Is there a different requirement for new lawyers or paralegals?
Beginning in January 2011, new lawyers and paralegals in their first two full years of practising law or providing legal services are required to take 12 hours per year of programming accredited by the Law Society which integrates topics related to ethics, professionalism, and practice management.
Beginning in January 2011, new lawyers and paralegals in their first two full years of practising law or providing legal services are required to take 12 hours per year of programming or activities accredited by the Law Society. All 12 hours must integrate topics related to professional responsibility, ethics and/or practice management. Lawyers and paralegals licensed on or before May 31, 2010 will fulfill the same requirement as ongoing members with greater than two years of practice — 12 hours of CPD of their choice, including three (3) hours of accredited professionalism programming or activities. A licensee who, on the day on which he or she is licensed to practise law in Ontario as a barrister and solicitor, has practised law outside Ontario for a period of time exceeding twenty-four months, is exempt from the new member requirement and automatically falls into the “ongoing member” group.