Competency Framework
Important Update to PREP’s Competency Framework: CPLED Adopts the Western Canada Competency Profile (WCCP)
On October 1, 2025, the CPLED Board of Directors formally approved the adoption of the Western Canada Competency Profile (WCCP), which was a landmark decision that shapes the future of bar admission training across Western Canada.
Beginning May 2026, the PREP curriculum will be aligned with the WCCP, ensuring that candidates are trained and assessed against a modern, validated set of competencies developed in collaboration with law societies from Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Nova Scotia.
This shift reflects CPLED’s commitment to:
- Modernizing legal education to meet the evolving demands of the profession.
- Promoting consistency and fairness across jurisdictions.
- Supporting interprovincial mobility and shared standards for entry-level legal practice.
- Integrating Indigenous perspectives, trauma-informed approaches, and real-world client care into the curriculum.
Implementing the Western Canada Competency Profile (WCCP) into our bar admission training program ensures that CPLED remains at the forefront of legal training in Canada.
WCCP Framework
To be called to the Bar, candidates require more than knowledge of the law; PREP candidates must display multiple competencies and qualities that holistically examine the key elements needed to practice law successfully in Canada.
The WCCP outlines seven key domains and 86 performance indicators that define what newly called lawyers need to know and do at the point of entry to practice. PREP content reflects these standards throughout the Foundation Modules, Foundation Workshops, Virtual Law Firm assignments, and Capstone Evaluation.
The WCCP consists of seven key domains and the following competencies:
- Fulfill ethical obligations and abide by professional standards
- Conduct oneself professionally
- Respect the rights of all people to the equal protection and benefit of the law, and acknowledge the diversity of Canadian communities
- Deliver clear and audience-centric communications
- Create quality legal documents
- Communicate in a timely manner
- Understand the experiences of the Indigenous Peoples of Canada
- Understand how reconciliation with the Indigenous Peoples of Canada can be incorporated into legal practice
- Determine suitability of establishing lawyer-client relationship
- Establish client relationships
- Manage client relationships
- Establish and maintain professional relationships
- Demonstrate emotional intelligence
- Collect and evaluate all pertinent information
- Conduct legal research
- Perform legal analysis and develop strategy
- Ascertain client goals and set expectations
- Adopt client-centred approach
- Provide legal advice
- Represent client interests
- Advocate effectively for client interests
- Support own well-being and that of others
- Manage work activities and files
- Use technology responsibly
- Understand billing, accounting and finance
In addition to the above domains and competencies, 86 performance indicators form the WCCP (see the link below). These are the focal points in the PREP Assessment Criteria and form the basis for assessment in the Virtual Law Firm and Capstone Evaluation.