A new resource for NSW’s 43,ooo solicitors will help them improve the enduring human skills and behaviours they need to build and maintain a flourishing career in the law, and provide better legal services to the public.

President of the Law Society of NSW Jennifer Ball said the Solicitor Capability Framework will better equip the legal profession with the capabilities needed to thrive in practice today and into the future. 

“This Framework was developed through extensive research and consultation with Law Society members and experts in the field, and reflects my President’s Priority this term: ‘Delivering quality support for solicitors’ success’,” Ms Ball said.

“It is not intended to be a substitute for practitioners’ continuing professional development obligations or ethical duties, but is designed to help identify the right development experiences and learning opportunities to strengthen solicitors’ careers.” 

The Framework identifies and describes seven Primary Capabilities that are key to solicitors’ growth and development, regardless of their sector or area of practice. 

They are: Critical Thinking and Decision-Making; Solicitor-Client Relationships; Professionalism; Problem Solving; Communication and Influence; Integrity and Ethics; and Adaptive Mindset and Resilience.

In her Opening of Law Term address at the beginning of this year, Ms Ball committed to delivering a framework that outlined the skills required to ensure legal graduates were ‘practice ready’ when they started work.

“While the Framework was being developed, it became clear that equipping lawyers with the means to establish, maintain and continually improve the qualities that make a well-rounded lawyer should not be limited to graduates, but applies to everyone in legal practice whatever their career stage,” Ms Ball said. 

“This Framework will become increasingly important in the face of rapidly developing technology and ways of practice, to identify and focus on the human attributes and skills that are vital to all solicitors.” 

Ms Ball said that along with skills and specialist knowledge acquired through education and on the job, the Framework will help reinforce solicitors’ ability to deliver expert and reliable legal services to the community.

The Solicitor Capability Framework can be found here.