1. Training Contract Records

2. Why?

3. Why?
You must…

4. SRA Training Regulations 2014 “Trainees must maintain a record of training which…
Contains details of work performed
Records how the trainee has acquired, applied and developed their skills by reference to the Practice Skills Standards
Records the trainee’s reflections on his or her performance and development plans
Is verified by the individuals supervising the trainee”
(Regulation 14.1)

5. SRA Training Regulations 2014
Training Principal must ensure trainees maintain a record of training which will meet requirements of Regulation 14 (Regulation 13.1)
At end of training contract, Training Principal must be able to sign off that trainee... "has a full and complete record of training which complies with the requirements under the SRA Training Regulations 2014” (AD1 Admission Form)

6. The SRA’s Practice Skills Standards
90+ skills/competencies across the key headings:
Advocacy and oral presentation
Time & work management, including
Case and transaction management
Client care and practice support
Communication skills
Dispute resolution
Drafting
Interviewing and advising
Legal research
Negotiation

7. Putting this all together…
A training record should:
Capture examples of your experience
Be selective (not a duplicate time recording system)
Be representative of what you’ve been doing
Cross-refer to the SRA Practice Skills Standards
Say something about your learning and development and how you might do things better/differently next time (reflective)

8. For example…
Let’s say you’re in Property and complete 20 TR1 forms in a week. Do you:
Create 20 entries in your training record for each TR1 form you’ve done?
Create 1 entry in your training record for that week covering this experience, noting what you learned?

9. “What if I don’t do it..?”
You and your Training Principal in breach of the SRA Training Regulations
The SRA have audit powers and can demand to see your training contract record
Your Training Principal must be satisfied that you have complied with the SRA requirements before signing you off for admission as a solicitor

10. Not just about the SRA… …a learning & development tool
A way for you to capture and reflect on your learning and development
A way for you and the Firm to assess your progress against the SRA and any firm-specific ‘KPIs’
Relevant for mid-seat and end-of-seat reviews
Relevant for NQ applications (a ‘CV builder’)

11. Historically (and at many firms still), training records have been a paper exercise…

32. How often should I be logging on
How often should I be logging on? Requirements, expectations & benchmarks

33. How often should I be logging on?
Expectation (including SRA) is ‘weekly’
20 to 30 minutes per week
Some weeks will be very busy, but…
…would not expect a month to go by without any entries
Firm will track & monitor engagement levels
No black & whites but as a benchmark…

34. Our rating:
On average:
‘Good’
3 or 4 entries per week
‘OK’
1 or 2 entries per week
‘Poor’
< 1 or 2 entries per week