Your one-stop professional development resource.

by Patricia Jordan

In a recent Canadian Bar Association (CBA) survey, more than 82 per cent of Canadian lawyers told us that their most important professional needs were “continuing legal education” and “keeping basic legal skills current.” The CBA, on a national and provincial level, is committed to providing substantive Professional Development (PD) programming to members of the profession. The CBA has the programs you need, delivered when and how you need them. Our online webinars, in-person conferences, Section meetings and seminars provide easy access to relevant topics that address your areas of practice.

With the arrival of compulsory PD in British Columbia, it is important to have convenient, cost-effective options that give practical information in a collegial setting. The CBA is an approved education provider sanctioned by The Law Society of British Columbia to deliver accredited PD that meets the mandatory annual requirement.

The British Columbia Branch of the Canadian Bar Association (CBABC) offers its members regional PD programs that feature more than 500 speakers, including academics, distinguished practitioners, experts, government representatives and members of the judiciary. Our programs are developed by practitioners for practitioners. CBABC also offers regional PD seminars in conjunction with Local County and Bar Associations. Section members have online access to archived Section materials, including case comments, legislative updates, minutes, papers and more at cba.org/bc in “Sections” under “Professional Development.”

The CBA’s new PD resource site contains listings for all CBA Branch, National and CCCA PD programs. Whether you are looking for a seminar in your community, a multi-day seminar in a new city or a webinar to view in your office, the CBA has the program for you. The site also gives you the option of choosing to receive tailored information and updates through a customized profile that you create. It has an easy-to-use search feature where you can search by date, delivery format, hours of accreditation, keyword, location and subject. Program accreditation information is listed online for each offering, allowing you to select the programs that best meet your PD needs.

The CBA has made it easy for you to track your progress toward your personal goals and mandatory PD requirements through our online PD Tracking Tool. As a benefit of membership, we automatically record your attendance at Section meetings and other CBA PD events when you sign-in at the meeting or register for a CBA PD event. Simply print off your personalised report for easy reference at reporting time.

Did You Know?
With discounts on PD programs and a variety of products and services, CBA membership virtually pays for itself when all the benefits are tallied. Your CBA membership gives you access to a number of special services designed to suit your practice and lifestyle. Membership in the CBA serves you and your bottom line. See “Membership” at cba.org to learn more.

Patricia Jordan is the CBABC Web Manager. She welcomes your comments, questions and suggestions. Tel: 604-646-7861; Email: pjordan@bccba.org; visit: www.cba.org/bc.

This article was published in the February 2010 issue of BarTalk. © 2010 The Canadian Bar Association. All rights reserved.