Training session of a group of businesspeople

Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) Training

We are leading specialists in in-person training and live-online training.

PDA Legal provides tailored, interactive CQS training, delivered in-person or live-online, to augment the Law Society’s mandatory courses, to enhance your team’s compliance with the Conveyancing Quality Scheme.

Book a Free CQS Training Consultation

The formal annual CQS training provided by the Law Society is mandatory if your law firm is an accredited practice. To keep their conveyancing teams up to speed, many firms augment this with private, tailored training which yields significant benefits.

Benefits of the Conveyancing Quality Scheme

First introduced in 2011, the Conveyancing Quality Scheme is designed to clearly define a set of acceptable standards of compliance, risk management and client service levels expected of conveyancing professionals and practices, as defined by The Law Society. The scheme aims to provide a number of benefits for practices which include:

Minimising risks of claims against the practice
Improving and protecting the practice’s reputation
Access to a greater panel of lenders. CQS accreditation is a requirement for lenders including Nationwide, Santander, Yorkshire & Clydesdale Bank, Metro bank, and HSBC UK
Additional professional development for your team to help widen their knowledge, share team workloads, and reduce risks associated with having a single point of failure
If your firm is Lexcel accredited, it will have already met some of the Core Practice Management Standard (CPMS) required for CQS

Who Needs to Receive CQS Training?

The Law Society requires that the following team members must complete mandatory training if the firm is CQS accredited:

the senior responsible officer (SRO)
a conveyancer (regardless of status or qualification)

In addition, other Relevant Persons, including some accounts staff, might also require training to further demonstrate legal compliance.

New Employees and Inductions

We can provide training for new conveyancing employees or team members transferring between departments as part of your onboarding or induction process, demonstrating compliance with CQS standards. The Law Society requires that this must be completed within 6 months of joining a CQS accredited firm, and we can help you create processes to automate this, thereby helping to reduce your workload.

We can also provide refresher training for existing staff to keep up to date with core CQS elements.

Topics Covered

All of our training courses are bespoke; tailored to the specific needs of your team and your practice, and delivered or presented by a senior trainer with legal sector expertise. As a guide, and depending upon the audience at hand, our CQS courses cover topics including:

What the Conveyancing Quality Scheme is, and why it’s important.
How to identify, assess and prevent financial crime such as money laundering.
How to obtain and maintain evidence of CQS compliance.
Financial Crime and Protocol in Practice.
CQS Conveyancing Practice.
Risk, Compliance and Client Care.
Understanding your obligations when using the Law Society’s Conveyancing Protocol.
The role of the Senior Responsible Officer (SRO).

We also provide specific training for SROs which aligns with the requirements of the SRO certification exam which includes:

CQS rules.
CQS client services charter.
Law Society conveyancing protocols.
CQS core practice management standards.

CQS Training Delivered To Suit Your Team

We appreciate every legal practice is different and therefore, we tailor our training to an approach and content that is uniquely suited to your team.

Generally speaking, most tranches of training delivery fall into one of two types depending on the size of the team and its geography, and the seniority, roles or responsibilities of the delegates attending.

During your free CQS consultation we will discuss which topics are most important for your team to receive training in, and how your cohort is structured. We will then agree on the best training delivery method for your team to maximise their comprehension and retention of the topics, and ensure you achieve the best return on your investment.

In-Person CQS Training

Our interactive and engaging in-person training is especially well suited to medium or large cohorts (of 6 to 20 people at a time) or where more senior members of the team are involved.

It can either be delivered at your own practice or another suitable local location.

Live, Online CQS Training

Our online training is an effective option for small teams, or where time, resource availability, or budget is more limited. Our online CQS training can comprise:

Live online training sessions with a real trainer.
Content tailored uniquely to your firm.
Great flexibility on timing and reach.
Private sessions, tailored just for your team in small, medium or large cohorts.
'Surgical' sessions for senior and specialist staff where complex issues can be informed and discussed.
Interaction with the trainer throughout the sessions, to stimulate and support delegate consideration of the topics.

Training Materials Included

Prior to the training session, you will receive a PDF copy of the materials utilised during the course, for you to print and share with the delegates. This provides training participants with an opportunity to review the information and prepare any questions in advance.

Example Certificate of Attendance. Contains the attendee's name, name of the course, the date of training, and PDA Legal branding.

Certificated CQS Training

In addition to the training materials, at the end of the course, each participant will receive a printable PDF certificate of attendance, for their training and professional development records.

Refresher Training for 2024

The 2022 update for the CQS Core Practice Management Standards (CPMS) represented a significant step forward in ensuring the highest levels of quality and consistency in conveyancing practices. These updates were designed to help legal practices align with the latest industry standards and regulatory requirements, improving both compliance and client service.

For those who need a refresher on the latest updates, our bespoke training service is designed to help your firm seamlessly integrate these 2022 updates into your operations. We offer comprehensive training modules that cover each aspect of the updated CPMS, ensuring your team is fully prepared to meet and exceed these standards.

Pricing

We strive to provide you with unparalleled value through services that are bespoke to your practice.

We offer a range of flexible approaches to our CQS training to suit individual firms, including ad-hoc training (as/when you require it), or regular, scheduled training from as little as £9.50 per delegate per session.

Regardless of which approach you choose, our live training is always delivered privately for your team and tailored to the specific needs of your firm.

Join our free Best Practice Group and save:

Members of our free-to-join Best Practice Group receive a substantial discount on all of our services.

Find out more

Get In Touch for a Free No-Obligation Quote Today

If you require a CQS update or you’re new to the field, our bespoke training services are here to help. Please get in touch with us for a FREE, no-obligation discussion today.

Additional Conveyancing Quality Scheme Services

At PDA Legal, we also offer additional CQS services:

	CQS Consulting	Learn More
	CQS Auditing	Learn More

Additional Training Services

In addition to our CQS training, we can also provide bespoke training in the following areas:

	Anti-money laundering training	Learn More
	Lexcel training	Learn More
	Cyber security training	Learn More
	GDPR training	Learn More

Neil Partridge, Operations Director

Why Choose PDA Legal?

We offer a full spectrum of services including training, auditing, and consultancy. Whether you need assistance with regulatory compliance, staff development, or strategic planning, we’ll have a service for you.
Our training programs are designed to meet the unique requirements of your firm. We provide bespoke training sessions that are relevant, practical, and directly applicable to your daily operations.
We are pleased to share our insight from more than two decades of experience in the legal sector, where we have supported more than 500 legal organisations.
With our thorough and meticulous auditing services, you can be confident that your firm is compliant with all relevant regulations and standards.
We are committed to delivering the highest standards of service. Our dedication to excellence ensures that you receive the best possible support and advice.
We operate, wherever possible, on a fixed price model and project scheduling.
We offer a free, no obligation initial consultation to discuss your training requirements in detail.