As you consider how you undertake and record your training, take into account the distinct possibility that the regulator may introduce extra requirements.

Those who (presumably honestly!) signed the mandatory competence statement this year will, of course, be required to do the same next year. But bear in mind that the regulator appears to shift its focus within the context of continuing competence each year.

We urge solicitors to start this new continuing competence year with an understanding of the Solicitors Regulation Authority current approach. After introducing annual assessments into solicitor competency in 2023, the regulator decided to focus on specific sector areas following each assessment (e.g. landlord and tenant, immigration and probate).

Following the latest annual assessment 2025, the SRA will focus its attention particularly on criminal and civil law solicitors. This is because, of the 12,046 reports it received about solicitors in 2024, the regulator found a notable increase in the areas of criminal (up 28% on 2023) and civil law (up 25%).

Solicitors in those areas of practice can therefore expect to have their training records reviewed in the coming months. (The number of reports about residential conveyancing and commercial decreased).

What’s required?

All solicitors, from the newly qualified to the highly experienced, must complete a statement every year confirming they have met the regulator’s continuing competence requirements (Rule 3.3 of the Code of Conduct for Solicitors). It is for individuals to take responsibility for keeping their knowledge and skills up to date.

The requirements are not prescriptive, but the annual statement is far from a tick-box exercise: solicitors must take their regulatory responsibilities seriously. As its name suggests – it should be a continuing exercise that starts now and is maintained throughout the practising year.

The SRA does not – for now - dictate how solicitors should keep their training record. What’s required is that you keep a formal record maintained, showing the training undertaken and why you have decided to do so.

When preparing and maintaining your training record, always keep in mind that the SRA may review solicitors’ training records as part of its monitoring. Firms also have an important part to play in this, ensuring they have a continuing competence policy in place as part of their wider supervision responsibilities.

Reflection

Identifying learning needs and ‘reflection’ is an issue that has been particularly been emphasised over recent years. The regulator has previously defined ‘reflection’ as thinking about the challenges of your practice, and asking yourself what you could do differently and where you could improve.

In its 2025 assessment, the SRA identified “wider shortcomings”, including solicitors failing to fully reflect on all aspects of their practice. It was “unclear from most of the evidence whether the learning and development activities had been informed by meaningful reflection on all aspects of their practice. A significant proportion of evidence provided simply listed the learning and development activity carried out and the date it was completed”.

The SRA did not have “appropriate assurance that solicitors are taking steps needed to fully reflect on their practice”. The regulator also detected a “limited awareness” of its warning notices and guidance in maintaining competence.

The next 12 months will see the SRA consulting on strengthening the continuing competence requirements, focusing particularly on reflection and maintaining professional ethics obligations. We will have to wait to see what proposals it makes, but it could well include a requirement that a list of training activities must be accompanied by evidence of reflection on practice, and identifying training needs.