The Legal Education and Training Review (LETR), the long-awaited investigation into standards of legal education in the UK, has been further delayed, with the research team's report now not expected to be released before this May.

The review, billed as the most fundamental examination of legal education and training since the Ormrod report of 1971, is looking at the pros and cons of the removal of certain elements of the current system, citing the issue of the 'bottleneck' created by current qualification paths such as the training contract.

Other proposals to have been mooted have included the abolition of the concept of a qualifying law degree and common training for budding lawyers.

In a statement yesterday (18 January), the LETR said: "The report is not now expected to be submitted to the three sponsoring regulators (the Solicitors Regulation Authority, the Bar Standards Board and the Institute of Legal Executives Professional Standards) before May 2013, following which it will be published."

The body said the research team was making "good progress" to ensure the final report reflected "the range and depth of the data collected through extensive engagement with stakeholders".

Last November the LETR had indicated to Legal Week that a final publication date was "unlikely before mid-January".

Yesterday's statement continues: "The sponsoring regulators support the research team's view that it is important to ensure that the data is fully reflected in the report, even though that means a delay in its finalisation."

The group's research team began its work in June 2011, tasked with a complete review of education and training in all regulated and non-regulated legal services. On publication of the findings, it will be up to regulators to decide what action they will take in response to the recommendations.

In August a discussion paper published by the group highlighted "fundamental gaps" in the teaching of key commercial and client relationship skills, as well as communication, ethical awareness and organisational skills.