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Summary of the CPD Guidelines

Practitioners who are to comply with Practice Guideline no. 4

  • All holders of a local practising certificate – no matter what area or role in legal practice; or whether working part-time or as a locum – are required to acquire a minimum of 10 CPD points across all 5 mandatory CPD categories in a CPD year.
  • A CPD year is 1 May to 30 April each year.
  • If a practitioner holds a local practising certificate for less than a CPD year, the above minimum is proportionally reduced in accordance with this table. See rule 3.9 of Practice Guideline no. 4.

Types of CPD activity and the number of CPD points that can be recorded for compliance purposes

  • CPD activities can be completed in Tasmania, interstate or overseas.
  • If you accrue CPD points in February, March or April of a CPD year, you may may choose to assign any or all of those points in excess of the mandatory minimum of 10 CPD points for that year either to that CPD year or to the next CPD year.
  • From any one day of CPD activity a maximum of 6 CPD points can be recorded for compliance purposes.
  • If you are practising as a barrister you are not required to complete the Practice Management (PM) CPD activities. Instead a barrister must complete the CPD point under Professional Skills in advocacy, alternative dispute resolution, research skills and other skills related to a barrister’s work as set out in Part 8 of the Rules of Practice.

2.5 In respect of CPD activities:

CPD Activity CPD Point Allocation Points Cap

Attendance at a CPD seminar, workshop, lecture, conference, educational program or course or discussion group or interactive livestreamed seminar. 

 1 hour equates to 1 CPD point No cap

Preparing or presenting material for a CPD seminar, workshop, lecture, conference, educational program or course or discussion group or interactive livestreamed seminar. 

 1 hour equates to 1 CPD point CPD points cap is 4

Undertaking of a course at a tertiary institution relevant to law or legal practice.  

 1 hour equates to 1 CPD point CPD points cap is 5

Viewing/ listening a web-based CPD session or recording. 

 1 hour equates to 1 CPD point CPD points cap is 5

Preparing material for a web-based CPD session or recording. 

 1 hour equates to 1 CPD point CPD points cap is 5

Publishing, reporting a case, editing a law report, or substantively editing or refereeing, an article in a legal publication. 

 1000 words of an article equates to 1 CPD point  CPD points cap is 3

Publishing, reporting a case, editing a law report, or substantively editing or refereeing, an article in a non-legal publication that provides you with professional development across any of the 5 mandatory CPD categories.  

 1000 words of an article equates to 1 CPD point CPD points cap is 3

Regular attendance at meetings, and participation as a member, of a committee or other body undertaking work of substantial significance to the practise of the law and which is reasonably likely to assist your professional development. 

 2 hours of the activity equates to 1 CPD point  CPD points cap is 3

Any of the following conducted within a legal practice – attendance at, or preparing or presenting material for, a CPD seminar, workshop, lecture, conference, educational program, course or discussion group. 

 1 hour equates to 1 CPD point  CPD points cap is 3

Any other activity specifically approved by the Society (see rules 2.5(b) or 2.5(c) of Practice Guideline no.4. For this, approval must be sought before the end of the CPD year unless the Society determines otherwise. 

 1 hour equates to 1 CPD point The Society will determine

Activities that do not constitute a CPD activity, in the absence of approval of the Society as per rule 2.5, (and without purporting to be exhaustive) are reading of case law, texts or articles; repeated teaching into the same course; mentoring early career lawyers or students; observance of Court proceedings; and attendance at wellness sessions/retreats and undertaking physical education or activity.

    
     

 

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The 5 CPD mandatory categories

  • Equality and Wellbeing (EW)
  • Ethics (E)
  • Practice Management (PM)
  • Professional Skills (PS)
  • Substantive Law (SL)

The list of examples of CPD training that relates to each of these mandatory categories are by way of illustration only and are not intended to be exhaustive.

Guidance on determining what constitutes profession development for you

  • The activity must be of significant intellectual or practical content primarily related to your practise of law.
  • It must be conducted by someone qualified by practical or academic experience in the subject covered.
  • It must be relevant to the your immediate or long-term professional development needs.

The minimum information required in your CPD record of compliance

  1. The CPD activity and event name (if applicable).
  2. The date of the event.
  3. The CPD points claimed.
  4. The mandatory category to which it relates (EW, E, PS, PM, SL)
  5. The provider or training entity.

Tip – you should keep – for at least 2 years after the completion of each CPD year – supporting documentation to accompany your records. This can be receipts, enrolment records, certificates, transcripts, attendance lists, assessment reports, copies of presentation notes, employer reports and detailed diary notes.

Tip – record your CPD history in a legible CPD tracker/table. See this example.

Circumstances that may exempt you from compliance in any given CPD year

  1. Illness or disability.
  2. The location of the practitioner’s legal practice.
  3. The absence of the practitioner from legal practice.
  4. Hardship or other special circumstances.

Certification of compliance
When you apply for renewal of your practising certificate you must certify – in the application form – that you have completed a minimum of 10 CPD points across all 5 mandatory CPD categories in the CPD year preceding the year to which your application relates.

CPD audits
The society may require you to provide information – such as your record of CPD activities and supporting evidence – in relation to your compliance with your CPD obligations and any special conditions on your practising certificate. See audit FAQs here.