Firms had better sit up and take note. On 1
September, 2000, the first formal monitoring of a firm’s training contract took place. With a chief monitor of the calibre and conviction of Debrah Ball at the helm, one can be forgiven for misquoting Ally McBeal: “There’s a new woman in town… and she’s not messing around!”
The change from voluntary to professional monitoring of training contracts was implemented in July 2000. The Training Contracts Review Group, established by The Law Society, recommended this reform. With the appointment of Ball, along with 21 other professional monitors, it is anticipated that monitoring will have a major impact on firms.
