Comparative CPD requirements

In all states and territories of Australia legal practitioners are required, as a condition of their practising certificates, to participate in compulsory professional development and training. Although the requirements are reasonably uniform, the terminology differs. In some states the requirement is known as Continuing Legal Education (CLE), or Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE). In others it is known as Compulsory Professional Development (CPD). There are also different requirements for barristers and solicitors.

For consistency, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is used in this guide.

In each jurisdiction, the relevant one-year period begins on 1 April and ends on 31 March.

The CPD requirements in each state and territory are summarised below:

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

Annual Mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD) = 10 units

Core Areas

A minimum of one CPD unit from each of the following areas:

• Legal ethics and professional responsibility;
• Practice management and business skills;
• Professional skills; and
• Substantive law and procedural law.

Section 47 of the Legal Profession Act 2006 (ACT) and the Law Society of the ACT CPD Guidelines.

NEW SOUTH WALES

Annual Mandatory Continuing Professional Development = 10 units

Compulsory Fields

A minimum of one unit per year from each of the following fields:

• Ethics and Professional Responsibility;
• Practice Management and Business Skills;
• Professional Skills; and
• Substantive Law.

Legal Profession Uniform Continuing Professional Development (Solicitors) Rules 2015 and s 52 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law (NSW).

NORTHERN TERRITORY

Annual Mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD) = 10 points

Core Competencies

A minimum of one point per year from each of the following mandatory competency areas:

• Ethics and professional responsibility;
• Practice management and business skills; and
• Professional Skills in legal practice.

Schedule 2 of the Legal Profession Regulations 2007.

QUEENSLAND

Annual Mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD) = 10 units

Mandatory Core areas

A minimum of one unit per year in each of the following mandatory core areas:

• Practical legal ethics;
• Practice management and business skills; and
• Professional skills.

Part 6 of the Queensland Law Society Administration Rule 2005.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Annual Mandatory Continuing Professional Development (MCPD) = 10 units

Required Areas

A minimum of one unit per year from each of the following required areas:

• Practical legal ethics;
• Practice management and business skills; and
• Professional skills.

Legal Practitioners Education and Admission Council Rules 2018.

TASMANIA

Annual Mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD) = 10 units

Mandatory Core Competency Areas

A minimum of one unit per year from each of the following mandatory competency areas:

• Practical legal ethics;
• Practice management and business skills; and
• Professional skills; and
• Substantive law.

Law Society of Tasmania’s Practice Guideline 4 – Continuing Professional Development Scheme and s 56 of the Legal Profession Act 2007.

VICTORIA

Annual Mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD) = 10 units

Compulsory Fields

A minimum of one unit per year from each of the following compulsory fields:

• Ethics and Professional Responsibility;
• Professional Skills;
• Substantive Law; and
• Practice Management and Business Skills.

Legal Profession Uniform Continuing Professional Development (Solicitors) Rules 2015 and s 52 Legal Profession Uniform Law.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Annual Mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD) = 10 points

Mandatory Competency Areas

A minimum of one point per year from each of the following mandatory competency areas:

• Practice management;
• Professional skills;
• Ethics and professional responsibility; and
• Substantive law.

Legal Profession Act 2008, Legal Profession Rules 2009 and Legal Profession Regulations 2009.

Summary of continuing professional development activities

CPD Activity	Activity format	Formula
Max CPD	Maximum number of CPD units that can be completed in a day. TAS maximum = 6.	N/A
Attendance	Course, seminar, workshop, lecture, conference, discussion group, multimedia or web-based program. TAS maximum = 3 WA maximum = 6 All other Jurisdictions = No limit.	1 Hour = 1 CPD
Study	Private study of audio/visual material recording of an event that occurred in the CPD year. NT maximum = 5 QLD, VIC, ACT = No limit.	1 Hour = 1 CPD
View	View or listen multimedia or web-based program. ACT – No limit NT maximum =5 SA maximum = 5 TAS maximum = 5 WA maximum = 4.	1 Hour = 1 CPD
Private	Private study of audio/visual material update solicitor’s knowledge and skills. ACT – No limit NSW maximum = 5 NT maximum =5 QLD maximum = 5 VIC maximum = 5.	1 Hour = 1 CPD
Research	Research, preparation or editing of a legal article. ACT maximum = 5 NSW maximum = 5 NT maximum =5 QLD maximum = 5 SA maximum =5 TAS maximum = 3 VIC maximum = 5 WA maximum = 5.	1,000 words = 1 CPD
Activity preparation	Preparation of CPD activities. ACT maximum = 5 NSW maximum = 5 NT maximum =5 QLD maximum = 5 SA maximum =4 TAS maximum = 4 VIC maximum = 5.	1 Hour = 1 CPD
Presenting.	Presentation of a CPD activity. ACT maximum = 5 NT maximum =5 QLD maximum = 5 SA maximum =4 VIC maximum = 5.	1 Hour = 1 CPD
Present WA	Presentation of a CPD activity and commentator. WA maximum = 6.	1 hour – 2 CPD
Membership actives	Membership of legal committee, taskforce or practice section of a law association or similar body. ACT maximum = 3 NSW maximum = 3 NT maximum =3 QLD maximum = 3 SA maximum =5 TAS maximum = 3 VIC maximum = 3.	2 hours = 1 CPD
Graduate study	Post graduate study. NT maximum = 5 TAS maximum =5.	1 Hour = 1 CPD
Specialist	Completion of a specialist accreditation program.	10 points incl compulsory
Practice Management	Completion of practice management course.	10 points incl compulsory