Lawyers’ Continuing Professional Development Rules begin

1 October 2013

Lawyers’ Continuing Professional Development Rules begin

New Rules requiring New Zealand lawyers to develop and maintain a continuing professional development (CPD) plan and undertake at least 10 hours of CPD activities each year come into effect today.

Lawyers have a six-month transitional period from 1 October 2013 until the first full CPD year begins on 1 April 2014. They will be entitled to bring forward up to five hours of CPD activities from the transitional period into the first full year.

The New Zealand Law Society says its CPD initiative is a modern and innovative scheme which is driven by current educational thinking.

Individual lawyers are responsible for identifying and fulfilling their own learning requirements through a structured process of self-assessment and reflection.

Under the CPD Rules lawyers will develop and maintain a CPD Plan and Record and keep this updated with details of the activities they undertake. Lawyers will be required to lodge declarations of their compliance with the CPD requirements at the end of each CPD year.

New Zealand Law Society Executive Director Christine Grice says the Law Society has provided lawyers with comprehensive information about the new initiative and a series of seminars on CPD are being held around the country over the next fortnight.

“This is an exciting development and we are confident that New Zealand’s lawyers are ready for introduction of formal CPD which is flexible and based on the individual lawyer’s needs,” she says.

“The CPD initiative will support the high standard of service that New Zealanders expect of our legal profession.”

ENDS

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