Recorded Interactive Webinar: 3 CPD Compulsory Programs for Commercial Lawyers – Ethics, Professional Skills, Practice Management

This webinar comprises 3 one-hour sessions covering each of the compulsory CPD subjects for lawyers for the CPD year ending 31 March 2026.

Session 1: Practice Management & Business Skills

Ready or Not: AML Tranche 2 is Here

With the final AML/CTF Tranche 2 reforms imminent, legal practices are about to be brought squarely within the scope of anti-money laundering regulation. This session focuses on the practical impact of the regime on everyday legal work — not just for law firm owners, but for all legal practitioners likely to touch designated services. Understand your role in ensuring compliance, identifying red flags, and avoiding liability under the new framework. It covers:

• What Tranche 2 actually means for lawyers: scope, timelines, and obligations
• Which legal services fall under “designated services” and when lawyers are caught
• Core obligations: client due diligence, recordkeeping, reporting and internal procedures
• Practical workflow changes: what to expect and how to prepare
• How your role may shift — from onboarding to transaction review to red flag escalation
• Real-world AML red flags in legal practice (e.g. unusual instructions, third-party payments)
• Who’s responsible? Clarifying your personal risk even if you're not a principal or MLRO
• Tips for managing compliance within teams, including supervision and delegation
• What happens if you get it wrong? Regulatory enforcement and professional conduct risks
• Embedding AML awareness into your daily practice

Session 2: Professional Skills

AI Shortcuts for Lawyers that Actually Work

AI isn’t just a buzzword — it’s becoming a day-to-day tool in legal practice. From drafting assistance to task automation and research, lawyers are discovering new ways to cut through routine work and focus on higher-value tasks. This session explores how legal professionals can use AI and other smart tools to work more efficiently, save time, and stay ahead in a rapidly changing environment. It covers:

• Where AI is delivering real time savings for lawyers today
• Everyday AI tools that assist with research, drafting, task management and email
• Boosting productivity through automation of repetitive tasks
• Streamlining internal workflows with tech you already have (e.g. Microsoft 365, Teams)
• Integrating AI into your workday without disrupting your routine
• Simple, practical tips for improving focus, reducing admin and staying organised
• How to experiment with AI tools safely and effectively
• What not to waste time on: AI fads vs. genuinely useful features

Session 3: Ethics

It Seemed Harmless at the Time: Navigating Everyday Ethical Traps in Modern Legal Practice

Most lawyers won’t face a front-page scandal — but ethical lapses rarely start that way. Often, it’s the overlooked email, the blurred digital boundary, or the pressure to follow a senior’s lead that creates risk. This session explores how small ethical slips, workplace pressures, and the pace of modern practice can lead to big professional consequences — and what you can do to stay on course. It covers:

• The slippery slope: how ethical breaches often begin with ‘minor’ decisions
• Red flags when taking instructions from supervisors or colleagues
• The lawyer’s independent ethical duties in team and firm environments
• Time pressure, billing, and the rationalisation of risky choices
• Boundaries in the digital age: social media, private chats and informal client contact
• Digital permanence: how informal messages can become formal evidence
• Maintaining confidentiality and professionalism online and off

Practical strategies for making sound ethical decisions under pressure