Early Career Lawyer CPD Series Policy

B. Historical Agreement for CPD Series annual scheduling
There is a longstanding agreement between ECLs and the Society in relation to the ECL CPD Series annual schedule. This annual schedule was established to take into consideration several factors including the Society’s human resources, technology requirements and capacity. These schedules take considerable time to prepare, and as such the ECL CPD Series dates provided by the Society each year need to be factored into this.

The Society schedules and hosts over 100 meetings each year for its Committees and Council, and runs approximately 80-100 CPD hours annually. As such, the Society endeavours to arrange 2-3 CPD events under each ECL name per committee year. These CPD events will ideally be run on a Thursday from 4-5pm.

C. CPD topics
1.1 Collection Tool: At the commencement of the committee year ECL committees, through their CPD coordinators, are to please provide to the Society a list of up to 5 prioritised CPD topic options using that year’s Collection Tool. The information collected will include the following: a summary of at least three learnings sought for the given session proposal; presenter suggestions; and the mandatory CPD categories (as guided by Practice Guideline no 4) to which the topic relates.

1.2 Timing: A link to the Collection Tool is provided by the Society to each ECL CPD Coordinator to gather this information. And the completed information is to please be received at latest by 30 June of the committee year.

1.3 Arrangement of CPD Events: In accordance with the information provided in the Collection Tool by the ECL CPD Coordinator, the Society will endeavour to arrange 2-3 CPDs under each ECL name per committee year.

The table of ECL CPD dates is under I. below.

D. CPD event communications to Society members
1.1 All correspondence relating to an ECL CPD event will be distributed by the Society. Wording for the ECL correspondence is to be sent through to amal.cutler@lst.org.au.

1.2 If an ECL would like to invite non-Society members please include the non-member address list. Every 6 months this list will be returned to the respective ECL to be updated for currency of contact details and the less than 10 years PQE status of each on the list.

E. CPD event fee structure

1.1 Event registration fees – A scheduled fee will be charged for Society arranged ECL CPD events. Please note that on occasion and where relevant, the Society is open to considering free/complimentary events to the profession. As at 1 May each year, unless otherwise notified in advance (ideally immediately post the ECL April AGM), ECL CPD event fees will remain the same as those listed for the previous committee year.

1.2 Event registration fees for non-members – Non-member rates are to be applied to those who are not members of the Society.

1.3 Registration fee discounts for law students – This is to be considered by each ECL and the Society is to be notified of any CPD event fee discounts on offer in any given year.

1.4 CPD Event Registration Fees to the Society
These fees contribute to supporting the overall Society CPD program including administrative, technology, venue, and other associated costs. Terms and conditions of the Society, which have been adopted by the ECLs, can be found here. These fees may change, at the Society’s discretion, in line with its annual registration fee review.

1.5 Event and recordings fee structure

• ECL CPD event: Society deducts a 25% admin fee per standard 1 hour registration/ticket purchase after GST and TryBooking fee (2.5%) is deducted.
• ECL CPD events of one hour and more: the Society deducts a 30% admin fee per registration/ticket purchase after GST and Trybooking fee (2.5%) is deducted.
• ECL Social event: GST and TryBooking fee (2.5%) will be deducted. Admin fee will be waived.

1.6 CPD Event Recordings
If a presenter provides consent for their ECL CPD event to be recorded, and the recording is viable, it will be listed on the Society’s Online Recording Store.

1.7 Profit margin share for sold recordings: ECL receives 25% per standard 1-hour recordings sale after GST is deducted. Eway gateway (cart) fee is waived.

F. CPD event thank you and post-event feedback

• Thank you gifts and post-event messages are the responsibility of the respective ECL committee.
• The Society emails all attendees with a CPD presentation feedback survey through Survey Monkey. Once the survey is closed after approx.14 days, a copy of the summary is emailed to the respective ECL CPD coordinator for sending on to the presenter/s as soon as possible.
• It is expected that within a month of the event the ECL will send to the event presenter/s any feedback, or questions asked (in the survey) along with the thank you correspondence.

G. The CPD event – in-person and livestreamed
1.1 For in-person CPD events, the ECL representative is to:

• arrive at the venue at least 15 minutes prior to the commencement of the CPD event;
• allow time to be guided through the use of Chat Box and taking questions from online attendees;
• set up the room including any banners etc.;
• be early enough to meet and greet the presenter and all other guests (chair, facilitator, panelists etc.);
• welcome attendees and ensure they sign the CPD registration sheet;
• introduce the presenter/s and run through housekeeping such as emergency exits and toilets etc.;
• thank the presenter/s at the end of the presentation (and offer a gift where appropriate);
• remind attendees to fill in the event feedback survey (as it helps inform future events);
• remain until the last attendee has left the Society;
• leave the room clean and tidy (removing left over event materials) and, if any catering is supplied, clear away dishes, stack and turn on dishwasher; and
• turn off lights. (The Society will turn off any technology that it provides).

1.2 Chat Box Function: In the Zoom webinar environment participants can only interact with the presenters through the Chat Box. This requires the CPD coordinator (or delegate) to be prepared to monitor the Chat Box and pass on participant questions/comments to the presenter. The Society will take you through this either prior to the event on the day, or in the run through session for hybrid events.

1.3 For Zoom CPD events, the ECL representative is to:

• login online Zoom at least 10 minutes prior to the CPD event (the Society will send through a participant link on the morning of the CPD event);
• be prepared to, on behalf of the ECL committee, introduce the presenter if required;
• thank the presenter at the conclusion of the CPD event.

1.4 CPD event registrants

• A list of registrants (name and organisation only) will be sent to the ECL representative after the CPD event closes in Trybooking.
• All correspondence to and from registrants to an ECL CPD event will be via the Society email, cpd@lst.org.au.

H. Contact details
For all ECL CPD management and general queries please contact Amal Cutler on (03) 6234 4133 or at cpd@lst.org.au.

I. Table of Thursdays (4-5pm) for ECL CPD events
2026-2027 ECL committee year (1 May to 30 April each year)