Family law is a complex and challenging area of practice for Australian lawyers. It involves a range of matters, from divorce and property settlement to child custody and spousal maintenance. Not only is the area characterised by changing legislation, case law and practice notes, it also requires practitioners to interact with clients during some of the most trying times of their lives. Lawyers who want to stay on top of their CPD (Continuing Professional Development) requirements in family law need an efficient and reliable solution.
Family Law CPD packs are a practical option for lawyers seeking structured learning. The packs contain a range of curated content, including updates on legislation, ethics, and professional responsibility, along with practical skills modules, in a single product. This enables busy practitioners to complete their CPD requirements without having to sacrifice as much time as a piecemeal approach would require.
Why family law CPD packs matter
Australian law requires lawyers to undertake CPD to maintain their practising certificates. Practitioners need to complete the required number of CPD points in a calendar year by attending approved training programs that are relevant to their field of law and work. The Professional Standards Board for Australian Lawyers (PSBA) sets out CPD requirements, while each state and territory law society has its own rules for practising certificates.
The CPD requirement for family law professionals in Australia is no different. There are four competency areas in Australian law, and each CPD module needs to be mapped to one of the following areas:
- Ethics and professional responsibility
- Practice management and business skills
- Professional skills
- Substantive law
A lawyer may complete their CPD requirement by selecting individual courses that are mapped to the appropriate competency area. However, family law CPD packs are a good choice for several reasons. For example, practitioners may select a Family Law CPD bundle that contains modules on:
- Property settlement issues and strategies
- Parenting matters and dispute resolution
- Ethical issues that often arise in family law cases
Key legislation and case law updates, such as changes to the Family Law Act and relevant state and territory laws
Core areas covered by family law CPD packs
CPD packs often include online and interactive modules, as well as webinars and live programs with options for Q&A and interactive discussions. By completing a CPD pack in family law, lawyers can be confident they have covered their required points and have a good grasp of the content presented, which they can then apply in practice.
The contents of a CPD pack will typically include all of the following areas, to make it easy for lawyers to select one comprehensive training program, rather than several individual ones:
- Updates on the Family Law Act and recent case law
- Property settlement case strategies
- Parenting matters and dispute resolution
- Ethics and professional responsibility
- Mediation and negotiation in family law
Online learning and flexibility
Family Law CPD bundles provide a great solution for family law lawyers who need to meet their CPD requirements in the most efficient way possible. In addition to covering all core practice areas, they often include updates on legislative changes and key case law.
Completing CPD is not just about ticking a box, meeting a requirement and maintaining a practising certificate. It also offers a great opportunity for law firms to build capacity, competence and ethical professionalism across teams.
Firms that make structured learning a priority can benefit in several ways, including:
- The ability to implement firm-wide training and development goals and objectives that are made practical and achievable through a CPD pack.
- Better knowledge sharing and collaboration among lawyers as new concepts are presented and discussed.
- Improved legal competence and business acumen in family law matters. Lawyers have access to a combination of current, relevant and topical learning content designed to be practically applied to cases and clients.
Benefits of structured CPD packs for family law practitioners
Online CPD packs, such as those provided by TEN The Education Network, are one of the most practical and efficient CPD solutions for family law professionals in Australia. This is for several reasons, including the following:
Customised learning: A CPD pack can be created to contain modules on all the important and relevant subjects that can map to the four core competency areas. For example, the learning modules in a Family Law CPD pack would cover practice areas such as property settlement strategies and case examples, divorce and parenting matters, family violence and mediation. When taken together, they would map to all four areas, with a focus on relevant, topical and practical information.
Live webinars: CPD packs, when delivered by a qualified and experienced provider, can be available as online self-paced training, with live, interactive webinars hosted regularly. This allows lawyers to either access learning material at their convenience or join live sessions where key concepts are discussed and presented, questions are answered, and practical examples and case studies are reviewed.
Quality and credibility: packs are created by recognised, registered training providers who have experience in family law and in online and practical CPD content. This means the information is up-to-date, relevant and reflective of real-world matters in a format that makes it accessible to lawyers.
A structured solution for all lawyers: Lawyers who work in different areas of family law, including conveyancing, estates and even criminal, may complete a CPD pack to remain familiar with legal updates and case law changes.
TEN The Education Network provides packs created to reflect best practice and help support lawyers as they work to improve their competence, knowledge and legal acumen in a specific area of practice, such as family law. By completing a CPD pack, family law lawyers also develop greater capacity for knowledge and competence, leading to better services for clients.
