The appointment of Madeleine Jenness marks a pivotal development in ACL Training’s evolution.
- Jenness enters the role amid significant regulatory changes by the Costs Lawyer Standards Board.
- The new head aims to introduce a flexible education model with fast-track options.
- Upcoming reforms could reduce the required work experience for qualification from three years to two.
- The changes are part of a broader strategy to highlight alternative legal career paths.
In a strategic move, ACL Training has brought Madeleine Jenness on board as the head of education, an indication of the organisation’s focus on revamping its educational offerings. Jenness’s extensive background with the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners has equipped her with the skills to navigate this transformative period.
Her entry into the role comes at a crucial time, as the Costs Lawyer Standards Board (CLSB) is set to implement proposed reforms that await approval by the Legal Services Board. These reforms aim to reduce the length of qualifying work experience from three years to two, offering aspiring costs lawyers a more streamlined path to qualification.
The upcoming changes are designed to provide greater flexibility in the study periods and cater to a variety of student needs. This new approach could potentially attract a wider array of aspiring legal professionals to the field of costs law, traditionally overshadowed by more conventional legal careers.
Ms Jenness emphasises the importance of recognising alternative legal careers. She states, “It is an exciting time to be joining ACL Training. All too often, when we talk about legal careers, we focus on the roles of solicitor and barrister… What does not get enough attention are the alternative legal careers available, or the professional qualifications available post-qualification for specialism, of which costs law fulfils both.”
A report by consultancy Hook Tangaza, commissioned by the CLSB, highlighted the potential impact of these changes. Costs lawyers, the report suggests, might exert downward pressure on the cost of legal services, addressing concerns that expenses for large corporate buyers are spiralling out of control.
Madeleine Jenness’s appointment signifies a forward-thinking shift in ACL Training’s strategy towards modernising legal education pathways.
