What CPD points do I need?
Are you a CPD lawyer in Australia wondering how many points you need to maintain your practicing certificate?
First off, what exactly is CPD? It stands for Continuing Professional Development, and it’s basically like going back to school for lawyers. It’s a way for us legal types to keep our skills and knowledge sharp, so we can continue to provide the best service possible to our clients.
So, how many CPD points do you need and in what areas? Well, it depends on the state or territory you’re in. In New South Wales, for example, you need to earn 10 points every year.
Within those ten (10) units CPD lawyers must include at least one (1) CPD unit every CLE year in each of the following compulsory fields:
- Ethics and professional responsibility
- Practice management and business skills
- Professional skills
- Substantive law
Requirements are slightly different in non-Uniform Law states and it’s best to check with the Law Society of your jurisdiction of practice. As a guide, Queensland lawyers require one (1) mandatory unit in each of ethics, practice management and business skills, and professional skills. South Australian lawyers are required to complete one (1) mandatory unit in each of ethics, practice management and business skills, and professional skills with the addition of a mandatory unit on bullying, discrimination and harassment.
Now, let’s talk about how you can earn those points. There are a variety of ways, including attending in-person seminars and conferences, as well as completing online courses and self-study programs.
But, let’s be real, who wants to sit in a boring seminar all day? That’s like being in detention on a Saturday. Unless that detention resembles something similar to The Breakfast Club, I think for most people it would be a hard pass!
But don’t worry, there are plenty of options for earning points that are actually interesting and relevant to your practice like Australia’s first CPD podcast, Hearsay the Legal Podcast. Not only is it a fun and informal way to learn, but it covers a wide range of legal topics and features interviews with some of the top legal minds in the industry. So, if you’re a CPD lawyer looking to stay ahead of the game, give Hearsay a listen, you won’t have to worry about feeling like you’re stuck in detention.
Now, let’s talk about tracking your CPD points. Hearsay the Legal Podcast makes it easy for CPD lawyers to keep track of their points. So, you don’t have to worry about keeping a bunch of receipts or trying to remember which workshops you attended. Just log in to your account, and you’ll have all the information you need.
So, to sum up, CPD points are a necessary part of being a lawyer in Australia, and the category of points required varies depending on the state or territory you’re in. But no matter where you’re located, you can earn points through Hearsay the Legal Podcast. Not only is it a fun and informal way to learn, but it covers a wide range of legal topics and features interviews with some of the top legal minds in the industry. So, if you’re a CPD lawyer looking to stay ahead of the game, give Hearsay a listen. And, the best part is that you can find interesting and relevant options that won’t make you feel like you’re stuck in detention.