We often get asked, what is CPD, and what is RME? What are the benefits of compliance and sanctions for non-compliance? Where can a lawyer and trainees get their needed CPD and RME credits quickly? We have come up with answers to the most commonly asked questions.

There is a need for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and Risk Management Education (RME) for all the legal professionals practicing as a lawyer in Hong Kong.

What is CPD?

Initially started in 1991 as the Continuing Legal Education Scheme, the current Continuing Professional Development Scheme (“CPD”) got founded in 1998. The current Scheme is mandatory to all lawyers and all trainees with practicing certificates since 1 January 2003. However, the Society may give freedom in a few cases. In this sense, CPD is similar to the idea of continuing professional education or life-long education.

CPD is the legal knowledge that stays after a lawyer has finished his/her degree in law—in most cases, practicing as a lawyer.

Due to the growth of law and legal practice, along with a lawyer’s professional duty to keep up with the law, lawyers must continue to learn as they grow in their careers. These learnings help them in being productive and successful. Therefore, lawyers should stay updated with the ever-evolving scene of the modern legal environment.

In Hong Kong, Lawyers must earn 15 CPD accreditation points each practice year. In contrast, a trainee lawyer must get 30 points by the end of his period of employment. This plan can leave lawyers in a desperate last-minute rush to make up their hours or points towards an end of the CPD cycle.

The idea of CPD ultimately adds value to the lawyer, the lawyer’s employer, and the lawyer’s clients. Additionally, it adds value to the legal and informal range of the area in which the lawyer operates.

CPD is vital for lawyers because it ensures they continue to be able and confident during their careers. It is an ongoing cycle and lasts during a professional’s career.

CPD courses and training can help Lawyers to:

1. Keep their skills and knowledge fresh throughout their legal career.

CPD helps in joining the data gap between what a lawyer learns during the formal legal studies and what a lawyer needs to learn to be a fair and able representative for their clients. As stated, lawyers must earn CPD points to gain fresh insights during their legal career because of the ever-evolving nature of law and legal practices.

CPD covers topics from many looks of the Society to ensure lawyers can have a broad view about everything happening in the Society. All this enables the lawyers to know about the legal duties and what’s occurring in the city.

2. Control and manage their growth continuously.

Completing a CPD course helps lawyers to control and manage their growth. Lawyers even learn how to keep track of all their activities. The main goal of CPD is to show how skills and knowledge have grown over time. CPD is an ongoing process, as well as a cycle. Lawyers are likely to continue to learn throughout their entire Legal professional life.

3. Keep up to date to the latest trends, technologies changes in the law.

Additionally, CPD allows lawyers to keep updated with the latest trends and technologies in the law. It also helps grow their legal knowledge and expertise beyond the type of work already familiar to them. CPD teaches them the kind of work they may want to be doing or the kind of work they should be doing to grow further. Increasing the lawyer’s skills can help the lawyer keep their old clients and attract new ones.

Lawyers can read more about several topics covering technology growth, emotion control, and relationship growth. Lawyers can choose CPD courses with the best mix of their interests and legal duties.

The result of well-planned CPD is that it protects the lawyers, the employer, and the lawyer’s career.

Sanctions for Non-compliance

Lawyers will have their practicing certificates delayed or cancelled if they fail to gain the needed points for the previous CPD year (1 November – 31 October). To avoid this, they can earn these points by 15 December of the following CPD year or give fair factors for non-compliance.

For trainees, failure to earn the needed number of 15 CPD points may result in a penalty from the Compliance Department. In the lack of an honest answer, the Council may delay or cancel a trainee’s contract.

What is RME?

RME or Risk Management Education aims to raise awareness of risk issues and promote proper risk control in legal practices. It aims to lower the threat of a person’s exposure to false claims against him during his professional training. RME also helps in limiting the size of the loss that may occur due to future risks.

Risk Management Education (RME) brings awareness to risk itself. Many professionals, including lawyers, do not think about the risk connected with their profession and the result of that risk. RME courses bring awareness to the risk, which is the first step in reducing doubt. RME courses improve lawyers’ skills to react to danger quickly. The method of risk control in a Law Firm includes decisions that are not only about dodging a negative impact but also about chasing a positive effect on business.

Every lawyer and staff member is answerable for risk, and it’s controlling.  Therefore, all lawyers and staff should go through RME courses if they want to avoid future doubts. Risk management courses help all types of lawyers to recognize and manage risk.

The RME got started in November 2004 and is now mandatory to all lawyers and trainees. It is also applicable to any registered foreign lawyer training in a Hong Kong law firm (“practitioner”).

In Hong Kong, a practitioner must complete the RME course before the expiry of the practice year in which the rules first apply to them. In succeeding practice years, attend at least 3 hours of elective classes annually. The practice year is quite similar to the CPD year, namely 12 months starting on 1 November and ending on 31 October the next year.

A practitioner who fails to fulfil his RME needs in a practice year will have to finish them the following year.

Risk control benefits have many practical uses. These benefits include fewer surprises, improved planning, decision-making, raised status, and personal well-being.

Specific benefits of RME include these:

1. Prevention of Loss

Loss prevention is the main focus of risk management in a Law Firm. Notably, reducing legal events, preventing malpractice claims, and ensuring IT systems’ security.

2. Cost savings

Beyond reducing any likely losses, effective risk control can lower costs, in terms of professional liability insurance premiums, capital costs, and time duties from board members and staff.

3. Quality of the working environment

RME prepares Law Firms to make high-quality, timely decisions to react to risk at an early stage. It helps reduce fights, and lower stress levels add to an improved Society and a more engaged office.

4. Better communication between staff

Better risk management can grow communication between staff. Thus, RME provides a chance for co-workers from various departments to have talks based on different risk control projects. They can even discuss potential causes of conflicts involving parties within the firm.

5. Developed planning

Risk management allows firms to plan for future possible events and fights. Additionally, it helps to understand those who can help in better planning for the near future and calculate the cost involved.

Sanctions for Non-compliance

A lawyer is required to fulfil RME needs when they ask for the renewal of their practicing certificate. An incorrect or false remark may amount to misconduct and result in a punishment from the Disciplinary Tribunal.

Sanctions/Punishments for non-compliance with RME requirements are the same as in the CPD Scheme.

It’s practical to think of CPD, and RME as an investment. It acts as an investment by you in your career and growth as a professional

Where can I easily acquire CPD and RME courses?

Legal Beagle (LB) Online Training is Hong Kong’s chief provider of online CPD and RME courses. Legal Beagle Online Training helps Lawyers, Registered Foreign Lawyers, and Trainee Lawyers in Hong Kong earn their CPD and RME needs at their most suitable time.

At Legal Beagle, we’ve created solutions to meet the needs of legal experts ready to pursue their CPD and RME needs in Hong Kong. These needs will get completed faster, more comfortably, and from a free source that can be accessed wherever and whenever needed. All course materials are available for online access. LB gives lawyers the freedom to end their needs in a way that is entirely adaptable to suit their needs.

LB is Hong Kong’s chief provider of high quality, affordable online training that has been credited by the Law Society of Hong Kong for RME and CPD needs.

RME Courses:

Not only that, but the courses also have been designed to offer a full analysis of vital risk control issues. They’ve ensured that each program will get created in such a way that it gets completed online. All RME courses deliver a high standard of accurate coverage about basic errors, modern law, duties, and more. Legal Beagle agrees that all legal practitioners must keep a certain level of knowledge about the latest RME rules. They offer a full range of elective courses that must get finished every year of practice.

CPD Courses:

Legal Beagle is in front when it comes to giving online CPD courses for lawyers in Hong Kong. They fully realize the value of teaching lawyers to stay up to date with the ever-evolving scene of the modern legal environment. Lawyers will find the best solution from LB’s carefully designed range of certified programs. LB wants to get known as the best CPD course provider for lawyers. They have paid considerably more attention to their users’ growing needs compared to their competitors.

All the CPD courses get regularly observed, corrected, and updated by their most skilled senior teachers. They bring legal professionals the most relevant, updated, and strong skills available online. All of their CPD courses are focused on covering the latest progress in law with in-depth coverage. Lawyers can search through their library of online CPD courses for lawyers and find the perfect program best suited to them.

There is no need to attend RME and CPD courses in an external venue and spend hourly fees to visit them. Instead, take Hong Kong CPD and Hong Kong RME courses from your home or office, on the screen of your mobile device or PC!

Legal Beagle is the world’s most extensive online library of video training approved by the Law Society of Hong Kong. They now have over 30 credited CPD and RME courses. These courses get taught by able speakers who are experts in their fields. Legal Beagle’s CPD and RME courses cover many of the professional skills required in the legal world.

Legal Beagle is a proud disrupter in the online CPD and RME space in Hong Kong. It offers the fairest prices of all providers, in addition to high-quality training. CPD and RME courses in Hong Kong should be affordable, accessible, and available to all lawyers, whether lawyers work in a large law firm or work on their own. Many of Hong Kong’s most notable and leading law firms count Legal Beagle as their trusted ally to give online CPD and RME to their Lawyers and Registered Foreign Lawyers.

Author Bio: Ma. Tina Dolores Cadizis, the Communications Manager at Legal Beagle Online Training. Legal Beagle is Hong Kong’s leading provider of high quality, affordable online legal training credited by the Law Society of Hong Kong for RME and CPD needs. She’s also an expert marketing and client support manager. She is skilled in marketing, social media, sales, market research, CRM, and team control for global firms.