Law CPD Requirements - Barristers

Since 1st December 2020 the CPD Scheme has applied to all practicing barristers.

The Mandatory Continuing Professional Development Requirements are as follows:

All practising members of the Bar are subject to the continuing professional development regulations. Compliance is an obligation of the Code of Conduct (para. 202(b)). In the first three years’ of practice, newly qualified practitioners are required to complete 45 hours of continuing professional development (CPD), including at least 9 hours of advocacy training and 3 hours of ethics (the ‘New Practitioners’ Programme’). After the first three years of practice, barristers are required to undertake 12 hours of CPD each year (the ‘Established Practitioners’ Programme’).

Those subject to the EPP must complete 12 CPD hours every calendar year, 4 of which must have been accredited by the Bar Standards Board.

All Barristers called to the Bar of Northern Ireland after September 1st 2020 must complete within the first 12 months from the date of their call:

• A Northern Ireland Bar Advocacy Training Course; and
• A Northern Ireland Bar Ethics Course.

For more information visit www.barlibrary.com/cpd/guidelines.htm.

Use our CPD Planner (advanced search) to find relevant CPD courses available with BPP