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Do online courses count for NSW solicitors’ CPD?

Yes, if the program is interactive. The Law Society says web-based programs earn 1 unit per hour with no cap, while private study of audio or visual material is passive and capped at 5 units. You self-assess whether an activity counts, because the Law Society has no process for pre-approving providers.

Sources for this answer
  • A seminar, workshop, lecture, conference, discussion group, multimedia or web-based program earns 1 unit per hour, minus refreshment breaks, with no cap. [S2]
  • Web-based programs are uncapped, while private study of audio or visual material is capped at 5 units. [S1]
  • The Law Society of NSW says it has no process for pre-approving CPD providers or courses; each solicitor decides how many units to claim for an activity. [S2] [S1]

What interaction means

The Law Society says web-based programs offer opportunities to interact with the material, and gives examples of interactivity.

  • Quizzes, tests and polls that test knowledge, comprehension or ability to apply concepts.
  • Scenarios that require a choice from various options to proceed.
  • Real-time discussion and chat in live programs.
Facts and sources for this part
  • The distinction is interaction: web-based programs offer opportunities to interact with the material, while private study of audio or visual material is passive. [S1]
  • The Law Society gives examples of interaction: quizzes, tests and polls that test knowledge, comprehension or ability to apply concepts, and scenarios that require a choice from various options to proceed. [S1]

Who decides

CPD is based on self-assessment. If you assess that an activity extends your knowledge and skills in areas relevant to your practice needs or professional development, you can claim it.

The Law Society says it has no process for pre-approving providers or courses, so a provider cannot promise that a course will count. Each solicitor decides how many units to claim.

Facts and sources for this part
  • CPD is based on self-assessment: if you assess that an activity extends your knowledge and skills in areas relevant to your practice needs or professional development, you can claim it. [S1]
  • The Law Society of NSW says it has no process for pre-approving CPD providers or courses; each solicitor decides how many units to claim for an activity. [S2] [S1]

Which field

Providers may suggest a field, but it is up to the practitioner to decide. The Law Society’s examples for practice management and business skills include risk management, file management and effective use of technology.

  1. Lesson 1What the NSW CPD rules ask, and where this course fits4 min
Facts and sources for this part
  • The Law Society’s examples for practice management and business skills include risk management, file management and effective use of technology. Providers may suggest a field, but it is up to the practitioner to decide which field an activity falls in. [S2]

What to record

Write the date, the provider, the subject, the hours, the field you chose and why it was relevant. Keep evidence of completion, such as a certificate or receipt, for at least 3 years.

Facts and sources for this part
  • You must keep a record of your activities and evidence that they were completed for at least 3 years. [S1]

A fair question to ask any provider

Ask what the program actually does: are there quizzes, polls or scenario choices, and how long does it take a careful reader? The answers help you decide how many units to claim. A claim that a course is “approved” would be a reason to look harder, because the Law Society has no approval step.

Facts and sources for this part
  • The Law Society of NSW says it has no process for pre-approving CPD providers or courses; each solicitor decides how many units to claim for an activity. [S2] [S1]
  • The Law Society gives examples of interaction: quizzes, tests and polls that test knowledge, comprehension or ability to apply concepts, and scenarios that require a choice from various options to proceed. [S1]