of changing client needs, regulatory scrutiny, and varied distribution of training resources. How best to support early-career professionals within this shifting landscape will be considered.
Workplace culture, lifelong learning, and ethical standards
Attendees will also assess how workplace culture and professional development practices can evolve to reflect generational change, rising expectations on wellbeing and inclusion, and the need to maintain public confidence. As the sector prepares for the LSB’s new professional ethical duties requirement, areas for discussion include enabling access to consistent, high-quality learning throughout a legal career, particularly continued ethics training and developing models of CPD that are adaptable, accountable, and aligned with professional and ethical responsibilities.
Further areas for discussion include:
- alignment across routes: transparency and parity between SQE, apprenticeship, and traditional pathways - perceptions of fairness and rigour - avoiding fragmentation in qualification routes
- regulatory priorities: aligning legal services regulation with other sectoral frameworks such as flexible working rights, whistleblowing and the right to switch off
- transparency: upholding client confidentiality and public trust amid increased scrutiny - understanding misconduct reporting and disciplinary procedures - bias, confidentiality, and liability issues
- oversight and governance:
- accountability across multiple regulatory and policy bodies - coordination on managing reform impacts over time - sharing learning and outcomes between institutions
- roles and responsibilities for leadership in terms of mentoring and continuing career development for colleagues
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates. As well as key stakeholders, those due to attend include officials from MOJ; GLD; Home Office; and the Welsh Government.
