2023/2024 CPD Year Ended

28/03/2024

The Bar Association will audit barristers' CPD compliance as part of the practising certificate renewals for the 2024/25 year. The audit will focus on CPD activities for the 2023/24 CPD year, which ends on 31 March 2024.

Barristers are reminded to refer to the Legal Profession Uniform Continuing Professional Development (Barristers) Rules 2015 for guidance on CPD requirements.

These rules stipulate, with some exceptions, a requirement to obtain 10 points in the CPD year from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 with at least 1 point in each of the four categories:

• Ethics and Professional Responsibility
• Practice Management and Business Skills
• Substantive Law, Practice and Procedure, and Evidence
• Barristers’ Skills

For a detailed list of activities that can count towards CPD points, barristers can refer to the official rules (Rule 6 &6A).

Barristers who still need to acquire all their required points are encouraged to do so before the deadline of 31 March 2024. CPD Online is available to assist barristers in meeting their requirements, offering access to Bar Association seminars via online streaming. Past seminars are also accessible 24/7, along with accompanying papers. Barristers who may have misplaced their login details can reset them through the online portal. To reset your login details, click "Sign In" on the homepage, then select "Unknown Password or Username" and fill in the required fields. An email with your new details will be sent to your registered email address.

We encourage barristers to update their CPD attendances within their members portal, under their CPD profile. Everything that is watched through the online streaming will be automatically recorded, all other activities such as the online webinars, conferences and external cpd’s need to be added manually. When the audit occurs, our system uses this online CPD profile to determine if one has met the CPD requirements.

The CPD form is for barristers to keep their own record and if the association requests for further details. This form will only need to be provided at renewal time if you have not updated your online record.

Additionally, barristers can consult the CPD Calendar for information on upcoming seminars.

It's essential for barristers to maintain a record of their CPD engagement for the CPD year using CPD online or the paper CPD Record form. This record must be retained for at least three years following the CPD year (Rule 12). Seminars viewed through online streaming will be automatically recorded on your CPD record in CPD online, while in-person and other CPD activities must be manually entered.

During practising certificate renewals, barristers will be required to either:

• Complete the CPD Record table in the online renewals platform (note, if you have a CPD Record on your profile on CPD Online, this will automatically appear in the renewals platform); or
• Email a copy of the completed CPD Record form to cpd@nswbar.asn.au.

These measures aim to ensure barristers continue their professional development and uphold the standards of the legal profession.

---