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So you’ve passed the bar. Congratulations! Now it’s time to get started on your continuing legal education requirements.
Continuing Legal Education (CLE), or Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE), is a professional development requirement for attorneys.
Many states have specific requirements for Newly Admitted attorneys. Let’s take a look at what you need to know in each state.
Newly Admitted Requirements by State
New York Newly Admitted CLE Requirements
NY attorneys must earn at least 16 transitional continuing legal education credits in each of the first two years of Bar admission, including:
- 3 Ethics & Professionalism CLE Credits
- 6 Skills CLE credits
- 7 Professional Practice CLE and/or Law Practice Management CLE credits
The first 16 transitional CLE credit hours must be completed by the first anniversary of admission, in the designated categories of credit. The second 16 transitional CLE credit hours must be completed between the first and second anniversaries.
Through 12/31/2022, New York attorneys can complete their entire newly admitted requirement with Lawline Unlimited.
For more information, including information on experienced attorney CLE requirements, see New York CLE Requirements.
California Newly Admitted CLE Requirements
Attorneys must complete the New Attorney Training Program offered by the State Bar of California within their first year of admission. They must complete their 25 hours during their initial 3-year MCLE compliance period, and may count the New Attorney Training hours towards their regular MCLE requirement if they complete them during their compliance period.
For more information, including information on experienced attorney CLE requirements, see California CLE Requirements.
Texas Newly Admitted CLE Requirements
Newly admitted attorneys in Texas must complete the 15 hour minimum CLE credits needed for a regular one-year MCLE compliance year during the initial 24-month MCLE compliance year, including the Justice James A. Baker Guide to Ethics and Professionalism in Texas course.
Texas attorneys can complete their required CLE credits (with the exception of the Justice James A. Baker Guide to Ethics and Professionalism in Texas) with Lawline Unlimited.
For more information, including information on experienced attorney CLE requirements, see Texas CLE Requirements.
Florida Newly Admitted CLE Requirements
All Newly Admitted attorneys in Florida must complete the Basic Skills Course Requirement, available through the Florida Bar.
For more information, including information on experienced attorney CLE requirements, see Florida CLE Requirements.
Illinois Newly Admitted CLE Requirements
Newly Admitted Attorneys must complete a six-hour Basic Skills course that has been approved by the MCLE Board to meet the Basic Skills requirement, as well as nine additional hours of approved CLE credits of their choosing.
Illinois attorneys can complete their entire newly admitted requirement, including the six-hour Basic Skills course, with Lawline Unlimited.
For more information, including information on experienced attorney CLE requirements, see Illinois CLE Requirements.
Pennsylvania New Admitted CLE Requirements
Newly Admitted Attorneys are exempt from completing the standard CLE requirement for at least 12 months and up to 2 years from their date of admission, depending on the compliance group to which they are assigned. Once the grace period is over, the first annual compliance period begins and Newly Admitted Attorneys must complete 12 CLE credits, including the 4-credit Bridge the Gap program.
For more information, including information on experienced attorney CLE requirements, see Pennsylvania CLE Requirements.
Georgia Newly Admitted CLE Requirements
Newly Admitted Attorneys must complete the Transition Into Law Practice Program (TILPP) offered by the Georgia Bar.
For more information, including information on experienced attorney CLE requirements, see Georgia CLE Requirements.
North Carolina Newly Admitted CLE Requirements
North Carolina Newly Admitted Attorneys must complete a 12-hour Professionalism for New Attorneys program during the year the member is first required to meet CLE requirements.
For more information, including information on experienced attorney CLE requirements, see North Carolina CLE Requirements.
District of Columbia Newly Admitted CLE Requirements
Newly Admitted Attorneys must complete the D.C. Rules of Professional Conduct and District of Columbia Practice mandatory course.
Maryland Newly Admitted CLE Requirements
Maryland attorneys are not required to complete CLE.
Ohio Newly Admitted CLE Requirements
Ohio Newly Admitted Attorneys must complete 12 hours of New Lawyers Training (NLT) courses that have been approved by the Ohio CLE Commission and specifically designated as meeting the NLT requirement for Newly Admitted Attorneys.
For more information, including information on experienced attorney CLE requirements, see Ohio CLE Requirements.
New Jersey Newly Admitted CLE Requirements
Newly Admitted Attorneys in New Jersey must complete 24 credits of approved CLE in their first full two-year compliance period.
At least 5 credits must be in Ethics/Professionalism, of which at least 2 must be in Diversity, Inclusion, and Elimination of Bias.
15 credits must be in any 5 of the following 9 subject areas:
- New Jersey Basic Estate Administration
- New Jersey Basic Estate Planning
- New Jersey Civil or Criminal Trial Preparation
- New Jersey Family Law Practice
- New Jersey Real Estate Closing Procedures
- New Jersey Trust and Business Accounting
- New Jersey Landlord/Tenant Practice
- New Jersey Municipal Court Practice
- New Jersey Law Office Management
New Jersey attorneys can complete their entire newly admitted requirement with Lawline Unlimited.
For more information, including information on experienced attorney CLE requirements, see New Jersey CLE Requirements.
Virginia Newly Admitted CLE Requirements
Newly admitted attorneys are exempt from the 12-credit MCLE requirement for the reporting period in which they are first admitted to practice. Newly admitted attorneys are required to take the Harry L. Carrico Professionalism Course provided by the Virginia Bar within 12 months of becoming an active member. This course may count toward their CLE requirement for their first reporting cycle.
Additional States
For full information on the requirements in each state, visit https://www.lawline.com/cle-requirements
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