Message from Don Thompson, KC, Board Chair
As I reflect on the past year, I’m proud to share the achievements of our organization. Once again, CPLED demonstrated a commitment to excellence and resilience during the 2022/2023 year.
Our primary focus continues to be the Practice Readiness Education Program (PREP), the Bar admission program for students who are pursuing the goal of becoming a lawyer in Alberta, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, and Saskatchewan. This year, we also offered a soft launch of Accelerated PREP across all four CPLED participating jurisdictions.
I’m pleased to report that the Legal Research and Writing (LRW) course experienced significant growth in student registrations worldwide this past year. The LRW course meets the National Committee of Accreditation (NCA) policy that NCA applicants must satisfy a legal research and writing requirement to obtain a Certificate of Qualification (CQ) stating they have the equivalent of a Canadian common law degree.
As the Board Chair, I want to express my gratitude to all Board Directors and partners who continue to support our mission. Their unwavering commitment has allowed us to grow and deepen our impact on the legal profession in Canada. A special thanks is due to our staff: CPLED would be nothing without their skill and determination. They in turn rely on a bevy of contractors, who for many participants in our programs are the face of CPLED.
I’m looking forward to CPLED building on its momentum for growth and quality. We all remain committed to the organization’s mission, vision, and values.
Sincerely,
Don Thompson, KC
A Message from Liza Worthington, Acting CEO
It is my sincere pleasure to share the progress and achievements of CPLED this past year. Despite challenges, our organization has remained focused on progressing our strategic objectives and positively impacting the Canadian legal community by helping students become competent lawyers.
As the Acting CEO of CPLED, I stepped in on July 1, 2023, following the leave of absence of the late Dr. Kara Mitchelmore. My previous experience as a business leader and my institutional knowledge allowed me to step in and ensure stability for CPLED during the transition.
During this time, CPLED delivered two PREP offerings, one Accelerated PREP, and five Legal Research and Writing course offerings. The team worked tirelessly to ensure our students and other interested parties received the quality service they had come to expect from CPLED.
Despite operating virtually for the third year, we recognized the importance of providing staff with the flexibility to work from our Calgary office if needed. Safety protocols were in place to support the health and well-being of all staff. We remained committed to providing staff with the necessary resources to thrive, whether working from home or at the office.
I am grateful for the dedication and hard work of the CPLED staff and our partners who supported the organization's growth. CPLED is a tenacious organization with a team dedicated to achieving our strategic priorities and keeping interested parties' needs a top priority.
Looking ahead, I am enthusiastic about the enhancements we will make to our programs and the organization's continued development and growth. We are committed to delivering quality legal education programs and exceptional customer service to our students and contractors. I am confident that CPLED will thrive as we move forward.
Regards,
Liza Worthington, Acting CEO
The Practice Readiness Education Program (PREP)
There were 565 students registered for the Summer PREP 2022. Students are required to complete all four PREP phases and pass the Capstone to successfully complete PREP. Of the 565 students, 91% successfully passed their Capstone and completed PREP.
The Winter 2021 PREP intake welcomed 167 students. Of the 167 students, 144 students completed the four PREP phases and challenged the September 2022 Capstone where 81% of students successfully passed and completed PREP.
The Winter 2022 PREP intake saw 165 student enrolments. These students will write their Capstones in September 2023.
Soft Launch of Accelerated PREP
Based on feedback CPLED received from students highlighting the challenges they experienced balancing competing priorities between their Bar admission program and their articles, CPLED added a full-time version of the Practice Readiness Education Program (PREP), called Accelerated PREP, to its annual calendar. Accelerated PREP offers students and their firms greater flexibility in selecting the program delivery style that best suits their needs.
CPLED first offered Accelerated PREP during the summer of 2021 to a small cohort of 60 Alberta students. Firms reported students who participated in the inaugural offering arrived prepared and confident on day one of their articles. After the successful inaugural offering, CPLED offered a soft launch of Accelerated PREP, with cohorts across all four CPLED jurisdictions. There were 120 students registered in the program.
Of the 120 students registered for the program 83% successfully passed their Capstone and completed Accelerated PREP.
The Legal Research and Writing (LRW) Course
In support of Internationally Trained Lawyers (ITLs), CPLED partnered with the National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) to create and launch the Legal Research and Writing (LRW) course. CPLED designed the course to hone ITL students’ legal writing skills further and teach them how to conduct research for the Canadian legal system as they prepare for bar admission and practice in Canada. The LRW course launched nationwide in January 2022.
Since its initial offering, CPLED has seen increased interest in the course throughout Canada and internationally. This past year, CPLED delivered five course offerings to 791 students with a pass rate of 74%. Of the 791 students, 21% completed the course outside of Canada.
The online course is nine weeks long and consists of two modules and four assignments. Students receive valuable feedback from trained Assessors (practising lawyers with at least five years of experience).
2021-2023 Strategic Plan
The CPLED 2021-2023 Strategic Plan sets the organization's vision for long-term growth to meet the needs of its stakeholders. Over the last year, CPLED has taken steps to work towards achieving its strategic objectives:
1. Quality growth – Promoting collaboration to build and deliver new programs.
2. Best-in-class Bar admission program – Evolving to meet the needs of law societies and students.
3. Operational excellence – Having the right processes and systems in place.
4. Governance system – Aligning governance system to the business model.
Financial Reports
CPLED relies on the expertise of its external auditor, PwC, to review its financial records, statements, and transactions. You can find the financial statements for 2022-2023 on our website.
Looking Forward
The CPLED Board of Directors is preparing the organization's next three-year strategic plan for 2024-2027. CPLED will release the plan in July 2024, setting the organization's vision for long-term growth. CPLED is committed to meeting the needs of its students, contractors, partners, and other interested parties. The organization's passion drives its success in delivering quality products and services to Canada's legal community.