What is CPD?

Continuing Professional Development commonly known as CPD, refers to the ongoing development of your knowledge and skills to ensure that you are competent to deliver legal services to your clients.

Keeping up to date with your CPD is one of the ways that we can ensure that you are competent to practise, maintaining the integrity of the profession and protecting the public.

We operate an outcomes focused scheme for most CILEx members, which means that through the CPD year, you should follow the process (pictured right) to identify your development needs and maintain and enhance your competence.

CPD submissions

The CILEX CPD year runs annually from 1 October to the following 30 September.

The 2023 CPD year will remain open for updating on your myCRL or myCILEX portal* (via the `My CPD’ section) until 30th September 2023.  

If you think you might need additional time to meet your 2022 /2023 CPD obligations, please contact us at CPD@cilexregulation.org.uk by 31st August 2023 to request a CPD extension. Please provide your name, membership number and reason for your extension request within your email. We will then advise if the extension period can be granted.

If you have any queries regarding your CPD requirements for the current CPD year (2022 / 2023), please contact CPD@cilexregulation.org.uk

Dispensation

CILEx Regulation are able to offer CPD dispensations where a minimum period of six months has been spent out of employment within the CPD year, which annually runs from 1st October to the following 30th September. If you think you may be eligible for this dispensation, please contact CPD@cilexregulation.org.uk and advise us of your name and membership number and the dates of your break from employment. We can then assess your eligibility for having a dispensation applied to your CPD record.

Reduction

Are you an Advanced Paralegal member in the process of completing your Work Based Learning portfolio?

If so, you may be eligible for a reduction in the number of CPD outcomes you are required to record for the current CPD year. Please contact us at CPD@cilexregulation.org.uk to request this reduction.

CPD further information

CPD Handbook for Associate Members

CPD Handbook for Non-Associate Members

CPD Regulations December 2021

CPD Regulations Schedule 1 December 2021

CILEX offer CPD Training (myCILEX login required)

The importance of professional ethics

CPD Top Tips for Success – 10 minute video

Your myCILEx account 

Please note:  The online CPD recording system is directly linked to your membership record, each time you add an entry to the online logbook, it will be automatically submitted and saved to your record. Therefore, there is no longer a requirement to tick a ‘submit’ button. At the end of the CPD year, your CPD record will be automatically closed by CILEx Regulation.

Your myCILEx account was changed in August 2019. If you have not logged into your account since before then, you will need to contact the CILEx Membership Team for assistance – 01234 841000 (select any option).

Who needs to do CPD?

The CPD scheme at CILEx Regulation applies to the following CILEx members:

  • CILEX Paralegals (previously known as Associate members)
  • CILEX Member/ Advanced Paralegals (previously known as Graduate members)
  • Legal Accounts Members
  • CILEX Fellows*
  • Legal Accounts Executives
  • CILEx Practitioners*
  • CILEX Associate Prosecutors

* There are special requirements for CILEX Fellows and CILEx Practitioners who are practising advocates and holding advocacy rights.

It is a requirement of the Code of Conduct that if you fall within one of the above grades, then you must complete the CPD requirements each year.

If you don’t comply with your CPD requirements you will lose the rights, which attach to your grade of membership or authorisation status from 1 January of the next calendar. You won’t be able to use your grade title or designatory letters and, in the case of CILEX Fellows, CILEX Associate Prosecutors and individuals with practice rights, exercise any of those rights, until you bring your CPD record up to date.

Find out what the requirements are for you by clicking on your grade of membership:

CILEX Paralegals

CILEX Advanced Paralegals, Legal Accounts Members, CILEX Fellows, Legal Accounts Executives, CILEx Practitioners, CILEX Associate Prosecutors

CPD sampling

Each year, as part of the supervision of CILEx’s membership, CILEx Regulation samples the CPD returns from those members required to undertake CPD.

A random sample of 2.5 percent is selected from the member database and we request full CPD records for the preceding CPD year. We also reserve the right to request other CPD records on a risk basis. We review the records provided to ensure that the CPD requirements have been met.

If you are selected as part of the CPD sampling process, we will send you a request to forward your CPD record. This usually takes place in the final quarter of the year, following the end of the CPD year on 30 September. As a result, we recommend that you retain your CPD records for a period of two years following the closure of the CPD year.

If you have any queries regarding the CPD process, please contact us at cpd@cilexregulation.org.uk