CPD for online legal training

This article aims to provide a simple introduction to CPD for online legal training. Whether you are an individual looking for training to start a career in the legal sector, or an already established professional, there are a wide range of online law courses available to help you develop your skills.

In this article, we have provided an overview of online legal training and highlighted some of the different avenues you can potentially learn with legal training, as well as why you might want to complete CPD law courses online and how to apply for a course that may be suitable for your Continuing Professional Development requirements.

Overview of online legal training in the sector

There is currently a large variety of CPD law courses available online which are delivered by a range of different learning providers. CPD law courses can vary in time duration and study method, with many offering tutor support as you learn. Whether you want to study for a regulated qualification, or take online law courses that provides either CPD points/hours or a qualification, there are a number of learning options available.

In addition, there are a range of different areas you can specialise in within the legal sector, so the first step would be to look for law courses relevant to the field you wish to specialise in. We have listed below some of the most common available branches of law, which include:

• International Law
• Business Law
• European Law
• Criminal Law
• Legal Studies
• Patent & Intellectual Property Law
• Civil & Private Law
• Public Law 

The knowledge that you gain from studying any of these fields can be applied in the judiciary, legislative and executive institutions, the military, the police and civil society. If you are unsure on what area of law to specialise in, the knowledge gained from any law courses in these fields will still be very useful to you once you have decided upon your speciality within the sector.

Different areas and aspects of legal training

The process and delivery of legal services is complex and typically requires a team of skilled professionals to provide both expected levels of quality advice and cost-effective service. The legal sector offers many jobs encompassing a diverse range of skills, experience, and education. Developments in both law and technology also create new legal career opportunities. We have listed below a few examples of the different types of legal careers available:

• Lawyer / Solicitor
• Barrister
• Paralegal
• Legal Secretary
• Careers in Legal and Administrative Support
• Compliance Specialist
• Conflicts Analyst
• Legal Recruiter
• Court Messenger
• Law Firm Administrator
• Contract Administrator
• IT Careers in Litigation Support
• Courtroom and Courthouse Careers

Whatever area of law you decide to specialise in, there are numerous different training opportunities you can explore. In the legal sector it is not a necessary requirement to have a degree to start a career in law. We have listed some of the different ways your qualifications and training can help you to enter the legal industry:

• Solicitor apprenticeship – This is a six-year programme of paid, on-the-job legal training which ends in qualification as a solicitor. The entry requirements are five GCSEs graded A*-C and three A levels graded C or above. The apprenticeship also integrates a law degree, which is obtained at the end of the fourth year. Apprentices learn law and legal practice alongside gaining competence in legal skills, commercial skills and professional conduct.
• Non-law degree - Lawyers are not required to have studied law at university, it is possible to do a non-law degree and then do the Graduate Diploma in Law.
• Law degree - The qualifying law degree, or LLB, covers seven compulsory subjects: public, criminal, contract, tort, property, equity and trusts, and EU law. This is one of the best ways of educating yourself and studying a law course to start a career in the legal industry.
• GDL – The GDL (Graduate Diploma in Law) is a law conversion course, which puts non-law graduates on an equal footing with those who studied a law degree. While changes are being made to the way that solicitors qualify in England and Wales with the introduction of the SQE, many institutions will continue to run graduate diploma law courses during the transitional period. Aspiring solicitors starting a degree in September 2021 will study for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), which will effectively replace the GDL and Legal Practice Course (LPC).

Whether the legal training is delivered in person is an online law course, there are various options out there to choose from depending on what sort of style of learning best suits you.

Benefits of Online Law Courses

With online law courses covering a whole range of different aspects of the legal sector, you can become skilled in very specific areas that will improve your overall knowledge and capabilities. Well-structured online law courses can provide a solid foundation that will last throughout your career and be useful in a range of career positions in different organisations. and industries. Benefits of online law courses include:

1. You can learn in a short period of time
2. Huge return on investment
3. Builds your self-assurance and self-worth
4. Work from home
5. Multiple career opportunities 

Ultimately, whether online legal learning is an advantage or disadvantage to your Continuing Professional Development will depend on your focus and priorities. If being on location is an important factor and you want to engage with either a university or institutional facilities, then on-campus law courses could be more suitable. But if life is busy and you wish to study alongside current commitments, then online law courses will give you the flexibility, comfort and style you may prefer.

How to find the CPD law courses

Given the opportunities that online legal training can offer, there is no shortage of online law courses available to enhance your Continuing Professional Development. Within the Legal CPD Industry Hub, you can find a full scope of legal CPD providers and accredited CPD law courses, covering a whole range of different subjects and specialisms. Many online CPD training providers from different industries use CPD accreditation to enhance their online courses, eLearning and webinars. Please visit the CPD legal hub to find out more, or search and find more CPD law courses here.

Become an accredited CPD training provider in the legal sector

We hope this article was helpful. Established in 1996, The CPD Certification Service has over 27 years’ experience providing CPD accreditation. With members in over 100 countries, our CPD providers benefit from the ability to promote themselves as part of an international community where quality is both recognised and assured.

If you are interested in offering training courses, seminars, workshops, eLearning, or educational events suitable for Continuing Professional Development, please visit the Become a CPD Provider page or contact our team to discuss in more detail. Alternatively, if you are looking for a free online CPD record tool to help manage, track and log your ongoing learning, as well as store your professional training records and attendance certificates in one simple place, go to the myCPD Portal page.