Continued Professional Development (CPD)
Mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD) provides a means of measuring professional development and competence in the legal profession. Its purpose is to maintain the public’s confidence in this self-governed profession, and to ensure the public is well served by a legal profession that is independent, responsible and responsive.
MANDATORY CPD REQUIREMENTS
Members are required to complete a minimum of twelve (12) hours of CPD activity, including a minimum of two (2) hours focused on legal ethics or law practice management, during each membership year (April 1st to March 31st).
Time accredited to your CPD must be:
- relevant to a lawyer’s professional needs,
- pertinent to long-term career interests as a lawyer,
- in the interests of the lawyer’s employer, or
- related to the professional ethics and responsibilities of lawyers.
The learning activities should combine substantive, technical and practical content.
The subject matter does not need to deal primarily with Northwest Territories or Canadian law. Credit is available for subject matter related to the law of other jurisdictions.
The following activities will not be approved:
- activity designed for or targeted primarily at clients;
- pro bono activities whether for clients or other parties; and
- activities repeated within the same calendar year.
Credit is available for the following activities:
- Participation in courses
- Participating in online “real time” courses, streaming video, web and/or teleconference courses, if there is an opportunity to ask and answer questions; or
- Reviewing a previously recorded course including by telephone, including sessions on the Law Society You Tube channel.
- Law Society and Canadian Bar Association section meetings or educational programs
- The actual time spent attending an educational program or section meeting, excluding any portion of the meeting that is not devoted to educational activities.
Study groups
Where at least two lawyers or a lawyer and articling student are together for educational purposes at the same time (including by telephone, videoconference or other real time communications technology);
Attendance at an editorial advisory board meeting for legal publications and on legal reform groups is included, provided it is not part of your regular employment;
No credit is available for work on individual client files.
Teaching
Teaching a legal course or professional education course to an audience that includes as a principal component, the general public, lawyers, paralegals (who are employed or supervised by lawyers) and/or articling students but not targeted primarily at clients;
Credit is only available for the first time the teaching activity is performed in the reporting year;
Credit is available for volunteer or part-time teaching only, when it is not a regular feature of the lawyer’s employment.
Writing
Writing books or articles intended for publication and relating to the study or practice of law or to be included in course materials for any audience;
Actual time spent writing, to a maximum of six hours, can be claimed for any writing project;
Credit is available for volunteer or part-time writing only, and not for writing that is done as a part of the lawyer’s regular employment.
Law Society You Tube Channel
In 2020 the Law Society established a You Tube channel. This channel houses previously recorded Law Society CPD sessions, and can be useful for members in search of CPD credits.
RULES OF THE LAW SOCIETY
For more information about mandatory CPD, members are advised and encouraged to review Rule 70 of the Rules of the Law Society of the Northwest Territories.
