CPD in a nutshell

Part of CILEx Regulation’s role is to ensure that legal professionals provide competent services and that consumers feel protected and confident in using those services. Before we authorise anyone, we check that they have the right qualifications and experience, but how do we ensure that they continue to be up to date? We have ongoing requirements, called continuing professional development (or CPD). CPD is compulsory for most of our regulated community.

What counts as CPD?

CILEx does not accredit CPD training and therefore there is a wide range of activities that can be used for CPD, including courses, e-learning, in-house training and reading the CILEx Journal, as well as work shadowing, coaching or mentoring a colleague to name a few.

Things to consider

Plan ahead

Depending on where you are with your studies, CPD may focus on the number of hours you devote to developing your knowledge, or on what you get out of the training you undertake.

If you are looking at the outcomes approach to CPD, a minimum of five of your nine outcomes must be planned in advance each year in accordance with the CPD cycle, which means you need to:

1. Reflect – Highlight some personal learning outcomes that you wish to achieve;
2. Plan – Pick an activity which will best help you to meet your outcome;
3. Act – Complete the chosen activity; and
4. Evaluate – After completing the activity take some time to evaluate its relevance.

Think about Professionalism

If you have to undertake CPD as a member of CILEx or as a CILEx Practitioner, then professionalism is an annual requirement. The outcome must develop or refresh your professional knowledge or skills in matters such as client care and communication skills, equality and diversity issues, business and social awareness, and time and resource management.

Tip: Professionalism can also relate to compliance matters, so you may wish to meet this outcome using anti-money laundering training, preparing for a Lexcel audit or reviewing office procedures.

Remember the deadline

In order to meet your CPD obligations, you must ensure that you log your CPD on your myCILEx account no later than 30 September each year.

Retain your records

We sample CPD records of 2.5% of members randomly each year. If you are selected for sampling, you will be asked to supply additional documentation in support of what you have entered onto your online logbook. You may want to keep course attendance certificates, notes taken during training sessions, course handouts or research you have conducted to support your CPD record. We suggest that you keep a copy of your CPD record at home and at work; this way you will always have it to hand should you need it.

If you would like more information on CPD, or to seek clarification of your requirements for the year, please email us or call 01234 845 770.

Detailed information on the CPD requirements can be found on the CILEx Regulation ‘Help with your CPD‘ page.