CPD FAQ S When does the CPD year start and end? The CPD year will commence on 1 October each year and close on 30 September. What are my CPD requirements? CPD requirements and guides for each grade of membership can be found on the CPD section of the CILEx website; this section outlines the annual requirements and gives guidance on your obligations. The section can be found here; CPD Requirements. I work part-time; will CILEx pro rata my CPD? If you are currently in any form of part-time employment you will still be required to undertake CPD in the same way as members in full-time employment. Unfortunately this is matter is non-discretionary. This requirement has been reviewed by CILEx Regulation and still remains. We understand that some members work fewer hours than their full-time colleagues; however it is the view of CILEx Regulation that part-time employees undertake the same level of responsibility as that of full-time colleagues and therefore, the need to remain up to date is all the same. I currently am not employed in a legal role; do I have to do CPD? If you are registered in the standard practising grade of membership you are required to undertake and submit CPD annually. The CPD handbook states that members who are currently working outside legal practice will be required to complete CPD in the normal way in accordance with the Regulations, although they will not be required to designate a specialist area for CPD study. You need to ensure you submit your CPD through your mycilex account by 30 September. Should you be aware that you may be moving to a role which is not of a legal nature for an extended period of time and will not be able to complete CPD annually, you may be eligible to apply to transition your grade of membership to Non-Practising status. For more information on the Non-Practising status email membership@cilex.org.uk
My membership was upgraded during the CPD year, what are my requirements? Affiliate member to an Associate member If your membership is upgraded from an Affiliate member to an Associate member you do not need to undertake CPD until the next CPD year. Your requirements will then start from the 1 October as an Associate member. Associate member to a Graduate member If you upgrade from an Associate member to a Graduate member you need to undertake the CPD requirements of an Associate member, as you started the CPD year in the Associate grade. From the 1 October you begin CPD as a Graduate member. Graduate member to a Fellow If you upgrade from a Graduate member to a Fellow of CILEx you need to undertake the CPD requirements of a Graduate member as you started the year in the Graduate grade. From the 1 October you begin CPD as a Fellow of CILEx. What can count as CPD? Details of the activities that may be counted as CPD can be found below: CILEx Law School CPD Updates Relevant Journal or Internet Articles Attendance at courses or seminars Distance Learning Courses (including e-learning) In-house training by employer Training by local CILEx or Law Society Branches Academic or professional study Production of a dissertation Research of a legal topic in specialist areas only Preparation and delivery of training courses Work shadowing Coaching or mentoring
What is Professionalism? All members who are required to undertake CPD must complete one professionalism activity each year. Professionalism is directly linked to you as a Professional rather than your area of practice and must not be directly related to Law. Examples of what may be counted as the Professionalism requirement can be found below; Client Communication Skills Time Management Skills Dealing with Challenging Situations with Clients Knowledge of Ethical Issues Understanding of Compliance Issues by referring to the CILEx Code of Conduct or Company Policy Manuals. I m still taking my CILEx exams; do I have to submit CPD? If you are in a grade of membership to which CPD applies you are required to undertake and submit CPD. You can use your academic or professional study towards CPD provided it meets the scheme requirements. What is an Outcome? An outcome is basically defined as the focus of the scheme requirements or what is that you want to achieve through the activity. For example: To update my knowledge of changes to Civil Procedure Rules, To improve my skills in advocacy, To maintain my awareness of equality and diversity issues are outcomes. How do I log my CPD online? Outcomes-based CPD can be logged on your mycilex account under: CPD online > Record and when complete, submit, your annual CPD Activity > Add new outcomes based CPD record. Hours-based CPD can be logged on your mycilex account under: CPD online > Record and when complete, submit, your annual CPD Activity > Add new hours based CPD record.
Why won t the online logbook accept my CPD outcome? I have not gone over the word limit. Please note that when logging your CPD online there is no word limit. However, there is a character limit; this includes letters, spaces and punctuation. We ask members when logging CPD online to keep their submission approximately 2 to 3 lines in each section. Further detail in relation to your outcome can be recorded in reflection documents. If for any reason you are still experiencing difficulties you may contact us for assistance either via membership@cilex.org.uk or on Twitter using the #CILExHelp. I have to submit two outcomes in Advocacy, what can I submit? CILEx Advocates and Associate Prosecutors are required to undertake 2 of the 5 planned outcomes in advocacy focused activities. These 2 outcomes should be planned and should focus on developing your skills as an advocate and knowledge of procedure. Outcomes can be met through a variety of different CPD activities including attendance at courses, shadowing other advocates, and webinars which focus on drafting arguments. The options are open to advocates to decide how they wish to develop each year however it is advised that they check these activities with CILEx Regulation to ensure they meet the requirements for any future renewal process. Am I able to achieve more than one outcome from an activity? Yes, you may wish to use the different topic titles which you cover from an activity to count as individual outcomes, you will need to ensure that you reflect on these individual outcomes and tell us how this has helped developed your knowledge or skills.
I don t think I will be able to log my CPD by 30 September; will I be able to have some extra time? If you believe that you will be unable to meet the CPD requirements by 30 September, you can apply for an extension of time. The request must be made no later than 31 August as stated in the CPD handbook and must include an explanation of the circumstances which have prevented you from meeting the CPD requirements. We would ask that you include an action plan which demonstrates how you will comply with the requirements by 31 December. Will you check my CPD? We sample members CPD records to assess how you meet your CPD obligations. We review whether the outcome benefited your professional knowledge or skills, and was relevant to your role. We sample a random 2.5% of members from each discrete part of the regulated community. If you are selected for sampling, you will be asked to supply additional documentation in support of what you have already entered onto your online logbook which demonstrates that you have achieved an appropriate outcome, in accordance with the CPD planning cycle. I am currently on Maternity leave; will I still need to complete CPD? If you are on Maternity leave for 6 months of the CPD year or longer then you will be able to apply for a dispensation from having to complete CPD, you will be able to gain this dispensation by emailing membership@cilex.org.uk once you have been on leave for 6 month of the CPD year. If you are not on leave for more than 6 months of the CPD year you will still be required to complete the CPD requirements for your grade of membership.
While completing the Work Based Learning Portfolio is there a reduction in CPD Requirements? There is a reduction available for Graduate members who are completing the Work Based Learning Scheme; this allows Graduate members to make an application to CILEx Regulation to reduce the number of CPD outcomes they complete to 5 outcomes. However, the CPD reduction will only be granted once the Work Based Learning Portfolio is submitted, this way we are able to monitor the reductions being awarded. With the requirements being reduced to 5 outcomes; you would need to ensure you have 5 planned outcomes, with 1 of your 5 planned outcomes being Professionalism. If you do not make the application to CILEx Regulation then your requirements will be 9 outcomes. You will need to email CPD@cilexregulation.org.uk but you can only do this once you have submitted your WBL portfolio to CILEx Regulation. This reduction must be applied for during the CPD you wish to gain a reduction for. Should you still have any questions in relation to CPD you will be able to contact us through the following means: Email: membership@cilex.org.uk Phone: 01234 845777 Twitter: Using #CILExHelp