CLE Corner

MCLE stands for mandatory or minimum continuing legal education.

IMLA 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.

Overall, the process for MCLE accreditation is a lengthy one requiring about two months of advance or post 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 your 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).

IMLA Events Department can provide you with administrative assistance with the CLE accreditation application process. The service may require a fee per state, per event and includes custom preparation of required administrative course documents. IMLA programs are generally approved by MCLE U.S. jurisdictions. For more information, please contact cle@imla.org or call 202-466-5424.

(M) CLE States and Contact Information
46 U.S. jurisdictions (and increasing) require lawyers to take mandatory or minimum continuing legal education (MCLE) courses in order to practice law within that particular jurisdiction. All lawyers are encouraged to contact their state accreditation body to discern any state particularities, limitations or regulations in any and all formats (state contact info listed below)

The following U.S. jurisdictions have an MCLE requirement:

Alabama, Alaska,* Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey (2010), 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.

*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, and South Dakota. Below we have provided a list of the 46 MCLE jurisdictions and their contact information.

Colorado; Florida; New York; Kansas; Wisconsin; Missouri; Oklahoma; Rhode Island; and West Virginia.

Alabama; Arizona; Arkansas; California; Delaware; Georgia; Idaho ; Maine; Indiana; Iowa; Kentucky; Louisiana; Minnesota; Mississippi; Montana; Nevada; New Hampshire; New Mexico; North Carolina; Ohio; Oregon; Pennsylvania; South Carolina; Tennessee; Texas; Utah; Vermont; Virginia; Washington; Wyoming.

Description of the “hourly” calculations
MCLE jurisdictions determine credit hours by dividing the running time of instructional program by either 60 or 50 minutes. For example, a 90-minute program may earn 1.5 hours of CLE credit in a state that bases its credit on a 60 minute credit hour, and 1.8 hours in a state that bases it credit on a 50 minute credit hour. Some states round down credit to the nearest 1/2 or 1/4 hours (ie New York, which rounds down to the nearest 1/2 hour and Illinois, which rounds down to the nearest 1/5 hour).

After a program, please complete the following three-step process to receive your certificate of attendance.

1. Complete the Program Evaluation immediately following the program. Access the program evaluation via the link on the program’s confirmation and course materials page. Once the evaluation has been submitted, you will be redirected to the certificate of attendance confirmation form.
2. Print, complete, and sign the attendance confirmation form and fax it to 202-785-0152 or email to cle@imla.org no later than 10 days after the live program. This form is not certified until signed by an IMLA Representative
3. A Signed Certificate of Attendance will be faxed to you within 4 weeks after the program, or 30 day of credit approval from state agency.

Failure to submit the form within 10 days of the live program will result in a delay in receiving your Certificate of Attendance. When participating in a group (two or more) setting, print, complete and sign the Official Sign-in & Sign-out Report and fax it to 202-785-0152 within 30 minutes of the webinar.