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02 April 2009 / Daniella Lipszyc
Issue: 7363 / Categories: Features , Legal services , Training & education , Profession
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Worth its weight in gold

Daniella Lipszyc advocates becoming involved in the lucrative PPI sector

Tick—another box is crossed off and one more hour of continuing professional development (CPD) is racked up. In the UK, all solicitors who work more than 32 hours per week are required to undertake a minimum of 16 hours of CPD per year. As part of this requirement, at least 25% must consist of participation on accredited training courses. As such, many solicitors view it as a necessary evil—just one more thing that needs to be ticked off the list each year.

More than a means to an end

In reality, CPD can mean far more than just a means to an end. As many conventional revenue streams dry up, it's increasingly important for professionals to be aware of alternative, and potential lucrative, sectors. It's time to throw away the “tick box” mentality and start to sift through the array of CPD training courses in a more strategic approach—25% participation could result in business development and ultimately survival.

One area that

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Carey Olsen—Patrick Ormond

Carey Olsen—Patrick Ormond

Partner joinscorporate and finance practice in British Virgin Islands

Dawson Cornwell—Naomi Angell

Dawson Cornwell—Naomi Angell

Firm strengthens children department with adoption and surrogacy expert

Penningtons Manches Cooper—Graham Green

Penningtons Manches Cooper—Graham Green

Media and technology expert joins employment team as partner in Cambridge

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Freezing orders in divorce proceedings can unexpectedly ensnare third parties and disrupt businesses. In NLJ this week, Lucy James of Trowers & Hamlins explains how these orders—dubbed a ‘nuclear weapon’—preserve assets but can extend far beyond spouses to companies and business partners 
A Court of Appeal ruling has clarified that ‘rent’ must be monetary—excluding tenants paid in labour from statutory protection. In this week's NLJ, James Naylor explains Garraway v Phillips, where a tenant worked two days a week instead of paying rent
Thousands more magistrates are to be recruited, under a major shake-up to speed up and expand the hiring process
Three men wrongly imprisoned for a combined 77 years have been released—yet received ‘not a penny’ in compensation, exposing deep flaws in the justice system. Writing in NLJ this week, Dr Jon Robins reports on Justin Plummer, Oliver Campbell and Peter Sullivan, whose convictions collapsed amid discredited forensics, ‘oppressive’ police interviews and unreliable ‘cell confessions’
A quiet month for employment cases still delivers key legal clarifications. In his latest Employment Law Brief for NLJ, Ian Smith reports that whistleblowing protection remains intact even where disclosures are partly self-serving, provided the worker reasonably believes they serve the ‘public interest’ 
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