Audits
Each year the Victorian Bar and the Law Institute of Victoria (LIV) carry out audits of lawyers’ CPD compliance on our behalf under a delegation. These verification audits can relate to any of the three previous years.
If you’re selected for an audit, you will be contacted by the LIV or the Victorian Bar and asked to verify, within 21 days, that you’ve met your CPD obligations. You will need to provide supporting documentation to show that you have complied.
Supporting documentation may include:
- receipts of payment of CPD activities
- lists of attendance records
- attendances confirmation
- copies of presentation notes
- copies of enrolment records
- copies of Certificate of Completion of CPD activities.
Making up for missed CPD
If you haven’t met your CPD obligations you will receive written notice requesting you submit a rectification plan. Your plan must set out the CPD activities that you intend to take to make up for the CPD you missed, and you will be given 90 days to complete those activities. For more information about the rectification process, please contact the LIV and Victorian Bar directly.
What happens if you don't complete your CPD?
You will be provided with the opportunity to comply and our preference is that you undertake CPD activities that are relevant and useful for your development. Compliance with the CPD Rules however is a statutory requirement of your entitlement to hold a practicing certificate and we expect co-operation. If you refuse to meet your CPD obligations, your practising certificate may not be renewed on time. We may wait until you have either met your obligations or established a rectification plan before processing your application.
In deciding how to respond to non-compliance, we may consider:
- the nature of the non-compliance
- the objectives of the Uniform Law
- the severity of, or culpability in, the non-compliance
- any mitigating factors.
Refusal to comply with the CPD Rules, including failure to comply with rectification requirements may result in us:
- imposing conditions on your practising certificate
- referring you for suitability consideration as to whether you are a fit and proper to hold a practising certificate
See our Continuing Professional Development Policy for more detailed information on audits.