By As legal practice grows more interconnected, lawyers’ approach to CPD is evolving in a positive direction. Conferences and curated CPD programs are increasingly popular because they reflect how law actually operates in practice. Rarely does a single issue exist in isolation. Learning in a connected, structured environment allows practitioners to see those links clearly.
Importantly, this does not replace self-directed learning. Instead, it complements it. By combining individual sessions with thoughtfully designed programs, CPD focused lawyers can build both technical precision and strategic insight, turning CPD into a meaningful investment in their professional capability.
Q: Are conferences and curated programs becoming more popular choices for CPD?
A: One trend we are seeing is that lawyers are moving away from standalone sessions for CPD and towards conferences and curated CPD programs. This isn’t because they are more convenient, but because CPD topics are often too nuanced to cover in a single session. Clients want to know that their lawyers understand the subtleties of an issue. This requires context, pattern recognition and multiple viewpoints.
Q: How are curated CPD programs unique?
A: Curated CPD programs are built with intention. The topics are connected and layered to provide a more holistic view of commercial law and regulatory practice. So, while a standalone webinar may focus on one specific topic, a curated conference program will tackle the same issue alongside related topics such as governance, regulatory trends, risk allocation and ethics.
Curated programs allow attendees to develop a more nuanced understanding of how certain aspects of practice interact. Instead of simply learning about a new rule change, attendees will gain insight into how the change impacts transactions, how they should approach advising their clients and how to communicate with clients about the change. Curated programs are built with intention and allow for a fuller understanding of complex issues.
Q: How does shared intelligence help lawyers meet their CPD points for law obligations?
A: Lawyers are required to meet a certain number of CPD Points for Law in compliance requirements each year. These requirements are designed to ensure that lawyers maintain their knowledge on substantive law, ethics and professional conduct. But how lawyers earn those points is up to them.
While some lawyers choose to meet their CPD obligations by taking random CPD sessions at the end of their cycle, many are now choosing to attend conferences or curated programs to earn their points. That way, they can learn about multiple topics that satisfy their CPD requirements in one concentrated setting.
Q: How important is speaking engagement in conferences?
A: Speaking engagements are important because they allow lawyers to hear about current topics from various expert perspectives. But they also allow them to interact with the panelists. CPD driven lawyers can ask questions that they may have about a hot topic or how certain updates will affect a specific industry.
This peer interaction is what allows lawyers to truly calibrate their thinking when it comes to complex issues. It also allows CPD focused lawyers to learn about current topics from multiple perspectives, not just their own.
Q: Is self-learning no longer effective?
A: Self-paced webinars and articles are great for getting down to the nitty-gritty of specific topics. They allow lawyers to learn about a topic that they know they don’t have knowledge in at the touch of a button. But lawyers should look for a mixture of both individual sessions and curated programs when it comes to their CPD.
Attending conferences and curated programs allows for lawyers to gain a wider perspective on a specific topic. Individual sessions allow CPD for lawyers to dive deeper.
Q: Why is it important for CPD for lawyers to mix both?
A: Today’s CPD topics require depth and context. Curated conferences and programs provide both. Law is constantly changing. By mixing both individual sessions and curated programs can ensure they are staying up to date on current topics while also gaining a broader understanding of how those topics may affect their practice.
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