A: 45 states require attorneys to continue their education to retain their license to practice law (MCLE). Of these, 44 states currently allow some or all MCLE credits to be earned online. Each state has its own requirements.

To see your state's requirements and to find out if your state allows MCLE credit for online CLE programs, click the CLE Requirements tab at the top of any page. Hover your cursor over a state to view a snapshot of state requirements. Click your state on the map or select your jurisdiction from the Select Your State drop-down list for more information. To ensure accurate interpretation of the information provided, contact your state MCLE authority, shown on the right side of your state?s requirements page.

A. A CLE program may be accredited in one of four ways:

• A sponsor may apply for approval for the individual program.

• A sponsor may apply for sponsor accreditation or the sponsor may be designated as an accredited sponsor, making all of the programs sponsored presumptively accredited.

• An individual attorney may apply for approval of the program.

• A state may recognize and presumptively approve CLE programs accredited by, and held in, other MCLE states.

For specific questions about accreditation of West LegalEdcenter programs, please e-mail accreditation@westlegaledcenter.com.

A: An application for accreditation of a specific CLE program must be submitted on forms furnished by the appropriate state board or commission. Most states require the application be submitted some time before the program is to take place.

Generally, the forms must be accompanied by an outline that describes the content, identifies the teachers, lists the time devoted to each topic, and shows the date and location of the program to be offered. Typically, this is a brochure mailed by the program provider that announces the program. Sometimes, it must include a detailed calculation of the total CLE hours and specialty credit hours. Finally, a fee usually must accompany the application. West LegalEdcenter complies with the rules of all accrediting boards or commissions when applying for CLE credit.

A: In some states, programs are accredited until a certain date. The expiration date is the last date on which the program can be taken for credit in that state. After that date, accreditation for that state will no longer be displayed. Click a program title to view it?s expiration date under State Credits on the right side of the page.

A.

• Sign onto your account at westlegaledcenter.com.
• Click the "My Compliance/Credits" link in the upper left corner of the site.  Click on the "All Credits" tab. 
• Look for the "Certificate of Completion" link located to the right of the program you have completed.
• Click on the "Certificate of Completion" link and you will receive your pre-filled Certificate.

A. Please fill out the form here. and we will update your profile within 3-5 business days.

 

A. Applied for" means that the application for CLE approval has been submitted the state accrediting agency. As with many live CLE events you may attend, approval for credit is not always received prior to the program. Many states allow providers to list the program as "applied for" to alert participants that, while approval has not yet been received, the application is in process. You will be notified when formal approval has been obtained. Be assured that we carefully screen programs before applying and are confident that the approval will be granted.

 

A. Some states allow programs to be submitted for approval after an attorney has attended the program. We list such programs as "Applied for Upon Completion." You will be notified first when the program has been submitted to the state for approval (see "Applied for"), and again when formal approval has been obtained. Be assured that we carefully screen programs before applying and are confident that the approval will be granted.  Be sure to select your state for credit when beginning the program to ensure that we are notified of your completion to trigger the application process.

 

A. Pursuant to Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Rule 6-10.3(e): If a course is presented or sponsored by or has received credit approval from an organized state bar(whether integrated or voluntary), such course shall be deemed an approved course for purposes of this rule if the course meets the criteria for accreditation established by policies adopted under this rule. All West LegalEdcenter programs are approved for MCLE credit by, among others, the New York and California State Bars.  Attorneys may self apply for these programs by submitting the appropriate paperwork to the state board for approval.

Pursuant to the Florida MCLE rules, West LegalEdcenter lists all national programs produced within the last 18 months as "Self-Apply".

Upon completion of a "Self-Apply" program, attorneys will be provided with a PDF of the Application for Course Attendance Credit (for courses not previously approved by the Florida Bar). The form will be pre-filled with all required information, including Florida attorney profile information where it has been provided to West LegalEdcenter. The completed form will need to be submitted by the attorney completing the course directly to the Florida State Bar. There is no charge to attorneys submitting this form.

 

 

A. Program attendance is reported at the actual time of program completion. If approval is received after you have completed the program, it will be applied retroactively to your participation by the MCLE regulators.

Q: What is the difference between Compliance Deadline and Reporting Deadline?

A: Compliance Deadline is the date by which all CLE requirements must be completed. In other words, all programs must be viewed and completed by midnight on this date in order for the attorney to receive credit. Reporting Deadline is the date by which attorneys must inform the state which programs they took to fulfill their requirements. Most often, attorneys have 1-3 months from the end of the compliance period to finish their reporting. Please note that both Compliance Deadline and Reporting Deadline are listed on the state requirements pages for each state. Using Minnesota as an example:

End of Compliance Period: June 30
Reporting Date: August 30