Professional Skills Course (PSC)
The Professional Skills Course (PSC) for trainee solicitors is the final, compulsory part of training before qualifying as a solicitor. We’re the UK’s leading PSC provider and exclusive PSC provider to leading law firms. Our programme ensures training is directly relevant to life in practice by delivering the key competencies employers demand. This means you, or your trainees, will be perfect for practice by being able to relate what is being learnt in the classroom to key competencies expected of trainees in the real world. In addition it will support personal/career development as a self-reliant and client focused modern lawyer.
PSC course dates can be found here.
Our PSC training is delivered via face-to-face small group workshops, aimed exclusively at trainees. Undertaken during the two-year training contract, the PSC can only be taken once the Legal Practice Course, or an integrated course, has been successfully completed.
It is made up of three compulsory core modules, covering key areas of practice, and four days of elective module training to suit areas of interest. Together this totals 12 days (72 hours) of training.
Core modules
The three PSC core modules should normally be completed before you start your electives. Our flexible PSC allows you to take the core modules across a wide range of dates:
- Advocacy and Communication Skills – 3 days (18 hours)
- Client Care and Professional Standards – 2 days (12 hours)
- Financial and Business Skills – 3 days (18 hours)
Please see the 'Core modules' tab for further information.
PSC elective modules
These allow you to specialise in particular areas of law and should normally be completed after your core modules, as they assume an understanding of the core topics. You are required to attend a total of four days (24 hours) of elective training to complete your PSC.
We offer a wide range of regularly updated electives, allowing you to build a PSC to meet your specific areas of interest. Electives are categorised as follows:
- Practice skills electives
- Contentious skills electives
- Non-contentious skills electives
- Higher Rights of Audience
Please see our 'Elective modules' tab for further information.
The three PSC core modules should normally be completed before you start your electives. Our flexible PSC allows you to take the core modules across a wide range of dates:
This module builds on and extends the skills learnt on the LPC and helps you to:
- Develop your skills to make a persuasive presentation, structure a logical and cogent argument, and elicit information from others efficiently
- Conduct a factual analysis of a case and develop theories as to why your client’s case should succeed
- Conduct chambers advocacy
- Understand trial advocacy and practise the effective examination of witnesses in chief, cross- and re-examination, and the presentation of opening and closing speeches
- Reach the ethical and procedural standard required to properly exercise the rights of audience granted to qualified solicitors in the civil and criminal courts
The module is assessed with an individual oral and written appraisal.
Business of Law competencies covered
Business: Client Relationships, Commerciality
Law: Technical Competence, Development
Self: Managing Self, Development
Working with Others: Team-working, Communication
We offer a choice of career routes for this module, meaning you can tailor the course to suit your type of practice:
Business of Law competencies covered:
- Corporate route – for trainees in corporate firms where clients are predominantly publicly-listed companies
- Commercial and private route – for trainees in firms with a mixture of private and business clients
- Legal aid route – for trainees whose firm mainly acts on matters where the fees of one or more of the persons involved are publicly funded through legal aid
- In-house lawyers route – for trainees working in commercial organisations where their client is the employer
The module is offered as two separate days of training, which can be taken together on consecutive days, or individually at different times to suit you. Please note that the SRA stipulate that Day 2 cannot be taken during the first six months of your training contract.
The module develops your understanding of professional conduct, client care and work management, and helps you to:
- Identify and deal with matters of ethics, professional conduct, risk management and client care
- Develop ways of working with others, managing your time and organising your projects and professional development
- Understand practicalities such as the retainer, duties owed to third parties and the court, undertakings, fees and client care
- Identify and solve problems in a practical way
The Commercial and Private module is recommended for those following the Commercial and Private route and the Legal Aid route.
We offer a tailored Corporate module for those following the Corporate route and an In-house Lawyer module tailored to those following the In-house lawyers route.
Business of Law competencies covered:
Business: Client Relationships, Commerciality
Law: Technical Competence, Development
Self: Commitment, Managing Self, Professional Responsibility, Development
Working with Others: Team-working
This module looks at the specific statutory bases upon which financial advice can be given and the application of those principles, the possible criminal sanctions arising from such advice together with issues which might arise under the Code of Conduct. The module is a three day course (Thursday, Friday, Monday) with a 1 hour 30 minute written exam on the Monday morning.
By the end of the second day, and in preparation for the exam, delegates will:
- have an overview of the financial services industry
- understand the legal and regulatory regime which applies to solicitors in the provision of financial advice
- appreciate the impact of the Code of Conduct on the provision of financial services
- have an overview of the characteristics of different types of investments and an appreciation of portfolio planning
Following the exam delegates will conclude the course by developing an appreciation of the relevance of financial interpretation to solicitors and gain an overview of the regulation of accounts.
PLEASE NOTE: results are posted to delegates six weeks after the exam.
Business of Law competencies covered:
Business: Commerciality
Law: Technical Competence, Development
Self: Professional Responsibility, Development
Working with Others: Communication
PSC elective modules allow you to specialise in particular areas of law and should normally be completed after your core modules, as they assume an understanding of the core topics. You are required to attend a total of four days (24 hours) of elective training to complete your PSC.
We offer a wide range of regularly updated electives, allowing you to build a PSC to meet your specific areas of interest. If you plan a career in litigation, you also have the option of taking Higher Rights of Audience training in lieu of your PSC electives.Our electives last for one day unless otherwise stated.
Practice skills electives
- Impact & Influence
- Advanced Written Communication
- Advanced Communication Skills
- Effective Written Communication
- Is it Enforceable?
- Presenting to Persuade
- The Skilled Negotiator
- The Law Firm as a Commercial Enterprise
- Essential Skills for the In House Lawyer
More information on Practice skills electives
Contentious skills electives
Dispute Resolution
- Case Analysis and Management
- Civil Litigation Drafting Skills
- ADR and Mediation
Personal Injury
- Funding and Damages
- Employers' Liability
- Investigation of a Claim
- Pre-action Protocols and Expert Evidence
Employment Law
- Employment Practice (two-day course)
- Employment Tribunal Advocacy
Criminal Law
- Bail and Mitigation
- Criminal Trial in the Magistrates’ Courts (two-day course)
Family Law
- Family Law Advocacy and Practice – Care Proceedings
- Family Law Advocacy and Practice – Domestic Abuse
- Family Law and Drafting - Application for a Financial Order
- Family Law Interviewing and Negotiation – The Children Act 1989
More information on Contentious skills electives
Non-contentious skills electives
Commercial Law and Intellectual Property
- Drafting IP Licences
- Practical Contract Law
- E-Commerce and Data Protection
- Practical Commercial Contract Drafting
Corporate Law
- Acquisitions and Disposals of Shares
- Share Capital & Directors Duties
- Corporate Borrowing and Taking Security
- Corporate Drafting
- Company Formation, Management and Share Capital
- How to read a Company’s Accounts
- Stock Markets and Flotation
- Understanding the City
- Corporate Insolvency
Commercial Property
- Commercial Property – Sale and Purchase Transactions
- Drafting Commercial Leases
Private Client
These three private client electives replace the previous 'Private Client - Wills, inheritance tax and post-death arrangements' and 'Private Client - will trusts, tax and estate planning' electives. They are similar in content although differently ordered.
- Private Client – Wills and Inheritance Tax
- Private Client – Will Trusts and Tax
- Private Client – Estate Planning
More information on Non-contentious skills electives
Higher Rights of Audience
If you plan a career in litigation, you have the option of taking Higher Rights of Audience training in lieu of your PSC electives.
You cannot appear in the Higher Courts until full qualification as a solicitor, but all training and assessment can be undertaken during your training contract. Trainees take the same programme of study as qualified solicitors.
Please note that all higher rights assessments are undertaken in accordance with the University's assessment regulations.
Delegates must bear in mind that if they undertake the training but then sit the assessment at a later date (ie not immediately after undertaking the training), the procedural and legal requirements on which they will be examined may have changed in the interim - further that the SRA requirements for assessment may change with time.
For more information on Higher Rights including course dates, please visit our Higher Rights page
For trainees, the training contract period is a vital stage of preparation for a career in law. Working with law firms, The University of Law has identified a set of key competencies that all trainee solicitors need in practice. Through our Business of Law programme, the University’s PSC breaks these competencies into four areas – Business, Law, Self, and Working with Others. These are clearly identified in all PSC modules, both core and elective, so that trainee solicitors, and their firms, can easily see which essential competencies will be taken back to the work place.
Key benefits
- Makes the trainee perfect for practice by relating what they have learnt in the classroom to key competencies expected in the real world of law
- Not just teaching the law, but helping with personal and career development as a self-reliant and client focused modern lawyer
- Helps to identify and evidence skills and competencies that will be required in their training contract and throughout their career
- Helps develop and focus on the skills leading law firms tell us they are looking for
- This programme is unique to the University and gives trainees and their employers a competitive edge in working with customers and colleagues
Business of Law competencies
Business
Business Development
- Shows awareness of market and competitor activity
- Is aware of the firm’s business development strategy
- Assists in business development tasks where required
- Is aware of the skills and techniques required for effective business development
Client Relationships
- Meets client expectations for trainee role performed on fee-earning matters when direct client interaction is appropriate
- Shows understanding of clients’ service expectations
- Makes an effort to empathise with client culture and to understand client organisation, structure and business drivers
- Develops rapport with members of client team at equivalent level
Commerciality
- Understands what services are provided by the firm
- Understands the commercial environment within which clients work and the need for advice to be tailored to that environment
- So far as appropriate to client base, shows an understanding of multicultural issues and business practices
- Delivers a work product that is commercially as well as technically sound
- Meets deadline commitments to clients
- Is aware of the significance of work in progress, and proactively manages own WIP
- Records chargeable time accurately
Law
Technical Competence
- Undertakes research tasks competently, using appropriate technology and information resources
- Manages own fee-earning matters competently
- Understands limits of own competence and when to obtain advice within the firm
- Demonstrates problem-solving capability
Development
- Develops professional skills and technical ability, keeping up to date with current legal issues
- Takes responsibility for own learning and development
Self
Commitment
- Delivers work product with enthusiasm, tenaciousness and attention to detail, and whether the task is challenging or mundane
- Shows determination to help meet clients’ objectives
- Takes ownership of tasks
- Shows willingness to take on additional tasks
Managing Self
- Is resilient under pressure
- Is organised and demonstrates high capacity for work
- Is self-aware and reflects on own performance
- Does not exhibit self-importance
Professional Responsibility
- Shows awareness of professional conduct responsibilities under Code of Conduct.
- Adheres to the firm’s policies, including on professional conduct and risk management
Development
- Is open to constructive feedback and advice
- Learns from mistakes
- Is willing to develop new skills and capabilities
Working with Others
Team-working
- Builds constructive professional relationships, treating colleagues at all levels with civility and respect
- Contributes to any team in which the trainee is involved
- Reports appropriately to supervisors
- Acknowledges task contributions of colleagues
- Responds to colleagues and supervisors in a timely manner
- Shows flexibility and versatility
Communication
- Communicates orally and in writing in a way that is logical, articulate, concise, and tailored to the needs of the recipient (whether internal or external)
- Shares information appropriately when undertaking work tasks
Our PSC is designed to support the career goals of modern lawyers so we offer advice on electives suited to each of these career routes:
Corporate route
Your firm mainly acts for businesses, but does act for some individuals
Commercial and Private route
Your firm acts for a mixture of individuals and businesses
In-house Lawyers route
For trainees working in commercial organisations where their client is the employer
Legal Aid route
Your firm mainly acts on matters where the fees of one or more of the persons involved are publicly funded through legal aid
Now offering even better value for money, our range of PSC programmes can be booked individually or in cost-effective, convenient packages.
You don't need to confirm your full choice of course dates when you make your initial booking, so you can benefit from our package savings whilst maintaining maximum flexibility.
PSC course fees effective from 1 August 2016
| Product | Details | Fees From 1 August 2015 |
|---|---|---|
| Pick and Mix PSC - full package | 3 standard core + 4 electives picked from full list | £1,285 + VAT |
| PSC + Higher Rights, no assessment | PSC core modules, with full Higher Rights course in lieu of PSC Electives, but without assessment | £1,795 + VAT |
| PSC + Higher Rights, with assessment | PSC core modules, with full Higher Rights course in lieu of PSC Electives, and with assessment | £2,195 + VAT |
| All Core Modules | £1,075 + VAT | |
| Electives 24 hours | £495 + VAT | |
| Individual core modules | ||
| Advocacy and Communications Skills | £500 + VAT | |
| Client Care and Professional Standards - Day One | £165 + VAT | |
| Client Care and Professional Standards - Day Two | £165 + VAT | |
| Financial and Business Skills | £415 + VAT | |
| Individual Electives 6 hours | £185 + VAT | |
Features
- Our Business of Law programme, integrated into the PSC, ensures training is directly relevant to life in practice
- Personalise your PSC with our wide range of elective modules – or replace electives with Higher Rights of Audience training
- We offer all our PSC courses in the city of London at our Moorgate centre.
Find out more
Call 0800 289997 (UK), +44 (0)1483 216000 (international) or e-mail pdpublic@law.ac.uk