CPD for Lawyers in Australia and New Zealand

You are required to complete ten (10) CPD units each year. This includes at least one (1) CPD unit in each of the following compulsory fields: Ethics and professional responsibility Practice management and business skills Professional skills Substantive law There is no limit on CPD Units received from CPD Activities in the form of seminars, workshops, lectures, conferences, discussion groups, multimedia or web-based programs, etc.

Unless exempted in whole or in part by the designated local regulatory authority under rule 13, or unless a pro rata calculation applies under this rule, a barrister must in each CPD year engage in CPD activities sufficient to earn at least ten CPD points (1) A barrister must, unless otherwise exempted, in each CPD year engage in CPD activities in each of the categories set out below— (a) Ethics and Professional Responsibility, (b) Practice Management and Business Skills, (c) Substantive Law, Practice and Procedure, and Evidence, (d) Barristers’ Skills. (2) These categories are subject to any requirement of the designated local regulatory authority or legislation.

Legal Practitioners are required to complete a minimum of 10 CPD points in a CPD year. The CPD year begins on 1 April and ends on 31 March the following year. CPD points can be attained through a variety of methods. Practitioners must accrue at least one CPD point in a Substantive Law (SL) competency and one CPD point in each of the four prescribed core competencies. The four core competencies are: 1. Professional Ethics and Responsibility (CA); 2. Practice Management and Business Skills (CB); 3. Professional Skills in Legal Practice (CC); 4. Skills relating to identifying, addressing and preventing bullying, discrimination and harassment in the workplace (CD).

Each year solicitors must complete ten CPD units. Each CPD year you must complete at least one CPD unit in each of the following mandatory core areas: a. practical legal ethics; b. practice management and business skills; and c. professional skills.

The Administration Rules provide that, in each CPD year, you must: - obtain at least 10 CPD points, earning not more than six CPD points in any one day; - obtain at least one CPD point (noting that one CPD point is equal to one, one hour CPD session) in each of the following mandatory categories: Ethics and Professional Responsibility; Practice Management and Business Skills; Substantive Law, Practice and Procedure, Evidence; and Barristers’ Skills

Requirements
Legal practitioners in South Australia must complete 10 CPD units each year during the MCPD year, which runs from 1 April to 31 March.

Each practitioner must complete at least one unit in each of the following categories:

• Practice Management and Business Skills
• Bullying, Discrimination and Harassment (BDH)
• Professional Skills
• Practical Legal Ethics

Eligible CPD Activities
A CPD activity must have significant intellectual or practical content related to the practice of law and be conducted by persons qualified by experience or academic background. Activities may include:

• Attending or presenting at seminars, workshops, or lectures
• Completing web-based or recorded programs
• Preparing or publishing professional legal materials
• Participating in committee work of professional significance

Certain CPD activities are capped per year (e.g., maximum 5 units for OnDemand, recorded programs). Up to 3 months of excess CPD units (completed Jan–Mar) may be carried forward.

Accreditation & Course Eligibility
Courses do not require pre-approval from the Law Society of South Australia. Practitioners may choose any relevant CPD activity that aligns with their immediate or long-term professional development needs.

Record-Keeping & Audit Requirements
Practitioners must maintain written records of all CPD activities for 3 years after the end of each CPD year, including evidence of participation and the number of CPD units completed. Records must be produced within 14 days if requested by the Society.

Non-Compliance and Rectification
If a practitioner fails to meet MCPD obligations by 31 March:

• By 14 April – Lodge a statutory declaration outlining non-compliance and a rectification plan.
• By 31 May – Complete the rectification.
• By 7 June – Lodge a declaration confirming completion.

Failure to comply may affect renewal of the practising certificate.

Full details: https://www.lawsocietysa.asn.au/site/for-legal-practitioners/working-as-a-legal-practitioner/mandatory-continuing-professional-development.aspx

Solicitors are required to complete ten (10) CPD units each year. This includes at least one (1) CPD unit in each of the following compulsory fields: Ethics and professional responsibility Practice management and business skills Professional skills Substantive law

The CPD year commences on 1 April of each calendar year and concludes on 31 March of the following year. Barristers must complete a minimum of 10 CPD points in a CPD year. Barristers must complete at least 1 CPD point per CPD year in each of the following categories: Substantive Law, Practice & Procedure; Barrister Skills; Ethics & Professional Responsibility; and Practice Management & Business Skills. Each year the Victorian Bar conducts a random audit to ensure that members are complying with their CPD obligations.

In summary, a practitioner who holds an Australian practising certificate is required to complete: a minimum of 10 CPD units/points at least one unit/point in each of the four fields/categories at least 6 interactive CPD units/points. As set out in rule 7(1) of the Solicitor’s CPD Rules and rule 6(1) of the Barrister’s CPD Rules, the criteria for each CPD activity is that it must be: of significant intellectual or practical content and must deal primarily with matters related to the practice of law conducted by persons who are qualified by practical or academic experience in the subject covered relevant to and extend knowledge and skills in areas relevant to the practitioner’s professional development needs. As set out in rule 6 of the Solicitors’ CPD Rules, the four fields are: ethics and professional responsibility practice management and business skills professional skills substantive law. As set out in rule 9 of the Barristers’ CPD Rules, the four categories are: ethics and professional responsibility practice management and business skills substantive law, practice and procedure, and evidence barristers’ skills.