Gowlings Adds to Law Firm Delivered CPD
The number of Canadian law firms delivering CPD courses expanded today with the launch of Gowlings U.
Full disclosure that Gowlings is a client of ours at Stem, but the general trend of law firms teaching their expertise to other lawyers, corporate counsel, notaries and other professionals seems worth noting. That a number of these courses also comply with law society requirements for CPD credit is also significant.
It’s a role that I’ve long thought that law firms could fill. Especially when firms are widely recognized to have strength in certain practice areas, or regional knowledge that other firms might not. One can imagine sessions from Gowlings, for example, that leverage their presence in Moscow or London UK.
Other Canadian firms that I know of jumping into this space include Blakes Business Class Seminars and UniversiTorys. If you know of others, please chime in within the comments.
This will certainly be an interesting area to watch going forward.
Does this mean that experts from the large firms will be less likely to participate in CPD sessions put on by the Bar Association or Law Society, or universities, or even the high-priced private providers? The law firms currently provide their sessions for free, in my experience. OTOH they don’t usually prepare substantial written materials in support. It’s a different ‘value proposition’ for the firms and for the people who attend (and I do, from time to time, and learn things).
On the other hand, there’s people like me who do usually prepare substantial written matterial when we deliver a CPD / CLE lecture. (Some have been known to complain that my material is too long. My usual response is that there’s lots of nice subheadings, even sometimes a table of contents, to help them find what they need.)
You can add to the list the following law firms with established CPD programs: BLG U
Davies Academy
Goodmans Presents
Heenan Blaikie
Learning @ Osler
McCarthy Tétrault Advance
Stikeman Elliott’s Seminar Series
Speaking on behalf of the pricey but excellen private course providers. The content, presentation, service and post conference material quality are reflected in the price. You get what you pay for.
Some might say that “pricey … private course providers” are part of the problem.