Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is defined as:

'The systematic maintenance, improvement and extension of the professional and legal skills, and personal qualities, necessary for the execution of professional and legal duties: and compliance with the  standards required by the Institute throughout  the Associate Member's,Graduate Member's, Associate Prosecutor's or Fellow's working life.'

CPD was introduced in line with the best practices of professional bodies. It accords with the Lord Chancellor's Advisory Committee's report which concluded that ' the public interest requires greater commitment by the legal profession as a whole to regular CPD throughout the career of every lawyer'. CPD is often referred to as 'lifelong learning'.

CPD Requirements for 2012

Important note for Associates, Graduate Members and Fellows:

It is vital that you meet your CPD requirements and record it into the online logbook by 31 December 2012. If your logbook is not received by this date, you will lose any benefits attached to your membership status with effect from 2 January 2013. For Fellows and Legal Accounts Fellows this means you will lose your designatory letters, your right to act as a Commissioner for Oaths and your right to exercise any other rights attached to your membership, such as rights of audience.

Fellows and Associate Prosecutors will not receive a Practising Certificate for 2013 if they have not met their 2012 CPD requirements, even where they have paid their subscriptions.

A full guide to 2012 ILEX CPD requirements can be found here.

2012 CPD Online Recording

All members required to submit CPD please note that ILEX has an online system for recording your CPD activities. This is only available for recording CPD undertaken in the current CPD year (from 7 January 2012 until 31 December 2012).The recording system is available here through MyILEX a service which hopefully you are familiar with. If you have any problems logging your CPD please contact the membership team by email at membership@ilex.org.uk or on +44 (0)1234 845777.

Non Compliance with the 2011 CPD requirements

All 2011 CPD should have been completed and recorded in your CPD logbook by 6 January 2012.

Where completed CPD logbooks for 2011 were not been received by 6 January 2012, all benefits of membership are suspended, this includes the Practising Certificate in the case of Fellows and Associate Prosecutors, even where your subscription payments are up to date.

For Fellows and Legal Accounts Fellows, you have lost the right to use your designatory letters, your right to act as a Commissioner for Oaths and your right to exercise any other rights of your membership, such as rights of audience.

In order to regain your full membership rights and benefits you will need to contact ILEX Professional Standards on (01234) 845770 or at cpd@ilexstandards.org.uk and agree a plan (including dates) to bring your 2011 CPD up to date by 31 March 2012.

The online CPD logging system is now closed for 2011 and therefore, once arrangements have been agreed with ILEX Professional Standards for bringing the CPD requirements up to date, CPD logbooks must be submitted to the ILEX membership team manually. For further information on this please contact membership@ilex.org.uk .

Where outstanding CPD requirements for 2011 have not been met by 31 March 2012, these cases will be reviewed to determine any necessary action to be taken, including disciplinary proceedings.

Useful Links:

Helpful information on CPD