(Applicable to US attorneys) You’re out of law school now. Perhaps you’ve been out for quite a while. Although there are still rules and regulations, the game you’re in is far less structured or organized than the one governed by academic boards, deans, and advisors. There are no grades anymore, aside from success and failure. Welcome to the real world.
There are tons of things you’ll need to do in order to keep your license, but one that might slip you mind is keeping current with your CLE credits. Nearly every state has a MCLE standard, required by every single attorney in that particular state. Failure to stay current carries a penalty, sometimes even disbarment. Fortunately, there are numerous simple ways to get those credits.
Take Part in Organized Legal Educational Activities
One way is to take part in organized legal educational activities. These can be hosted by local or statewide legal organizations, law schools and other colleges, public or private practices, or even state organizations. Thus, there are generally several options available to any attorney who may be in need of those CLE credits. The only downside to this is that it might cost you a little bit of cash, and you will probably need to take a day or two off in order to attend.
Participation in Qualified Pro-Bono Activities
Another thing to look at is Pro-bono. This isn’t just a good way to make it look like you care… it can also do quite a bit to get those CLE credits out of the way, if you live in CO, DE, NY, MN, TN, VT, WA, or WY. The rules are different from state to state, of course, but they are rather similar to one another, allowing a pre-set number of CLE credits for a particular number of hours of state-sanctioned pro-bono work. It’s easy to find the particular regulations for your state online.
Teaching Activity and Graduate Level Legal Courses
Teaching activity & graduate level legal courses are yet another way that you can go about racking up the MCLE credits. If you’re an experienced attorney, your knowledge and experience are premium services in their own right, and you’ll be able to get CLE credit for your teaching activity. If you have the cash to shell out, you’ll also be allowed to earn CLE credits for graduate or J.D. level courses at ALA accredited schools.
So you see there are lots of ways to get those CLE credits. By far the simplest, however, is by watching our free video courses. They are perfect for the attorney who might not have the time or money to engage in any of the above activities. Our courses are designed to be as clear, concise, and convenient as humanly possible.
Ryan Caulker writes for Lexvid, a self-study free online CLE program provider on topics covering all major legal practices. Attorneys can earn and manage all their CLE credits absolutely free and hassle free with Lexvid.
