CMS Scots trainees to take Diploma at University of Law

Scottish law graduates due to train as solicitors with international law firm CMS will undertake their postgraduate Diploma in Professional Legal Practice through the University of Law from next year.

CMS has appointed the University of Law, which has seven centres in England & Wales and achieved university status in November 2012 (it was previously known as the College of Law), to develop a new postgraduate qualification through which all its future trainees in Scotland can achieve their compulsory DPLP. CMS intends this to lead to a more uniform, quality experience for its Scottish trainees.

The Journal understands that a selection process is underway by which a single Scottish Diploma-teaching institution will be chosen to work with CMS and the University of Law to provide the Diploma course to all of CMS's future trainee intake. The university recently entered into a partnership arrangement with the University of Exeter to offer the English GDL and LPC courses.

Details of how the three-way relationship will operate are still being worked out, but the approach will complement a similar scheme offered by the University of Law in London, CMS’s training partner for its entrants south of the border. It is expected that the first students to enrol onto the Scottish course will begin their studies in September 2016.

The agreement could herald a much closer relationship between leading law firms and the Diploma providers. Some firms south of the border specify their teaching requirements very precisely, though others may be content to direct their students towards certain course choices.

CMS senior partner Penelope Warne commented: “We are delighted to team up with the University of Law in the provision of this unique qualification in Scotland, which will bring more consistency to legal training and education for CMS trainees.

“We are committed to bridging the gap between education and the workplace, and recognise the importance of ensuring that our trainees have top quality training and are equipped with the skills they need irrespective of location. CMS has worked with the University of Law to develop a qualification that is ideally tailored for our firm and also suits both the current and future needs of our trainees.”