Continuing Professional Development Enters its Second Year

Declaration Deadline: March 15, 2010

There are two ways to declare that you have prepared a Continuing Professional Development Plan. You may:

1. Declare online using the planning tools at www.CPDAlberta.ca.
2. Declare on the form included with the Member Information Update Form which has been mailed to you.

New rules on Continuing Professional Development (CPD) were approved by the Benchers in November 2008. Every active lawyer needs to create and declare to the Law Society of Alberta a Continuing Development Plan by March 15 of each year.

The Benchers have adopted a self-directed learning approach which imposes on each lawyer the individual responsibility for the ongoing maintenance and improvement in the substantive, technical, practical or intellectual components of professional development and competence in the practice of law.

The Rules of the Law Society of Alberta and Code of Professional Conduct require that a lawyer:

• annually prepare and make a record of a Continuing Professional Development Plan in writing or electronic form,
• on or before March 15 of each year, declare the creation of this CPD Plan to Law Society of Alberta , and
• retain the written or electronic record of the plan for 5 years, and provide it to the Law Society upon request.

The Law Society of Alberta regulates lawyers in the public interest. It is important to be accountable and demonstrate to the public that lawyers maintain and strive for high levels of professionalism and competence in the practice of law. The Law Society of Alberta is committed to self-regulation of the legal profession, and to establishing the highest standards of governance and protection of the public.

Rules and Code Changes (PDF 43k)
What Must I Do? (Step-by-Step Instructions) (PDF 39k)
Learning Activities (PDF 37k)
Frequently Asked Questions (PDF 44k)

Resources

Online Tools (PDF 26k)
Sample Plans (PDF 52k)

If you have any questions or need more information about how to make or declare a Continuing Professional Development Plan, please contact the Law Society of Alberta at 403-229-4700.

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