Legal Services (Professional Development) Regulations, 2025

PUBLISHING DETAILS Arrangement of Regulations Regulation Regulation 1 In exercise of the powers conferred by section 99 of the Legal Services Act, 2020, the Cabinet makes the following Regulations — Citation and commencement (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Legal Services (Professional (2) These Regulations come into force on 1st January, 2026. Interpretation In these Regulations — “approved institution” means an educational institution that is approved by the Council; “Business Staffing Plan” has the meaning assigned by section 2 of the Immigration (Transition) Act, (2022 Revision); “Business Staffing Plan Board” has the meaning assigned by section 2 of the Immigration (Transition) Act, (2022 Revision); “recognised programme” means a post-graduate course of study referred to in regulation 4(2)(b) and Regulation 3 “scholarship programme” means a scholarship programme established under regulation 4(1); and “scholarship student” means a student granted a scholarship under regulation Application These Regulations do not apply to a law firm that has eleven or less attorneys-at-law who hold practising certificates. Scholarship programme (1) A law firm shall establish and maintain a scholarship programme and provide a scholarship to at least one Caymanian at all times, subject to — (a) applications being made to the law firm by Caymanians who meet the requirements or conditions of this regulation; and (b) the appropriate number of scholarships being maintained by the law firm in accordance with its Business Staffing Plan. (2) A Caymanian may apply to a law firm for the grant of a scholarship if the Caymanian is accepted on any one of the following courses of study — (a) a full-time undergraduate course of study in law — (i) at the Truman M. Bodden Law School of the Cayman Islands; or (ii) if agreed by the responsible firm, at — (A) a university in the United Kingdom; (B) University of the West Indies; or (C) an approved institution; or (b) one of the following post-graduate courses of study — (i) the Professional Practice Course provided by the Truman M. Bodden Law School; (ii) the Legal Practice Course authorised by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority for qualification as a solicitor in England and Wales; (iii) the Solicitors Qualifying Examination authorised by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority for qualification as a solicitor in England and Wales; (iv) the Bar Professional Training Course authorised by the Bar Standards Board for qualification as a Barrister in England and Wales; (v) a Graduate Diploma in Law or Post Graduate Diploma in Law approved by the Bar Standards Board or the Solicitors Regulatory Authority or (vi) any similar course of study. Regulation 5 (3) A scholarship under this regulation shall cover — (a) at least one-half of; or ‘ (b) if required by the Council having regard to the size of the law firm, all of the costs relating to the course of study for the duration of the course of study referred to in either paragraph (2)(a) or (b) or both. (4) A law firm may grant a scholarship on the condition that the scholarship student continues to meet such academic and other criteria as the law firm may impose. (5) In this regulation — “Bar Standards Board” means the independent regulatory body for barristers in England and Wales; “Solicitors Regulatory Authority” means the independent regulatory body for solicitors in England and Wales. Articles of clerkship (1) A law firm shall offer interviews for articles of clerkship to each scholarship student who — (a) applies for and is granted a scholarship by the law firm; (b) is accepted on to a recognised programme; and has obtained a degree classification of at least a lower second class or equivalent grade on the recognised programme or met such other criteria as specified by the law firm applying to all applicants for articles of clerkship. (2) An offer of articles of clerkship may be made to an applicant, subject to the applicant obtaining the degree classification or other criteria referred to in paragraph (1). (3) If any position for articles of clerkship is available following the acceptance of any offers made to a law firm’s scholarship students under paragraph (1), the law firm shall interview for articles of clerkship each Caymanian applicant who has attained a degree classification of at least a lower second class or equivalent on a recognised programme. (4) Where an application under this regulation for articles of clerkship at a law firm is unsuccessful, the law firm shall, within ten days after the decision to refuse the application is made, notify the applicant, in writing, of the decision and the reasons for the refusal. Opportunity for interview as an Associate (1) A law firm shall offer an interview for a position of associate to each articled clerk who successfully completes articles of clerkship with the law firm and applies to the law firm. Regulation 7 (2) An offer for a position of associate may be made to an applicant, subject to the applicant meeting the law firm’s approved requirements for the position of associate. (3) Where an application under this regulation for a position of associate at a law firm is unsuccessful, the law firm shall, within ten days after the decision to refuse the application is made, notify the applicant and the Council, in writing, of the decision and the reasons for the refusal. (4) In paragraph (2), “approved requirements” means requirements that have been approved by the Council. Training programme (1) A law firm shall establish and maintain a training programme for articled clerks, which, to the satisfaction of the Council, would provide exposure in each of the law firm’s main practice areas. (2) A law firm shall submit the details of its training programme established under paragraph (1) to the Business Staffing Plan Board and the Council. (3) A law firm may, subject to paragraph (4), include in its training programme a provision enabling the law firm to offer its articled clerks the opportunity to apply to undertake a portion of their articles of clerkship at the expense of the law firm in an affiliate of the law firm from which Cayman Islands law is practised. (4) A provision included in the training programme under paragraph (3) shall be subject to — (a) the employment law of the relevant jurisdiction; and (b) the ability of the affiliate of the law firm to provide appropriate experience and supervision. Training committee (1) A law firm shall establish a committee which shall be responsible for — (a) the administration of its scholarship programme; (b) the recruitment and development of scholarship students and articled clerks; the implementation of its training programme; and (d) oversight and development of articled clerks. (2) At least one member of the training committee shall be an attorney-at-law who is Caymanian. Regulation 9 Formal appraisal of articled clerk (1) A law firm shall conduct at least three formal appraisals of an articled clerk during articles of clerkship and provide a written report of each appraisal to the articled clerk. (2) An appraisal under paragraph (1) shall be conducted at least every six months. Maintenance of agreed ratio of articled clerks to attorneys-at-law

A law firm that has a Business Staffing Plan shall maintain a minimum number of articled clerks in accordance with the Business Staffing Plan submitted by the law firm to the Business Staffing Plan Board and the Council. Mentorship

(1) A law firm shall assign a mentor to each newly qualified attorney-at-law employed by the law firm. (2) The period of mentorship for each attorney-at-law under this regulation shall be three years after the attorney-at-law is admitted to practice. (3) A mentor shall be an attorney-at-law within the law firm with at least five years’ post qualification experience. Overseas opportunities

(1) A law firm, before inviting other applicants for recruitment of a person who has less than six years post qualification experience to practise Cayman Islands law in any affiliate of a law firm, shall advertise the role internally and invite applications from Cayman attorneys-at-law employed by the law firm who are of comparable post qualification experience to a candidate being sought and employed in the same practice area. (2) A law firm shall interview all Caymanian attorneys-at-law who are applicants for the role and meet the criteria in paragraph (1). (3) Where an application under this regulation is unsuccessful, the law firm shall, within ten days after the decision to refuse the application is made, notify the applicant, in writing, of the decision and the reasons for the refusal. Career development

(1) A law firm shall conduct an annual performance appraisal of each attorney-atlaw employed by the law firm, and provide a written report of the appraisal to the attorney-at-law. (2) An annual performance appraisal conducted under paragraph (1) shall address the attorney-at-law’s progression against the law firm’s criteria referred to in paragraph (3). Regulation 13 (3) A law firm shall ensure that the minimum criteria that are required to be met by an attorney-at-law for progression to salaried partner or equivalent in the law firm are applied equally to all attorneys-at-law employed by the law firm in the practice area and are communicated in writing to all attorneys-at-law employed by the law firm. (4) A law firm shall ensure that each Caymanian attorney-at-law employed by the law firm participates in any relevant programme of legal education or practical legal training offered by the law firm or approved by the Council. (5) A law firm shall offer each Caymanian attorney-at-law who has at least two years post qualification experience and who has been employed by the law firm for a minimum period of one year an opportunity to participate in the law firm’s business development activities, for the purpose of — (a) supporting the professional development of the Caymanian attorney-atlaw; and (b) providing the Caymanian attorney-at-law with exposure to clients. (6) A law firm shall offer each Caymanian attorney-at-law who — (a) has at least ten years’ post qualification experience; and (b) has been employed by the law firm for a minimum period of six years; and meets the minimum criteria that is required to be met by an attorney-atlaw for progression to salaried partner or equivalent, the opportunity to apply for salaried partner or equivalent with the law firm. (7) Where an application under this regulation for salaried partner or equivalent with a law firm is unsuccessful, the law firm shall, within ten days after the decision to refuse the application is made, notify the applicant, in writing, of the decision and the reasons for the refusal. Made in Cabinet the 13th day of November, 2025. Kim Bullings Clerk of the Cabinet