Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

The Western Australian Bar Association (WABA) is approved by the Legal Practice Board as a QA Provider of CPD activities.  Attendance at CPD events conducted by the WABA qualifies participants to CPD points for the purpose of satisfying requirements under Legal Profession Regulations 2009 made pursuant to the Legal Profession Act 2008.

The WABA's CPD programmes are tailored to meet the needs of practising as an independent barrister.

CPD Requirements

Each year, practitioners are required to complete 10 CPD points across the following three competency areas in order to apply for renewal of practising certificates. 

• Competency Area 1 - Legal Skills or Practice

• Competency Area 2 - Ethics or Professional Responsibility

• Competency Area 3 - Substantive Law

The CPD period commences on 1 April and concludes on 31 March the following year.   CPD requirements vary depending upon a practitioner's level of experience, eg

• A local legal practitioner who is not an experienced practitioner  (ie less than 5 years post-admission legal practice experience - as at the commencement of CPD period) must earn:

(a)    at least 4 CPD points that are within competency area 1; and

(b)    at least 4 CPD points that are within competency area 2.

• A local legal practitioner who is an experienced practitioner (ie more than 5 years post-admission legal practice experience - as at the commencement of CPD period) must earn:

(a)    at least 2 CPD points that are within competency area 1; and

(b)    at least 2 CPD points that are within competency area 2.

Click here to download a CPD record sheet for 2012-2013, which members may find useful for recording CPD points.