The Continuing Professional Development program helps Law Society members achieve and maintain high standards of competency and professionalism.

BC practising lawyers, both full-time and part-time, must complete 12 hours of accredited CPD within the calendar year. At least two of the 12 hours must pertain to any combination of professional responsibility and ethics and practice management.

Although the Law Society encourages self-study, the 12 hour requirement does not include self-study, such as reading or reviewing recorded material on one’s own.

The CPD program is an online self-reporting system. Application for accreditation of courses and other professional development activities can be made both by education providers and individual lawyers, either before or after the event. Application for accreditation before rather than after the event is strongly recommended.

The Law Society program is flexible and permits lawyers to meet the requirement in a way that matches their own professional goals and learning preferences, and is as straightforward as reasonably possible for lawyers and education providers.