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Thank you for taking the time to check out the CPDcast troubleshooting zone.

Below you will find answers to some of our most commonly-asked technical questions.

If your particular query is not answered here, or is not of technical nature, please contact us.

 

The Top Most Frequently Asked 

  • Due to the difference in guidelines between the SRA and the Bar Standards Board, CPD points are awarded differently for Solicitors, Barristers and Legal Executives.

    Solicitors:
    Solicitors will get 1 CPD Point (60 minutes) for listening to the CPDcast and passing the (optional) online quiz; or ½ a CPD point (30 minutes) for just listening to the CPDcast.

    Please visit our CPD for Solicitors page for more details.

    Barristers:
    Barristers will get 1 Accredited CPD point (60 minutes) for listening to the CPDcast AND taking and passing the subsequent online quiz. The quiz must be passed in order to gain the CPD point and no points will be awarded for only listening to the CPDcast.

    Please visit our CPD for Barristers page for more details.

    Legal Executives:
    Legal executives will get 1 CPD Point (60 minutes) for listening to the CPDcast and passing the (optional) online quiz; or ½ a CPD point (30 minutes) for just listening to CPDcast.

  • The standard price is £69 +VAT per CPDcast, unless you:

    • get unlimited access: £325+VAT for the whole CPD year - see our special offers page for more.
    • set up a corporate account with us, so that everyone in your firm or chambers pays less - please give us a call.
    • are a student or an academic, in which case CPDcast is completely FREE. Visit our student page.
    • use a promo code to get a discount. We have occasional offers running, please keep an eye on our special offers page.

    Registering with CPDcast is free and lets you use CPDtracker without the need to buy anything.

  • Absolutely. There are a few ways you can do that:

  • Yes. If you contact us directly we can issue an invoice which you can then pay either by cheque or via BACS. Payment details will be included on the invoice.

  • CPDtracker is completely FREE and you can use it to:

    • Track ALL of your CPD on one system
    • Print your CPD certificate at the touch of a button
    • Send you automatic summaries of your CPD by email
    • Keep your CPD records secure for the required 6 years
    • Access your records from any computer, at any time

    CPDtracker has got additional features to be used by your L&D department to manage your whole firm's CPD.

    You do not have to buy any CPDcasts to able to use CPDtracker, you only need to register. For a comprehensive list of features and accompanying screenshots please see our CPDtracker instructions page.

  • If you're a solicitor and your firm has in-house CPD authorisation from the SRA or is part of a consortium that has in-house CPD authorisation from the SRA, you can gain all the CPD hours (usually 16) required of you using CPDcast. If your firm does not have in-house CPD authorisation from the SRA and is not part of a consortium that has in-house CPD authorisation from the SRA, you can achieve 75% of the CPD hours (usually 16) required of you from CPDcast.

    If you're a Barrister or a Legal Executive you can gain all your CPD through CPDcast.

    Please see answers to questions regarding CPD obligations for Solicitor, Barrister and Legal Executive for more information.

  • Unfortunately not. It is necessary for each user to have their own account. This is so that each user can accurately record their CPD (via CPD tracker) and so that we can inform a regulatory body, should they request it, of who has actually gained CPD through CPDcast. If more than one person does use an account, this activity will be in breach of our fair usage policy and will lead to the account being suspended and the relevant regulatory body being informed.

  • Yes. CPDcast is an SRA-authorised external CPD provider. This means that we can provide audio materials and distance learning courses for 75% of all required CPD hours. It also means that our materials/courses can form a part of the remaining 25% of all required CPD hours provided that they are used as part of courses which are not less than one hour in length, include an element of face-to-face discussion of the points raised, and are undertaken at firms or organisations holding in-house CPD authorisation from the SRA.

    A very small number of our CPDcasts are aimed at solicitors only which means they are not accredited by the BSB, but this accounts for less than 2% of our library. The vast majority of our courses are accredited by the BSB and those few that aren't are clearly labelled as such.

  • If you've lost your password, please use the password reminder. Your username is the email you've register with. If you're still having problems logging in please give us a call.

  • A CPDcast is an audio podcast that contains high quality legal content. Listening to this content will count towards your CPD requirement if you are a Solicitor, Barrister or Legal Executive in the UK. A podcast itself is just like a high-quality radio show – but distributed online.

  • Each CPDcast has an online quiz. The quiz usually consists of 10 multiple-choice questions and the pass mark is typically 60%.

    Taking and passing the optional quiz serves to reinforce the key learning points of the CPDcast. You can view a sample quiz here.

    Depending on the type of your legal profession, passing a quiz allows you to claim additional CPD points or claim the time you spent listening as accredited. For further details please see 'How many CPD points do I get?'

Register: Questions Regarding the Signup Process

  • Absolutely not. However, we are obliged to keep user download records, quiz results and feedback for review by the Solicitors Regulation Authority / Bar Standards Board. We also monitor account usage statistics to combat CPDcast piracy. Please see our data policy for information.

  • Yes, registering is completely free and enables you to use CPDtracker. Unless you are a student/academic, using the CPDcast service is not free. See How much does it cost? for more.

  • Our verification emails are generated and sent automatically which means they can sometimes be mistakenly marked as 'spam' by users' email clients. We'd advise first checking your Junk mail folder but if you still can't find it, it may be that you have entered your email address incorrectly during the registration process – please give us a call.

  • From time to time users' email clients can block links in our verification emails. Try copying and pasting the link into the address bar of your web browser. If you're still experiencing problems feel free to get in touch with our customer services team. We are happy to verify users over the phone.

  • This may be because you have clicked on the link twice. Clicking on the link for the first time will have verified your account and should mean you can visit our website and sign in as usual. If you're still experiencing problems feel free to contact with our customer services team.

  • No, if you're not a student/academic, any email address is fine but we'd recommend that you use your work email as any certificates or receipts will be sent to this address.

    If you're a student or academic you must sign up using one of the following email addresses:

    • Any address ending .ac.uk
    • Any address ending .edu
    • Any address ending .edu.au
    • Any address ending .ac.nz
    • Any address ending .edu.cn
    • Any address ending .ac.jp
    • Anything @bpp.com
    • Anything @bpplaw.co.uk
    • Anything @bppls.com
    • Anything @kaplan.co.uk
    • Anything @lawcol.co.uk
  • For a number of reasons:

    • to keep you up to date with newly uploaded podcasts and other CPDcast news (optional);
    • to avoid abuse of our free offers;
    • to ensure you are a real person and not a computer script;
    • if you are a student or an academic, to allow us to verify that you are one.
  • Yes, of course. Although CPDcast is primarily aimed at legal professionals fulfilling their CPD requirements, we do carry CPDcasts that are of interest to related business services companies.

Choose: Questions Regarding Selecting CPDcasts

  • Due to the growing number of CPDcasts in our library we've taken steps to condense the 'Browse the CPDcasts' page. The CPDcasts are divided into practice areas which can be expanded by clicking on the category headings. Or you can use the Expand All button at the top of the CPDcast library which will reveal the entire library.

  • Hovering your cursor over any CPDcast in our library will reveal a “light-box” containing a brief description of the recording itself, details of contributor(s), the date it was uploaded, difficulty level and classification.

  • All our CPDcasts are written and recorded with top legal professionals who are fully qualified in that particular area of law. Before CPDcasts go live on our site they are thoroughly reviewed by both our in-house legal content team and the contributors themselves. We also review our CPDcasts at least every three months to ensure the content is still up to date.

  • Most CPDcasts are reviewed for suitability and relevance at least every three months. The main exception to this rule is in the case of CPDcasts that contain references to cases or acts that have a limited relevance after a certain date - these CPDcasts are reviewed even more frequently. As a result, we cannot guarantee that all CPDcasts will remain on the website indefinitely.

  • Expired CPDcasts are automatically removed from public circulation, but remain available to those who have already purchased them. They are accessible via your account like any other CPDcast. However, we cannot guarantee we will preserve expired CPDcasts on the website for an indefinite time, and as such you may want to download and save them to your computer once they have expired.

    Please note: CPDcasts expire due to their material becoming out of date or inaccurate.

  • You can see detailed information on individual CPDcasts by clicking on them on the library page. Whereas the “light-box” only gives you teaser information, by clicking on a CPDcast title you will see:

    • which law category it falls under
    • maximum available CPD points for listening to it
    • how much it costs
    • how long it is
    • methods by which it may be listened to
    • what it can be played via
    • contributor name and biography
    • course aims and outcomes (what the podcast aims to cover and what you will learn by listening to it)
    • podcast level and podcast classification
    • sources and references
    • a brief description of the podcast itself
  • Yes, and please do! You can contact our content team at any time to make suggestions. You may also want to consider being featured in our CPDcasts, for further information see ‘I'd like to be featured in one of your future CPDcasts’.

  • We aim to add at least 20 new CPDcasts to the library every month. Towards the end of the CPD year this can increase significantly.

  • There are many interrelated categories in the CPDcast library, make sure you've overviewed them all. Use the Expand All button at top of the category list to reveal the library in its entirety.

    We aim to cover all areas of law so if you feel some areas are lacking material or there's a topic you'd like to suggest please do get in touch.

Buy: Questions Regarding the Purchase Process

  • It will depend on the nature of the account that your organisation has agreed with us. In some cases organisations may be on a 'Pay As You Go' or token scheme in which case we need to monitor what and how you are purchasing.

  • Again, it will depend on the nature of the corporate account or pricing scheme you are part of. But don't worry, you generally won't be asked to enter your personal card details if you're on a corporate account.

  • You can pay using any card online (with the exception of American Express) or over the phone. As an alternative we can invoice you and you can pay the invoice by BACS or cheque.

  • Yes, we offer discounts for individual users from the same organisation who sign up together or would like to purchase annual or unlimited access. Corporate users who take unlimited access for their firm and chambers will also pay less. Please call for more details or refer to our offers page for latest deals.

  • On the 'Basket' page you'll see a heading in the bottom left entitled 'Offers: Redeem an Offer'. Below the heading you'll find a box entitled 'Promotional code':

    promo code input box in My Basket

    Enter your code into the input box and press Apply. You will see the price in your basket contents drop as a result.

  • You can add as many CPDcasts as you want to your basket before paying for them. Significant bulk orders are eligible for discounts – please call us for further information.

  • Receipts are available in your 'My Account' section, under 'My Receipts' tab:

    My Receipts tab in the My Account

    Each receipt includes information on:

    • goods purchased
    • payment amount
    • total price
    • VAT receipt number and rate
    • Net, VAT and total charges
    • Transaction ID
    • Time of supply
    • Your details including name, address and telephone number (where provided)
    • Our details including company name, address, telephone number and company VAT number

    Where you have a CPDcast in your account but no receipt accompanies it, the goods may have been redeemed by a special offer or you are on a corporate account.

  • It depends whether you buy CPDcasts individually or opt for unlimited access or corporate accounts.

    Bought on their own, each CPDcast costs £69+VAT. However it may be more suitable to sign up for an unlimited access account. Usually these accounts cost £325+VAT per person for a year's unlimited access to our library of CPDcasts, however this can be subject to changes throughout the year because of sales promotion activity. Please check our offers page for more information.

  • The security of your personal data is of paramount importance to CPDcast. We use the highest standards of encryption available and actively monitor for anomalies and unusual activity. Please see our privacy policy for further details.

  • There is no limit to the number of times that you can listen to a CPDcast. However, we would take this opportunity to alert you that we log the number of listens/downloads that a CPDcast receives, both for our internal purposes (e.g. monitoring potential security breaches and piracy) and on behalf of the Bar Standards Board and Solicitors Regulation Authority.

  • Absolutely. There are a few ways you can do that:

  • If you've yet to listen to any of the CPDcasts you have purchased then the answer is yes. Be aware that we can check download statistics for individual users though.

  • Yes, of course. Please call us on 020 7017 7616 and one of the sales team will happily take your order.

  • Yes. If you contact us directly we can issue an invoice which you can then pay either by cheque or via BACS. Payment details will be included on the invoice.

  • Yes. If you contact us directly we can issue an invoice which you can then pay either by cheque or via BACS. Payment details will be included on the invoice.

Listen: Questions Regarding Listening to your CPDcasts

  • Absolutely not! You can listen to CPDcasts directly through the website, or you can save them to your computer and listen to them at a later date – even if you’re not connected to the Internet.

  • Yes, of course. Simply plug in a pair of headphones to your computer or portable device and press play on the CPDcast player.

  • The podcast format is audio only; consider it to be the same as listening to a radio programme.

  • Because they are available as podcasts, our CPDcasts can be played via a plethora of devices. This includes your work or home computer as well as MP3-capable devices such as iPods and Blackberry mobile phones. In order to transfer the CPDcasts onto your device you may need to download each as an MP3 file and save it to a folder on your computer first. Please consult the documentation of your device for further instructions.

  • Yes, you can purchase, download and listen to CPDcasts from any computer with internet connectivity just as you would do on the move or in the office.

  • There is no limit to the number of times that you can listen to a CPDcast.

  • Yes, you can do that either using your computer’s default media player, which is usually Windows Media Player or iTunes or with a CD burning tool.

    Please note that distributing these CDs is prohibited by our terms and conditions.

  • CPDcast player in its initial loaded state
    CPD podcast player, in its initial state

    We have recently introduced a brand new CPDcast player for your convenience. It is currently in its 'beta' stage of development, so if you are experiencing any issues using it please do let us know.

    If you cannot see the player pictured above on the podcast page, it may be due to one of the following reasons:

    • The page may not have loaded properly. Try reloading the podcast page.
    • Your Flash plug-in could not be located or was deemed incompatible. Flash Player 9 or higher is required to be able to use our CPDcast player. Please ensure Flash is enabled in your web browser, try upgrading your Flash plug-in or use the manual download option (see picture below) to save the podcast to your computer as an MP3 file and listen to it using your default audio player.
    • Are you using a hand-held device? Most hand-held devices have limited Flash support, nonetheless the CPDcast should play well upon visiting the download link (see image below).

    download link on the podcast page
    Use the download link to get the MP3 file

  • If the player isn’t 'buffering' and there are no errors reported on its display, make sure the volume on the player isn’t muted.

    On some browsers, you may need to press the Play button twice: once to activate the Flash object and once for the actual button. Make sure that your computer’s headphones or speakers are switched on and that the volume is set to a suitable level. This may require viewing the system’s volume level – in Windows this can often be found in the taskbar with a logo of a speaker, or in 'Control Panel'.

    CPDcast player in its buffering state
    CPDcast player in its 'buffering' state

    If none of this has solved the issue please do let us know.

  • If your playback keeps being interrupted by the buffering message, your internet connection is too slow. That should also be distinguishable by the blue position bar constantly catching up with the red streaming bar, meaning the podcast is being downloaded slower than it is being played:

    CPDcast player in its buffering state
    CPDcast player in its 'buffering' state

    You can pause the playback and wait till the audio finishes downloading, or simply download the CPDcast to your computer as an MP3 file and play it using your default audio playback software.

  • Yes, you can either use the slider to drag it to the desired position in the timeline or navigate around using the left and right keys on your keyboard.

    slider in the CPDcast player

    You can do the same on your own MP3 device if you choose to download the CPDcast instead of listening to it via the site.

  • No – but we would strongly recommend that you listen to any CPDcasts you have bought within 28 days of purchase. Some CPDcasts have a limited life-span on the website due to their content becoming outdated.

    That said, in almost all cases although the CPDcast can no longer be purchased it remains in your account for you to listen to as many times as you like. Please note, however, that it has been taken down because the content is out-of-date and no longer suitable for CPD purposes.

  • No. You can listen to a single CPDcast in as many instalments as you wish. The player will attempt to resume to the position you previously left off.

  • Unfortunately we can't provide transcripts for each CPDcast due to intellectual property concerns. If you're finding the material difficult to follow we'd recommend that you take notes.

  • In accordance with the bodies that regulate us, we provide a set of course aims, outcomes, sources and references for each CPDcast. We would recommend that you make use of these to provide a structure to your listening and to reinforce the material. These can be found on each individual CPDcast page.

  • Follow the link on the contributor’s name on the page of the CPDcast in question. You’ll then be taken to the contributor’s own page where you will find a short biography and links to other CPDcasts in which he/she is featured. Alternatively, search for the contributor using our site search.

  • Our contributors are drawn from varying fields and share one core criteria: they are all subject-matter experts. This means that we regularly have CPDcasts containing a combination of Barristers, Solicitors and other legal professionals – and get a unique mixture of perspectives as a result.

  • CPDcast.com Ltd does not take on any podcasting projects on behalf of clients. However, we would recommend the podcasting specialists, Podlab, who are responsible for our audio production.

  • The easiest way to alert us to this is to simply tick the “Yes please - I’m interested in finding out more about contributing” field when you register. If you are already registered, you can easily amend your contact preferences in the My Account section to include this:

    checkbox for adding yourself to our 'Potential Contributors' list under 'Update your account details' in My Account

    Once you tick this box, you will automatically be placed on our “Potential Contributor” database and we will contact you if something that we believe is relevant should arise. Alternatively, if you have an idea for a future CPDcast and would like to get in touch immediately, please contact us.

Reinforce: Quiz-related Questions

  • No. The quiz can be taken at any time once the CPDcast has been listened to, but we would strongly recommend that you do it within 14 days of listening, as some CPDcasts have a limited life-span on the website due to their content becoming outdated.

  • Our quizzes comprise of 10 questions and to pass you are required to answer 6 or more questions correctly.

  • You can now see which questions you got wrong (if any!) when you pass the quiz.

  • Yes, you can retake the quiz as many times as it takes to pass. Please note that you will not be able to retake it for ten minutes after failing. We would suggest that you use this time to revisit any material you are uncertain of.

    quiz failed and pending under 'My CPDcasts' tab in 'My Account'
    Failed: quiz is locked for 10 minutes

  • You will not be able to take the quiz for the first time until thirty minutes have elapsed. This is to prevent users from attempting to take the quiz before they have listened to the CPDcast.

    quiz not available under 'My CPDcasts' tab in 'My Account'

    Please note: you may need to manually refresh the page (typically the F5 key on PCs) once the requisite 30 minutes has elapsed.

  • You will not be able to re-take the quiz after failing to pass until ten minutes have elapsed. We would suggest that you use this time to revisit any material you are uncertain of.

    quiz failed and pending under 'My CPDcasts' tab in 'My Account'
    Failed: quiz is locked for 10 minutes

    quiz failed and available to re-take under 'My CPDcasts' tab in 'My Account'
    Failed: quiz is now available to re-take

    Please note: you may need to manually refresh the 'My Account' page (typically the F5 key on PCs) once the requisite 30 minutes has elapsed.

  • Please get in touch.

  • We are always eager to hear from you concerning the quality of our CPDcasts, and welcome any remarks or suggestions you have. Please use the feedback button under 'My CPDcasts' tab in the 'My Account' to submit feedback for the associated CPDcast:

    use this to submit feedback for the associated CPDcast

    For general feedback or other enquiries please contact us using our form.

Track: Questions Regarding CPDtracker

Submit: Questions Regarding your CPD Certificate

  • The CPD year for barristers runs from the 1st of January to the 31st of December with all returns due by the 31st of January in the following year. For established practitioners (barristers who have completed the first three years of practice), a minimum of 12 hours CPD must be completed, of which a minimum of 4 hours must be accredited. CPDcast can provide you with all 12 hours' worth.

    For practitioners in the first three years of practice, a minimum of 45 hours of CPD training must be obtained, of which at least 9 hours must be advocacy training and 3 hours must be ethics training. The three year period begins upon commencement of tenancy, a third six, employed practice or a period of squatting. CPDcast can provide you with the remaining 33 hours' worth.

    For full details of the relevant requirements, please refer to the Bar Standards Board’s website at www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

  • The CPD year for solicitors and RELs runs from the 1st of November to the 31st of October. Newly qualified solicitors and RELs must undertake one hour of CPD for each complete month worked from the date of admission/registration to 31 October. Those admitted/registered on 1 November will go straight into their first CPD year. The CPD requirement for solicitors and RELs in their first CPD year and thereafter is 16 hours.

    At least 25% (4 hours) of the requirement must be met by attending or participating in courses offered by SRA accredited providers and which are at least one hour in duration. If your firm has in-house CPD accreditation, listening to a CPDcast and discussing the points raised in it may count towards this requirement. The remaining 75% (12 hours) of the requirement can be met by undertaking other activites, including listening to audio material by authorised providers such as CPDcast.com. Actual time taken can be claimed.

    For a full list of other activities will meet the 75% requirement, visit the CPD requirements on SRA’s website.

  • Fellows are required to undertake a minimum of 16 hours CPD each year, and Members a minimum of 8 hours CPD. Both Fellows and Members must achieve at least half of their CPD in their chosen specialist area. The CPD year runs from 1st of January to 31st December, with 25% of Fellows and Members being randomly selected in March of the following year to submit their logbook to ILEX. Those not selected and contacted by ILEX need not submit their logbook. All CPD completed with CPDcast may count towards your requirements and is kept on record and accessible to you until you delete your CPDcast account.

    For more information please visit ILEX CPD page.

  • If you're a Solicitor and your firm has in-house CPD authorisation from the SRA or is part of a consortium that has in-house CPD authorisation from the SRA, you can gain all the CPD hours (usually 16) required of you using CPDcast. If your firm does not have in-house CPD authorisation from the SRA and is not part of a consortium that has in-house CPD authorisation from the SRA, you can achieve 75% of the CPD hours (usually 16) required of you from CPDcast.

    If you're a Barrister or a Legal Executive you can gain all your CPD hours through CPDcast.

    For more information please see answers concerning CPD obligations above.

  • Due to the difference in guidelines between the SRA and the Bar Standards Board, CPD points are awarded differently for Solicitors, Barristers and Legal Executives.

    Solicitors:
    Solicitors will get 1 CPD Point (60 minutes) for listening to the CPDcast and passing the (optional) online quiz; or ½ a CPD point (30 minutes) for just listening to the CPDcast.

    Please visit our CPD for Solicitors page for more details.

    Barristers:
    Barristers will get 1 Accredited CPD point (60 minutes) for listening to the CPDcast AND taking and passing the subsequent online quiz. The quiz must be passed in order to gain the CPD point and no points will be awarded for only listening to the CPDcast.

    Please visit our CPD for Barristers page for more details.

    Legal Executives:
    Legal executives will get 1 CPD Point (60 minutes) for listening to the CPDcast and passing the (optional) online quiz; or ½ a CPD point (30 minutes) for just listening to CPDcast.

  • The bodies that regulate us as an authorised CPD provider (the same ones that regulate you and your CPD) require that our users have individual accounts so that you can claim CPD through CPDcast.

  • Unfortunately not. It is necessary for each user to have their own account. This is so that each user can accurately record their CPD (via CPD tracker) and so that we can inform a regulatory body, should they request it, of who has actually gained CPD through CPDcast. If more than one person does use an account, this activity will be in breach of our fair usage policy and will lead to the account being suspended and the relevant regulatory body being informed.

  • Yes. CPDcast is an SRA-authorised external CPD provider. This means that we can provide audio materials and distance learning courses for 75% of all required CPD hours. It also means that our materials/courses can form a part of the remaining 25% of all required CPD hours provided that they are used as part of courses which are not less than one hour in length, include an element of face-to-face discussion of the points raised, and are undertaken at firms or organisations holding in-house CPD authorisation from the SRA.

    A very small number of our CPDcasts are aimed at solicitors only which means they are not accredited by the BSB, but this accounts for less than 2% of our library. The vast majority of our courses are accredited by the BSB and those few that aren't are clearly labelled as such.

  • Yes, to both. To get your certificate open the 'CPDtracker' tab in the 'My Account' and scroll down to the bottom of the page where you will see 'My Options':

    certificate options under CPDtracker tab in My Account

    You can opt to print your CPDtracker log, download it as a PDF document or have it emailed to you. The SRA, BSB and ILEX will then accept this as an official record of CPD achievement.

Question not answered here? Give us a call.

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