Hearsay The Legal Podcast - The Hearsay Blog

On the Hearsay Blog, we explore current news stories and legal issues. Hearsay is a podcast for lawyers and legal watchers that allows listeners to obtain their Continuing Professional Development points by listening to interesting, engaging content on the go.

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The state of the CPD Market in 2023
By Hearsay The state of the CPD Market in 2023

So, you’ve landed with us because you’re after the latest data on the legal CPD market for 2023. Maybe you’re in the hunt for a CPD solution… and we have that too! But if you’re just after the data. Catch all the detail in our rundown of the state of the market below (click the […]

How to Calculate CPD Points Australia
By Hearsay How to Calculate CPD Points Australia

Are you curious about how to calculate your CPD (Continuing Professional Development) points in Australia? Well, you’ve come to the right place! Whether you’re a lawyer or a barrister, it’s important to stay on top of your game by keeping up to date with the latest legal developments and continuing to grow your knowledge. That’s […]

What CPD points do I need?
By Hearsay What CPD points do I need?

Are you a CPD lawyer in Australia wondering how many points you need to maintain your practicing certificate? First off, what exactly is CPD? It stands for Continuing Professional Development, and it’s basically like going back to school for lawyers. It’s a way for us legal types to keep our skills and knowledge sharp, so […]

How many CPD points do I need for law NSW?
By Hearsay How many CPD points do I need for law NSW?

If you’re a lawyer in New South Wales, you may be wondering how many continuing professional development (CPD) points you need to earn each year. Well, wonder no more! First off, let’s talk about what legal CPD is. Essentially, it’s a way for lawyers to stay up-to-date on changes in the law and developments in […]

Are CPD points worth anything?
By Hearsay Are CPD points worth anything?

Are you wondering if those CPD points NSW you’ve been earning are actually worth anything? Well, let’s dive in and find out! First things first, what are CPD points? CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development and in the state of New South Wales, it’s a requirement for all legal practitioners to earn a certain amount […]

What’s the importance of CPD law?
By Hearsay What’s the importance of CPD law?

You may be wondering, “What’s the importance of CPD law?” Well, let me break it down for you. CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development. It’s the process of lawyers and other legal professionals keeping their knowledge and skills up to date. In Australia, CPD law is a requirement for all lawyers who want to keep […]

How many CPD points do I need?
By Hearsay How many CPD points do I need?

Today, we’re going to talk about something important for all of you who are working in the legal field – CPD points. CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development and it’s the process of keeping up with the latest developments and best practices in your field. And, if you’re practicing law in Australia, you need to […]

What CPD means
By Hearsay What CPD means

Have you ever wondered what CPD stands for? If you’re a lawyer in Australia, it’s a term you’ve probably heard thrown around a lot but it might seem like a bit of a mystery. Well, wonder no more! CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development. You’re apart of an exclusive club of CPD lawyers! CPD is […]

Why is legal CPD important for lawyers?
By Hearsay Why is legal CPD important for lawyers?

So, you may be wondering, “Why do I need to spend my precious time and money on continuing professional development (legal CPD)?” First of all, it’s the law. In Australia, all lawyers are required to complete a certain number of CPD hours each year in order to maintain their practicing certificate (usually at least 10 […]

What are CPD points?
By Hearsay What are CPD points?

Are you a lawyer or a legal professional in Australia? Then you might have heard the term ‘CPD points’ thrown around. But what exactly are they? Well, let’s break it down. CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development. It’s a way for legal professionals to keep up to date with the latest laws, regulations, and best […]

What qualifies as CPD points?
By Hearsay What qualifies as CPD points?

Are you a lawyer in New South Wales who’s feeling a bit confused about what qualifies as CPD points NSW? Well, you’re in luck because we’re here to break it down for you in a way that’s not only informative, but also easy-to-understand. Because let’s face it, legal jargon can be pretty dry. First things […]

What does CPD stand for?
By Hearsay What does CPD stand for?

Are you a law student or a lawyer in Australia and have heard the term “CPD” thrown around but have no idea what it stands for? Well, you’re in luck because that’s exactly what we’re going to talk about today. CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development. It’s a fancy way of saying “learning new things […]

What is CPD for lawyers?
By Hearsay What is CPD for lawyers?

Are you curious about what CPD for lawyers is? Well, you’re in luck because we’re going to break it down for you. CPD stands for “Continuing Professional Development.” In Australia, CPD is mandatory for all lawyers who want to keep their practising certificate. The reason for this is that lawyers need to keep learning and […]

Why is legal CPD important for lawyers?
By Hearsay Why is legal CPD important for lawyers?

So, you may be wondering, “Why do I need to spend my precious time and money on continuing professional development (legal CPD)?” First of all, it’s the law. In Australia, all lawyers are required to complete a certain number of CPD hours each year in order to maintain their practicing certificate (usually at least 10 […]

What is CPD points NSW?
By Hearsay What is CPD points NSW?

Are you a lawyer in New South Wales and feeling a bit confused about all this ‘CPD’ business? Well, don’t worry, you’re not alone. But don’t let that fool you into thinking that CPD points NSW aren’t important – they are! So, let’s break it down and make it easy to understand. First things first, […]

What is a CPD in law?
By Hearsay What is a CPD in law?

Are you curious about what the abbreviation “CPD” stands for in the world of law? Well, you’ve come to the right place! In this blog post, we’re going to dive into the world of legal continuing professional development (CPD) in Australia and figure out exactly what it means. First things first, let’s break down the […]

The rise of obtaining CPD requirements online
By Hearsay The rise of obtaining CPD requirements online

The requirement for continuing professional development, or CPD, is a reflection of the fact that a career in law is a career of lifelong learning. As the law changes, we must update our knowledge of it to give the right advice to our clients. As lawyers, we are constantly improving our professional skills and knowledge, developing […]

How to obtain Lawyers CPD points in Tasmania (TAS)
By Hearsay How to obtain Lawyers CPD points in Tasmania (TAS)

Lawyers in Tasmania must complete 10 mandatory continuing professional development (CPD) points each CPD year 1st May – 30th April to maintain their practising certificate. The CPD rules can be found within the Law Society of Tasmania’s Practice Guideline 4. CPD points are self-assessed, and it is the lawyer’s responsibility to record their activities. Tasmanian lawyers must earn at least 1 […]

How social media can help you establish your personal brand
By Hearsay How social media can help you establish your personal brand

In the 21st century, social media platforms have quickly become an essential method for people to communicate with others, in both personal and professional capacities. Social media is an opportunity for lawyers and law firms to quickly and easily communicate their personal brand to the market in a way that is often visually appealing and […]

Pursuing a career in legal tech
By Hearsay Pursuing a career in legal tech

‘Legaltech’ is a term used to encompass a variety of emerging technologies and software that focus on improving legal services and workflow processes, such as algorithmic document review and document automation. In 2019, the sector was estimated to have generated USD$17 billion of revenue worldwide, and is set to continue to rapidly develop in coming […]

Sentencing considerations for murdering someone over changing the TV volume and breaching quarantine ‘to see a girl’
By Hearsay Sentencing considerations for murdering someone over changing the TV volume and breaching quarantine ‘to see a girl’

Once an offender has entered a guilty plea, or been found guilty, it’s up to the court to determine the offender’s sentence while taking into account any mitigating and aggravating factors under section 21A of Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) (Act) that are relevant and known to the court. As many as 85% of […]

Tips for working on your personal brand in lockdown
By Hearsay Tips for working on your personal brand in lockdown

With more than 13 million Australians in lockdown at the time of writing due to the Delta strain of COVID-19, we have seen a mass return to working from home (WFH), and law firms are no exception. Business development projects are sometimes treated as things to do when billable work is quiet – as if […]

Expert witness bias and its effects on the justice system
By Hearsay Expert witness bias and its effects on the justice system

Expert witnesses provide their professional opinion about a relevant area they specialise in that relates to the case. Other witnesses in court are limited to relaying facts of what they saw or heard and are generally not allowed to express their opinion, unlike expert witnesses. The rules governing the admission of expert witness opinions as […]

How predictive coding is changing the practice of law
By Hearsay How predictive coding is changing the practice of law

With the recent changes such as Office of the Registrar General of NSW’s abolition of certificates of title in favour of a completely electronic ‘eConveyancing’ system under the Real Property Amendment (Certificates of Title) Act 2021 (NSW), the future of legal practice is undeniably digital. Predictive coding in the law refers to an automated document […]

Elder abuse concerns among an ageing Australian population
By Hearsay Elder abuse concerns among an ageing Australian population

With approximately 3 million Australians expected to be aged 70 years or older this year in 2021, compared to 2.5 million people in the same age bracket in 2015, Australia’s population is ageing rapidly. This trend is due to a combination of factors, including our country’s high life expectancy, low fertility rates, and the ageing […]

Is the future of law collaborative?
By Hearsay Is the future of law collaborative?

Collaborative family law practices have experienced a surge in popularity over the past decade as couples are increasingly looking for less adversarial methods to approach separation. Collaborative law differs from other forms of alternative dispute resolution because the parties commit to the collaborative process by taking the alternative – litigation – off the table.  Instead, […]

Sexual harassment in the legal industry
By Hearsay Sexual harassment in the legal industry

Sexual harassment in the legal industry is more publicly acknowledged than ever before, and industry leaders need to effect cultural change and implement prevention strategies to ensure their employees have a safe working environment. In April 2019 the Redfern Community Legal Centre published a report titled ‘Legal Responses to Sexual Harassment at Work’ which made […]

Court advocacy in virtual hearings
By Hearsay Court advocacy in virtual hearings

Since COVID-19 related lockdown measures began in March 2020, courts and tribunals across Australia, and the advocates who practice in them, have either embraced, or been forced to embrace, the reality of virtual and remote advocacy.  The pandemic has catalysed a ‘new normal’ where virtual hearings are commonplace and legal professionals must enhance their skills […]

Virtual courtrooms and the COVID-19 pandemic
By Hearsay Virtual courtrooms and the COVID-19 pandemic

Due to the outbreak of the coronavirus in March 2020, courts and tribunals Australia-wide were forced to convert to technology-aided, virtual court appearances for much of 2020 – and many of those courts and tribunals are, at the time of writing in June 2021, continuing to use videoconferencing and other remote technology to conduct hearings. […]

NSW imposes lifetime ban on owning animals for serious animal cruelty criminals
By Hearsay NSW imposes lifetime ban on owning animals for serious animal cruelty criminals

NSW is set to become the first state in Australia to impose automatic lifetime bans on criminals convicted of serious animal cruelty from ever owning, working with, or breeding animals under proposed section 31AA of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Amendment Bill 2021 (NSW). As of 10 June 2021, the Bill is awaiting royal […]

Flexible work arrangements in a post-COVID environment
By Hearsay Flexible work arrangements in a post-COVID environment

By now, nearly every legal professional, even those in the most traditional of firms, will have spent an extended period of time working from home as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, even if only temporarily. Whether willingly or unwillingly, almost every Australian law firm has been a participant in the world’s largest impromptu working-from-home […]

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on law firm succession
By Hearsay Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on law firm succession

While you would be forgiven for thinking that the COVID-19 pandemic might suppress M&A activity, law firm acquisitions are on the rise as firms around the country grapple with the challenge of law firm succession. Sam Coupland, director of advisory firm FMRC, suggests that the appeal of acquiring other firms is ‘higher than ever’, as […]

Strata governed buildings and associated building law undergoing most significant changes in NSW history
By Hearsay Strata governed buildings and associated building law undergoing most significant changes in NSW history

Until recently, decisions like Brookfield Multiplex Ltd v Owners Corporation Strata Plan 61288 (2014) 254 CLR 185 and Woolcock Street Investments Pty Ltd v CDG Pty Ltd (2004) 216 CLR 515, in which the High Court held that builders and engineers do not owe a duty of care to owners’ corporations or to purchasers of […]

UnitingCare Queensland cyber-attack
By Hearsay UnitingCare Queensland cyber-attack

On Sunday 25th April 2021, health and aged care provider UnitingCare Queensland experienced a cyber-attack to their network, causing loss of access to the national My Health Record system across their hospitals and aged care facilities. Based on previous attacks and the nature of the information to which UnitingCare has access, it is believed that […]

Changes to NSW stamp duty in response to the COVID-19 pandemic
By Hearsay Changes to NSW stamp duty in response to the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about unprecedented changes to economic policy around the globe, and Australia, and New South Wales, are no exception. Alongside the Federal Government’s payments such as JobKeeper and JobSeeker as the marketable centre-pieces of their COVID-19 economic relief scheme, the NSW State Government rolled out a plethora of tax cuts in […]

The small business restructuring process – Part 5.3B of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)
By Hearsay The small business restructuring process – Part 5.3B of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)

The new small business restructuring process (SBRP) under Part 5.3B of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (‘Corporations Act’) came into effect on 1 January 2021 with the aim of streamlining insolvency law and its processes to ‘save’ viable small businesses. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg stated that the SBRP is part of the government’s plan to help […]

New mental health support services for NSW lawyers
By Hearsay New mental health support services for NSW lawyers

When you think of workplace health and safety, you probably think of industrial accidents involving heavy machinery, causing physical injuries at construction sites and other high-risk workplaces. Mental health risks may not immediately come to mind. However, increased awareness of the mental health impacts of unsafe work practices over the past decade, together with the […]

How to obtain Lawyers CPD points (WA) Western Australia
By Hearsay How to obtain Lawyers CPD points (WA) Western Australia

Lawyers in Western Australian lawyers must complete 10 mandatory continuing professional development (CPD) points each CPD year 1st April – 31st March to maintain their practising certificate. WA is covered by the Uniform Law also in place in NSW and Victoria. The aim of the Uniform Law was the harmonisation of the regulations covering the […]

How to obtain legal CPD points (QLD) Queensland
By Hearsay How to obtain legal CPD points (QLD) Queensland

Lawyers in Queensland must complete a minimum of 10 mandatory continuing professional development (CPD) points each CPD year 1st April – 31st March. The CPD rules are contained in Part 6 of the Queensland Law Society Administration Rule 2005 (Qld). CPD points are self-assessed, and it is the lawyer’s responsibility to record their activities. Queensland lawyers must earn at least 1 CPD point from each of the following core areas: […]

How to obtain legal CPD points (NSW)
By Hearsay How to obtain legal CPD points (NSW)

All NSW lawyers must complete a minimum of 10 continuing professional development (CPD) points each year to maintain their practising certificate. CPD points are self-assessed, and it is the lawyer’s responsibility to record their activities. The NSW CPD rules are set out in the Legal Uniform Continuing Professional Development (Solicitors) Rules 2015 (NSW) under the […]

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Hearsay CPD – Anywhere, Anytime

Legal Continuing Professional Development (CPD) that’s entertaining, convenient, and affordable. Get CPD compliant anywhere, anytime with Hearsay. Listen to an episode on your computer or phone, while at work, walking the dog, exercising, commuting, gardening or playing croquet, you decide!