How to Choose the Best Legal CPD Provider in Australia

 
 
Legal CPD guide
 

The right legal CPD provider should do more than help you earn CPD points. It should give you access to relevant, current and practical professional development in a format that works for you, your practice and your firm.

 
The short answer

When choosing a legal CPD provider in Australia, look at practice area coverage, presenter expertise, current content, learning formats, practical relevance and how easily your CPD can be managed.

Choosing legal CPD is not simply a matter of finding enough programs to meet annual professional development requirements. The value of CPD comes from choosing learning that is relevant to your work, responds to current legal developments and gives you practical insights you can use in practice.

For law firms and legal teams, there is another layer to consider. Professional development may need to work across multiple practice areas, practitioners, learning preferences and locations, while remaining straightforward to manage.

Choosing a provider
What should you look for in a legal CPD provider?
 

When comparing legal CPD providers in Australia, consider how well the provider can support both your professional development and the realities of legal practice.

1
Practice area coverage
Look for professional development that goes beyond broad legal updates and gives you access to learning relevant to the area in which you actually practise.
2
Presenter expertise
Programs should feature experienced practitioners and subject matter experts who can connect legal developments with the practical issues lawyers encounter in their work.
3
Current content
Legal CPD should respond to legislative change, significant decisions, developing risks and other issues affecting contemporary legal practice.
4
Choice of learning formats
Access to face-to-face seminars, live online programs and on-demand recordings gives lawyers flexibility in how they complete their professional development.
5
Practical application
Strong CPD should help you understand not only what has changed, but what those developments mean for your work and your clients.
6
CPD management
Firms and legal teams may also need an efficient way to monitor professional development, certificates and CPD records across multiple practitioners.
Learning your way
Face-to-face, live online or on-demand CPD?
 

There is no single learning format that works for every lawyer. Different formats can serve different purposes throughout the CPD year.

 
Face-to-face legal seminars

Face-to-face Legalwise seminars can suit practitioners who value live presentations, a dedicated learning environment and opportunities to connect with presenters and other professionals.

 
Live online legal CPD

Live online Legalwise CPD provides access to scheduled professional development without the need to travel, making it useful for practitioners who want live learning with greater location flexibility.

 
On-demand legal CPD

Legalwise on-demand CPD provides greater scheduling flexibility, allowing lawyers to complete professional development around client commitments, court appearances and other demands on their time.

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For many lawyers, the most practical CPD strategy is not choosing one learning format. It is having the flexibility to use face-to-face, live online and on-demand learning throughout the year.

Firm-wide CPD
What should law firms consider?
 

Choosing CPD for an entire firm or legal team is different from selecting an individual seminar. The solution needs to accommodate different lawyers, responsibilities and areas of practice.

Before choosing a firm-wide provider, consider:
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How many lawyers require access to professional development?
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Which practice areas need to be covered?
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Which jurisdictions do practitioners operate in?
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Do team members need face-to-face, live online and on-demand options?
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How will CPD records and certificates be managed?
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Does the provider offer enough specialist and current legal content for different teams?
 
Where Legalwise fits
Why consider Legalwise Seminars?

Legalwise Seminars provides professional development for lawyers and legal professionals through upcoming face-to-face and live online CPD programs and on-demand CPD recordings.

Legalwise programs span a broad range of practice areas, giving practitioners the flexibility to choose professional development relevant to their work. Legalwise also provides CPD solutions for firms and legal teams managing professional development across multiple practitioners.

Specialist learning
Legal CPD across specialist practice areas
 

Depending on the current program calendar, Legalwise professional development spans a broad range of areas of legal practice, including:

Before you decide
7 questions to ask before choosing a legal CPD provider
 
01.   Does the provider offer CPD relevant to my practice area?
02.   Are presenters experienced in the subjects they teach?
03.   Can I choose between face-to-face, live online and on-demand learning?
04.   Is the content focused on current legal developments?
05.   Will the learning have practical application to my work?
06.   If I manage a team, can professional development be managed efficiently across practitioners?
07.   Does the provider regularly offer relevant programs throughout the year?
 
Key takeaway
Choose CPD around your practice, not simply your points.

The right legal CPD provider will depend on your practice area, jurisdiction, learning preferences and professional development needs. Look for relevant content, experienced presenters, practical learning and enough flexibility to make CPD work alongside the demands of legal practice.

 
Continue your learning
Find the right Legalwise CPD for you

Explore upcoming seminars, live online professional development and on-demand legal CPD across a broad range of practice areas.

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