Bristol-based continuing professional development provider Progressive Legal Training Ltd has ceased trading, a week after the Solicitors Regulation Authority announced plans to scrap the mandatory 16-hour CPD training requirement for solicitors.

The firm, trading from High Street, Keynsham, Bristol, was established in 1995 and provided around 3,000 CPD courses across the country. 

A message on Progressive Legal’s website said today: ‘We very much regret to inform you that we have now ceased trading.’ Phone calls were answered by an automated message announcing the closure.  The privately held company filed an annual return to Companies House on 19 May.

The SRA last week approved plans to remove the CPD requirement from November 2016 and said it will cease to accredit CPD courses from November this year. 

Instead solicitors will be required to pledge an annual commitment to CPD via their practising certificate renewal.

Both the Law Society and the Legal Services Consumer Panel criticised the plans.

According to the SRA, 1,300 CPD providers and around 1,500 firms and lawyers are accredited to provide training in-house.

The SRA expects to lose £500,000 in CPD accreditation fees as a result of the overhaul.