Practitioners are required to complete a minimum of 10 CPD points each year to maintain their practising certificate, stay up to date with legislative changes and the evolution of the ‘business of law’ in their practices.
QLS offers opportunities to help practitioners gain their Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points such as:
- attending seminars and conferences
- preparing for presenting at seminars/conferences
- viewing on-demand recordings of conferences/seminars
- publishing articles in law journals and other legal publications such as Proctor
- becoming a member of a QLS section or committee.
CPD Rules And Policies
The Legal Profession Act 2007 gives the Society power to make rules in respect of CPD.
Those CPD Rules are set out in Part 6 of the Queensland Law Society Administration Rule 2005.
A CPD Guide can be downloaded from this page to provide guidance on CPD compliance for Queensland solicitors.
CPD Record keeping
There are a number of ways that you can record your CPD activities:
- Spreadsheet template — This template includes a drop-down selection of format types to help you to categorise your activities. It can be downloaded from this page.
- Spreadsheet template for Accredited Specialists — This template contains the additional areas required to maintain your accreditation
- Member profile — Practitioners can access their online member profile at myQLS. Simply logon to myQLS, select CPD History to view and update your CPD points. Members will have to manually record activities taken to obtain CPD points.
CPD Audit
QLS annual CPD Audit is conducted by a random selection of QLS members. If you are selected for the Audit, you will be asked to complete a CPD report/statement and return it to QLS within 14 days.
You should ensure that you keep records of your CPD activities in a manner which will enable you to provide the following information if audited:
- number of CPD units claimed;
- the activity undertaken in respect of which the CPD units have been claimed (including for example the date, provider, format, description and, if relevant, an indication of which mandatory core area the activity relates);
- the reasons for claiming that the activities for which the CPD units have been claimed satisfy the CPD Rules; and
- particulars of any exemptions granted under the CPD Rules.
You may be required to provide further evidence in support of your statement. Supporting documentation includes payment receipts, records of attendance, and seminar notes.
If you have not complied with the CPD Rules, you will be given an opportunity to make a proposal to the CPD Committee to rectify the deficiency in compliance with the CPD Rules. If you fail to comply with an audit request, further action may be taken as set out in the CPD Rules
