CPD Criteria

Content focusing on the professional and ethical practice of law, including conducting one’s practice in a manner consistent with the Legal Profession Act, the Law Society Rules, the Code of Professional Conduct for British Columbia, and generally accepted principles of professional conduct.

Eligible practice management topics

• client care and relations, including managing difficult clients;
• trust accounting requirements, including:
  • trust reporting;
  • financial reporting for a law practice;
  • interest income on trust accounts;
  • working with a bookkeeper;
• Federal and provincial tax remittances, including employee income tax remittances;
• technology to assist running a law practice including:
  • law office systems;
  • e-filing;
  • legal document preparation and management, including precedents;
• retainer agreements and billing practices relating to Law Society requirements, including:
  • unbundling of legal services;
  • permissible alternative billing arrangements;
• managing client expectations related to fees and disbursements;
• file systems, including retention and disposal;
• emergency planning, including law practice continuity for catastrophic events and coverage during absences;
• managing law firm staff, including:
  • Code of Professional Conduct for British Columbia requirements;
  • training, supervising and delegating to staff
• identifying conflicts, including:
  • conflict checks and related systems;
  • client screening;
• diary and time management systems, including:
  • limitation systems;
  • reminder systems;
  • follow-up systems;
• avoiding "being a dupe"/avoiding fraud;
• complying with Law Society Rules
• understanding the business of law, including:
  • the marketing of a law practice in accordance with professional obligations, including client development
  • strategic business planning
  • the management and running of a law practice
  • the technological systems incorporated into running a law practice
  • the financial systems incorporated into running a law practice
• multicultural, diversity and equity issues that arise within the legal context
• mentoring best practices for lawyers
• succession planning and related issues

Ineligible practice management topics

• any activity developed primarily for the purpose of marketing to existing or potential clients
• maximizing profit
• commoditization of legal services
• surviving a recession

Eligible lawyering skills topics

• effective communication, both oral and written;
• interviewing and advising;
• problem solving, including related critical thinking and decision making;
• advocacy;
• arbitration;
• mediation;
• dispute resolution
• negotiation;
• drafting legal documents;
• legal writing, including related plain writing;
• legal research;
• legal project management;
• technology to support a legal practice, including:
  • e-discovery;
  • in the courtroom;
  • client record management;
  • converting electronically stored information into evidence;
  • social networking technology to facilitate client communication (but excluding marketing and client development);
• training to be a principal
• governance issues related to the practice of law
• leadership for legal professionals

Ineligible lawyering skills topics

• general business leadership
• general project management

Approved educational programs must be designed to help lawyers detect, prevent or respond to substance use problems, mental health or stress-related issues that can affect professional competence and the ability to fulfill a lawyer’s ethical and professional duties. Such educational programs must focus on these issues in the context of the practice of law and the impact these issues can have on the quality of legal services provided to the public.

To qualify for credit, professional wellness subject matter must be part of an approved educational program, which includes the following learning modes: in-person programs; real time programs delivered through technology; reviewing previously recorded courses; interactive online study programs; writing; and teaching. Group study and mentoring on professional wellness subject matter will not be eligible for credit.

The presentation and instructional materials must be specifically directed at lawyers. The topics must be discussed in the context of the legal profession and in relation to the quality of legal services provided to the public.

Eligible professional wellness topics

• Substance use problems and mental health issues
• Educational programs that focus on developing awareness of substance use problems and mental health issues in the practice of law are eligible for approval. Examples of topics include alcohol and drug dependencies, addictive or self-harming behaviours, anxiety and depression.
• The content of these educational programs may focus on any or all of the following: recognizing the signs and symptoms of substance use problems or mental health issues in oneself or one’s colleagues, preventive measures; coping techniques, the effects of impairment, intervention strategies, reducing stigmatizing behaviours and attitudes, and the availability of the Lawyers Assistance Program (LAP) to help face these issues.
• Educational programs will only receive credit if the presentation of material includes a component that addresses the risks substance use problems and mental health issues pose to lawyers’ ability to meet their obligations under the Law Society Rules, the Code of Professional Conduct and the Legal Profession Act.
• Stress and stress-related issues
• Educational programs that focus on developing awareness of stress and stress-related issues in the practice of law are also eligible for approval. Examples of topics include procrastination, isolation, boundary setting and “burnout.”
• The content of these educational programs may focus on any or all of the following: recognizing the signs and symptoms of stress in oneself or ones colleagues; preventive measures; coping techniques; the effects of stress or stress-related problems; intervention strategies; reducing stigmatizing behaviours and attitudes; and the availability of the Lawyers Assistance Program (LAP) to help face these issues.
• Educational programs will only receive credit if the presentation of material includes a component that addresses the risks that stress and stress-related issues pose to lawyers’ ability to meet their obligations under the Law Society Rules, the Code of Professional Conduct and the Legal Profession Act. 

Ineligible professional wellness topics

• yoga courses,
• breathing exercises and meditation courses,
• healthy eating courses,
• exercise classes,
• courses addressing revaluating personal career decisions or navigating career transitions,
• counselling sessions and treatment programs, and
• learning activities that focus on personal life events and associated issues (e.g. personal trauma, grief and bereavement).

Courses or educational activities dealing primarily with substantive law are eligible for CPD credit.

Courses or educational activities dealing primarily with procedural law are eligible for CPD credit.

The Law Society will recognize educational programs that address knowledge primarily within the practice scope of other professions and disciplines, but are sufficiently connected to the practice of law as a subject matter that is eligible for CPD credit.