Mental health & neurodiversity training

Training that helps your firm look after its people.

Certified mental health and neurodiversity courses for solicitors, partners, HR teams and support staff, including how to speak with neurodivergent and distressed clients. Handpicked from trusted providers, plus in-person workshops delivered at your office.

Browse courses → In-house training
CPD certificatesTeam licencesBuilt for legal teams
⚖️Solicitors & barristers
🏛️Partners & leadership
🤝HR & practice managers
🏢Businesses & their teams
Why Sound Counsel exists

Too many people are let down before their case has even started

Nobody taught solicitors how to listen to a client who thinks, speaks or processes information differently.

People with ADHD, autism and other neurodivergence often struggle to find a solicitor who understands them. It is rarely down to bad intent. Most firms simply were never trained. A first meeting can feel overwhelming, instructions get misunderstood, important details are missed, and the person who needed help most walks away feeling unheard.

Sound Counsel was started by Amy McGrath, who brings 32 years of personal experience of neurodivergence and a determination to close that gap. The aim is simple: practical, affordable training that helps legal teams speak with clients clearly, kindly and fairly.

  • Built from lived experienceThe content comes from what really goes wrong in client meetings, not from theory.
  • Practical, not preachySmall changes a firm can make this week, such as how instructions are taken and how advice is written up.
  • For the whole firmFee-earners, reception, support staff and leaders all shape how a client feels.
Check how ready your firm is →

Courses from trusted providers

What we cover

Six areas every firm needs covering

Pick a single course for one person, or build a pathway for a whole department.

Course library

Online courses, ready to start today

We vet every course for quality and relevance to legal and professional teams, then bundle them with team licences and progress tracking.

Certification and accreditation vary by course and are shown on each listing. Some courses are delivered by third-party providers on their own platforms.

Learn with Sound Counsel

Our own online courses

Self-paced courses written by Sound Counsel. Watch the videos, read the guides, take the quiz and earn a certificate you can show clients and colleagues.

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How it works

From sign-up to certified in three steps

Choose your courses

Pick individual courses or tell us your goals and we'll build a pathway for each role in your firm.

Enrol your team

One invoice, team licences, and simple enrolment links for every member of staff.

Track & certify

See who's completed what, and keep certificates on record for training and CPD logs.

In-house training

Prefer it in person? We'll come to you.

Interactive workshops at your office, tailored to the realities of legal practice — from trainees to partners.

  • Half-day and full-day workshops for teams of 6–30
  • Content shaped around your firm's practice areas and pressures
  • Pairs with online courses for follow-up and certification
  • Leeds and Yorkshire first, with nationwide dates available
Enquire about a workshop

Amy McGrath

Training lead & facilitator

Amy works directly with firms to understand what their people need, then designs and delivers sessions that are practical, honest and easy to act on.

Lunch & learn60–90 mins
Half dayUp to 3.5 hours
Full dayWorkshop + Q&A
OngoingQuarterly sessions
Why it matters

Good for your people. Good for your practice.

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Legal work is demanding

High-pressure caseloads, long hours and distressing client matters take a toll. Training helps teams recognise strain before it becomes a crisis.

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Support your duties as an employer

Help managers understand reasonable adjustments and how to support colleagues with mental health conditions and neurodivergence.

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Keep CPD and competence on record

Certificates and completion records make it simple to evidence ongoing learning and development.

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Retain and attract talent

People stay where they feel supported. A visible wellbeing commitment matters to trainees and experienced hires alike.

Firm readiness check

How ready is your firm to work with neurodivergent clients?

Ten quick questions, about two minutes. You will get a score and the three areas most worth looking at first.

The charter

The Neurodiversity-Aware Firm Charter

A badge a firm earns, not buys. Once your team has completed the training below and holds the certificates, you can apply, and clients looking for a solicitor can see your firm has done the work.

Neurodiversity-AwareFirm Charter SIGNATORY · SOUND COUNSEL

To qualify, complete all three steps

  1. AwarenessMental health awareness for the whole firm.
  2. NeurodiversityUnderstanding ADHD, autism and other neurodivergence at work.
  3. Speaking with ClientsTaking instructions and explaining advice to neurodivergent and distressed clients.

Certificates can come from any recognised provider, including Sound Counsel. If you earned yours on a Sound Counsel course, type its code (like SC-ABCD-1234) as the reference and we will check it straight away. Firms whose three Sound Counsel certificates all check out are approved automatically.

Then keep to six commitments

  1. Ask how clients prefer to communicatePhone, email, in writing or in person, and record the answer on the file.
  2. Follow up in plain EnglishSend a short written summary after meetings with clear next steps.
  3. Make room for adjustmentsOffer extra time, breaks, a quieter space or a different format when asked.
  4. Explain the process, jargon freeTell clients what happens next at every stage and what is expected of them.
  5. Keep client-facing staff trainedMake sure new joiners complete the same training.
  6. Listen and review every yearAsk clients for feedback on accessibility and act on what you hear.

How the Charter stays trustworthy

Certificates last 3 years. Each certificate must have been completed within the last 3 years. A firm's Charter runs for 3 years from its oldest certificate, and after that the team retakes the training and the firm applies again to renew.

Random spot checks. To keep things consistent and fair for every firm, we may carry out random spot checks. We might ask to see certificates, the list of certified staff, or how the six commitments are being kept. A firm that cannot show these, or whose details turn out to be wrong, can have its badge removed.

Only firms whose certificate details have been checked and approved can display the badge and appear below. The charter is a public commitment, not a regulatory accreditation, and Sound Counsel does not audit firms.

Apply once your training is complete

Have your certificates to hand. They must have been completed in the last 3 years. We check the details before approving, and we carry out random spot checks, so we may ask to see them.

Step 1: Awareness
Staff certified for this step
Step 2: Neurodiversity
Staff certified for this step
Step 3: Speaking with Clients
Staff certified for this step
Insights

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Get in touch

Let's talk about your team

Tell us a little about your firm and what you're looking for. We'll come back within one working day with options and pricing.

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Free 20-minute call
No obligation, no hard sell.
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Team pricing
Discounts for 10+ licences.
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In-person workshops
Leeds-based, travelling nationwide.

Need support right now? Legal professionals can contact LawCare on 0800 279 6888. In an emergency, call 999.