I. Overview
II. Attorneys/Participants

• Online Issues
• International Issues

III. External Groups (e.g., CLE Providers)

For further information on state MCLE requirements, contact the corresponding state regulatory entity.

What does MCLE stand for?
MCLE stands for the mandatory or minimum continuing legal education required of attorneys in jurisdictions that have adopted an MCLE requirement.

What states have adopted an MCLE requirement for its lawyers?
The following U.S. jurisdictions have an MCLE requirement:

Alabama, Alaska,* Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisian, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Virgin Islands (U.S.), Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Please visit www.abanet.org/cle/manstates.html, where you will find a list of the 46 MCLE jurisdictions and their contact information.

*Alaska has a mandatory ethics CLE (MECLE) requirement for its lawyers, as well as mandatory reporting of voluntary CLE taken. The following jurisdictions do not have an MCLE requirement:

Connecticut, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, and South Dakota.

What role does the ABA play in the CLE accreditation process?
The ABA is not an accrediting body or regulatory agency, but a provider of continuing legal education to the legal community at large. CLE accreditation is given on a state-by-state basis. There is no nationwide accreditation since the MCLE programs are administered by the state supreme courts through a special CLE commission or board.

How do I find out how many credit hours a particular course offers?
CLE credit hour information is displayed on the Uniform Certificate of Attendance you receive at each live CLE program. The accompanying "How to Get the Most MCLE Credit" information sheet contains additional information on the accreditation process as it may pertain to your state. If you require a replacement certificate, or are interested in this information for a future ABA program, please contact the ABA Service Center at (800) 285-2221 or the ABA section sponsoring the program.

How many CLE credits have I earned?
The ABA provides a Uniform Certificate of Attendance for each of its live accredited CLE programs but does not track individual attorney credits. Each certificate has the total amount of credit requested in each state, but only the attorney knows which parts of each program he/she attends. The affidavit portion of the certificate is for the attorney to record the credits he/she earned at each program and then to retain a copy of the Certificate as part of his/her permanent files. Perhaps your state CLE board maintains a record of the CLE credit you have earned.

How do I track how many CLE credits I have earned?
Information on CLE tracking software and online tools is available from the ABA Legal Technology Resource Center at http://www.abanet.org/tech/ltrc/fyidocs/fyicle.html

How long does the ABA retain the program attendance records?
The ABA holds attendance sheets through the four-year anniversary of a program date. Contact your state licensing CLE board to see if they have records going back further. If your state maintains this information and you need a uniform certificate(s), your state licensing board will need to contact the ABA MCLE unit to obtain these documents on your behalf.

How much extra CLE credit do I receive for being a speaker at an ABA program?
Each state CLE board has its own rules and procedures governing speaker credit. If you are licensed in New York, please contact the ABA section sponsoring the program. Otherwise, please contact your state directly regarding whether it has a speaker "extra credit" policy and what is required from you.

How can I earn participatory credit?

CLE providers track participatory credit. They verify participatory credit by requiring you to sign in at the time of the activity. Check with the provider to see if it is requesting participatory credit. If so, you would be required to sign in at the time of the activity (electronic sign-in is an acceptable format), and the provider would keep the sign-in list and send those listed a certificate of attendance. If your state board also approves online, CD ROM-based, and/or tape-based courses, contact the individual provider to verify that the program has been approved for participatory credit.

Q: How do I get CLE credits for a webcast if I'm licensed in Pennsylvania?
A: The State of Pennsylvania does not accredit distance learning CLE program formats. This includes ABA teleconferences, webcasts, and videoconferences. Only live CLE (both traditional classroom and those broadcast via satellite) is accredited by Pennsylvania at this time.

Q: I am a New York attorney who has been practicing law for less than two years. Could you please direct me to the appropriate person so I can determine whether New York will approve online CLE courses for MCLE credit?
A: Although New York approves all ABA courses, New York does not permit newly admitted attorneys to earn MCLE credit via non-traditional course formats. Such formats include teleconferences, videoconferences, streaming online courses, and recorded programs such as audio CDs, DVDs, and MP3 downloads. Please review the New York rules for potential exceptions. Generally, however, for purposes of fulfilling MCLE requirements, limit yourself to in-person, classroom style CLE courses.

Q: What online courses has Louisiana approved? Where can I find a list of approved courses?
A: Louisiana reviews ABA accreditation requests to approve our teleconferences, videoconferences., and live audio webcasts. You can find the address for the Louisiana State Bar Association and all other state bars on our Web site at www.abanet.org/cle/manstates.html by clicking on the state in the MCLE Map of State Requirements. In addition, you may also access our comprehensive ABA-CLE calendar for ABA course offerings.

Q: Where would I send the certificates of attendance for a lawyer licensed in Louisiana?
A: You can find the address for the Louisiana State Bar Association and all other state bars at www.abanet.org/cle/manstates.html by clicking on the appropriate state within the map.

Q: I did not receive a Texas state number that my state bar will accept. Does Texas require an activity code for self study programs?
A: Texas does not require a state activity code to receive CLE credit for the ABA's self-study programs.

Q: Can you tell me if a particular teleconference/audio webcast been approved for CLE and/or ethics credit in Wisconsin?
A: Contact the sponsor of the program or call the ABA Service Center at (800) 285-2221 for the sponsor's coordinator contact.

Q: Please tell me the requirements for an ethics class?
A: Each jurisdiction determine the definition of "CLE" and "Ethics" for its attorneys--and the ABA Center for CLE provides hundreds of courses annually to accommodate those various state requirements. Please review your state's MCLE rules and regulations: www.abanet.org/cle/manstates.html.

Q: Can an attorney licensed in Texas receive participatory CLE hours doing the ABA Connection online?
A: In Texas, online CLE programs can be submitted for self-study credit, but not for participatory credit.

Q: Where can I find an online ethics course to complete my Wisconsin Bar requirement?
A: The ABA produces live, online audio webcasts that meet Wisconsin's MCLE requirements. Wisconsin does not, however, accredit the ABA's online self-study (pre-recorded) CLE programs for MCLE credit. Please check the ABA-CLE calendar on the ABA Web site for "Live Audio Webcast" listings for ethics credit.

Q: What do I have to do to earn "participatory credit" for an ABA-CLE webcast?
A: Assuming your state(s) find this CLE format acceptable (See www.abanet.org/cle/manstates.html), you will earn participatory credit when you sign in online and return a program evaluation with your correct name and address. The ABA-CLE maintains a list of participants and provides a Certificate of Attendance upon receipt of the evaluation form.

Q: Is CLE credit available if you listen to the online version of archived teleconference?
A: CLE credit is available either by a live or archived audio webcast. You should check with your state MCLE commission or board to see whether it will permit you to earn CLE credit via this delivery method and whether there are limits on how much CLE credit you may earn via this delivery method. Please visit www.abanet.org/cle/manstates.html for more information.

Q: Are the CLE Now! online course accredited as something other than self-study?
A: Yes, some states allow ABA's CLE Now! online course participation to count toward participatory credit. For state specific information, please visit www.abanet.org/cle/manstates.html.

Q: I am a U.S. attorney working overseas. Can you provide me with a list of names of CLE course providers outside of the country?
A: The ABA-CLE is not a regulator but a provider of CLE to the legal community. For specific information on other providers, you will want to contact your licensing agency. Please visit the ABA Web site at http://www.abanet.org/cle/manstates.html.

Q: Can I take an online CLE program even if I'm not licensed in the U.S.?
A: We are a provider of CLE and therefore anyone can register for our programs. The issue would be whether you could get credit. Please check with your regulatory agency.

Q: What must a CLE provider do to offer participants credit for its courses?
A. Overall, the process for MCLE accreditation is a lengthy one requiring about two months of advance preparation. Each state with an MCLE requirement administers its own program with its own distinct set of rules, regulations and sponsor fees. Therefore, a CLE provider seeking MCLE accreditation of their programs must apply to each state individually. Please be aware that individual attorneys may also request accreditation from their particular states after the program has taken place by providing course materials, a special application and possibly a small fee. Again, each state has its own procedure. For more information, please visit www.cleusa.com. This Web site is maintained CLE reg (The Continuing Legal Education Regulators Association) and contains a link to individual MCLE state Web sites where you may download or review the MCLE Rules and Regulations. You will also find contact names, addresses and telephone numbers; and a Uniform Application for Accreditation (accepted by most states as California, Delaware and Ohio have their own application form).

Q: What can the ABA do for CLE providers?
A. The ABA Center for CLE's MCLE Unit can provide you with administrative assistance with the CLE accreditation application process. The service requires a fee and includes custom preparation of required administrative course documents. For more information, please contact Malissa Lenon at lenonm@staff.abanet.org or call 312.988.6219.