Society's further submissions from November 2012 - The Advocates ...

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TAS Recommendations for theProposed Pilot Project Respecting Transitional TrainingTAS Recommendations for theProposed Pilot Project Respecting Transitional TrainingThe Advocates’ Society recommends that the proposed pilot project respectingthe transitional training component of the Law Society’s licensing process(”Project”) include the following integrated components:1. An articling component and a Law Practice Program (“LPP”) component, the purpose of whichtransitional training pathways is to examine and evaluate the merits of these pathways as part ofthe Law Society’s licensing process.2. In light of the continuing shortage of available articling positions, the LPP shall commence bySeptember 1, 2013 and no later than January 1, 2014.3. The Project shall be for two years ending on August 31, 2015.4. During the Project, data designed to enable its evaluation shall be collected and any necessaryrefinements or other policy issues related to the Project shall be considered in the ProfessionalDevelopment & Competence (“PD & C”) Committee and, where appropriate, changesimplemented during the course of the Project.5. The final review of the Project shall commence in its final year and shall be completed, with areport and proposal by the PD & C Committee for changes to the Law Society’s licensing processprovided to Convocation for its consideration, as soon as possible and no later than December31, 2015.6. As part of the Project, the 10-month articling program shall continue with its currentadministrative structure. In the period leading up to implementation of the Project, benchmarksand evaluative tools shall be established for articling principals and students to enable theeffective assessment of the merits of all aspects of the articling program, with the report andproposal to be included in the final report and proposal for changes to the Law Society’s licensingprocess to be provided to Convocation by no later than December 31, 2015.7. The Law Society shall issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) as soon as it is feasible to do so forinterested parties to submit a Proposal to provide a transparent, fair and defensible competencybasedLPP as an alternative pathway to licensing. Validated law practice skills, task andprofessionalism competencies as determined by the Law Society shall form the basis of the LPP.In the period leading up to implementation of the Project, benchmarks and evaluative tools shallbe established to enable the effective assessment of the merits of the LPP to be implementedeffective September 1, 2013.—1—
TAS Recommendations for theProposed Pilot Project Respecting Transitional Training8. The RFP shall seek proposals for the delivery of a LPP that:(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)Provides training on the established competencies;Is designed to accomplish the program goals within four months, while leaving it open topotential providers to propose a greater or lesser length of the LPP that accomplishes theobjectives of the program in the most timely and cost-effective manner; andIncorporates the use of practicing lawyers as instructors and/or in other capacities; andIncludes quality assurance assessments.9. Both transitional training pathways (articling and LPP) shall address approved competencies. TheLaw Society shall oversee a formal process to assess defined learning outcomes necessary forentry-level practice, based on those competencies. The assessment shall be standardized,transparent and fair. All candidates for licensing, including any otherwise exempted from the LPPor articling, shall be required to successfully complete the assessment as a requirement oflicensing.10. The assessment process shall be developed by the PD & C Committee and proposed toConvocation for its approval in the period prior to implementation of the Project.11. To enable the Law Society and the profession to make evidence-based determinations about themerits of each component of the Project, an evaluation system approved by Convocation shall bedesigned and implemented prior to the completion of the first LPP.12. During the development of the Project, the Law Society shall develop a plan to providementoring and practice support to those licensing candidates entering practice for their first yearof practice. The costs of the mentoring and the practice support system shall be subject toreview and approval by Audit & Finance and by Convocation.13. During the Project law graduates may apply for articling positions or the LPP. In the interimperiod between 2012 and the full implementation of the LPP alternative, those candidates whobegan the licensing process in the 2012-13 licensing year (commencing May 1, 2012) or earlierbut are unable to find an articling placement within the three-year period provided to completeall components of the licensing process, may maintain their status as a licensing candidate untilsuch time as they can enter and complete the LPP and all other aspects of the licensing process.The Law Society shall extend the three-year completion requirement for these candidates.14. Following Convocation’s approval of the Project:(i)(ii)The RFP shall be developed and issued to permit the implementation of the Projectwithin the timelines set out above;The RFP applications shall be considered in accordance with the Law Society’sestablished process for RFPs;—2—
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