Southern Law Association

• What is CPD?  
• Group Study  
• Management and Professional Development Skills  
• Regulatory Matters  
• Monitoring & Enforcement  
• Writing relevant material that is published  
• E-Learning  

Monitoring & Enforcement

Solicitors are asked to verify their compliance with the CPD Scheme on their practising certificates' applications on an annual basis. Then, the Society may subsequently request sight of an applicant’s Record Card and/or proof of CPD attendances as part of the Society’s audit review process. Solicitors are asked not to return their record cards unless requested by the Society.

The Society will study a random sample of CPD record cards to check that the required hours of CPD have been completed and will take appropriate steps to verify that the solicitors in the sample selection have undertaken the group study part of the CPD. Group study may be verified by requesting the solicitor to produce proof of attendance or in the case of delivering a lecture by a request for a transcript of the lecture and the programme of the training event.

If a solicitor has not complied with the CPD regulations, he/she may be referred to the Education Committee in the first instance. At that time, an explanation shall be sought from the solicitor, they can be invited to interview and a further time for compliance may be granted. If a solicitor does not follow the direction of the Committee at that time, such continued failure to comply may be referred to the Disciplinary Tribunal for investigation.

Solicitors in full time employment of the State are asked to verify their compliance with the CPD Scheme by 1 June each year, to the CPD Scheme Executive. They may be then requested to provide further proof of attendance as part of the audit review process that applies to all solicitors.