Are any attorneys exempt from CLE in New York?

No — New York does not require most attorneys to complete a minimum number of in-person or live webcast CLE credits.
Experienced attorneys may earn all required CLE credits through on-demand or recorded programs, provided the course is accredited and completed within the compliance period.

CLE Format Rules in New York

• Experienced attorneys (admitted more than two years) must complete 24 CLE credits every two years. All 24 credits may be earned via nonparticipatory (on-demand) programs, as long as the course is approved by the New York State CLE Board.
• Newly admitted attorneys (in their first two years of admission) are the exception:
  • Skills credits must be completed through a traditional live classroom or a fully interactive live videoconference.
  • Ethics and Professionalism credits must allow real-time interaction (such as live webcast or video).
  • Temporary provisions allow newly admitted attorneys to complete Skills credits via live interactive webcast or teleconference through December 31, 2025.
• There is no universal live-hour minimum for all attorneys under New York’s CLE rules.

Summary Table

Key Takeaway

New York does not impose a live or in-person CLE minimum for most attorneys — only newly admitted attorneys must take certain Skills and Ethics credits in live or interactive formats.

In New York, attorneys earn CLE credit by participating in Board-accredited programs, presenting or teaching, publishing legal works, or engaging in qualifying pro bono service, subject to format, documentation, and category rules.

These rules derive from 22 NYCRR Part 1500 and the NY State CLE Board’s policies.

Credit-eligible activities

• Attendance at accredited programs in formats such as live classroom, webinars, teleconferences, videoconferences, and recorded/on-demand courses, provided the sponsor is NY-approved.
• Presenting, teaching, moderating, or panel participation at accredited CLE programs; credit awarded for instruction time and in some cases preparation.
• Publishing legal writings, legal articles or books, when the CLE Board approves the content for credit.
• Involvement in legal education or service roles recognized by the CLE Board (e.g. judging moot court or supervising competitions).
• Out-of-state courses approved via the NY “Approved Jurisdiction” policy, converted to NY credit based on minute rules.

Key constraints & formatting rules

• Credit is calculated in 50-minute hours, in 0.5-hour increments.
• Experienced attorneys (bar > 2 years) must complete 24 credits every two years, including 4 in Ethics, 1 in Diversity, Inclusion & Elimination of Bias, and 1 in Cybersecurity (effective July 1, 2023).
• Newly admitted attorneys must complete 32 transitional credits in their first two years (16 credits per year) in required categories (Ethics, Skills, Law Practice Management, Cybersecurity).
• Ethics/Professionalism, Diversity, and Cybersecurity credits may require participation or interactivity (e.g. live or fully interactive webcast) depending on rules.
• Excess credits may carry over: experienced attorneys may carry over up to 6 credits.
• Attorneys must retain certificates for program completion (minimum four years) and report CLE compliance on the biennial attorney registration form.

Key Takeaway: In New York, CLE “counts” when attorneys attend NY-accredited programs, teach or publish with approval, or participate in legal education roles—including out-of-state programs under the Approved Jurisdiction policy—subject to minute-based credit calculations, required credit categories, and reporting rules under 22 NYCRR Part 1500.

Yes — New York allows carryover of CLE credits, with caps and rules depending on status (experienced or newly admitted).

Experienced attorneys may carry over up to 6 excess CLE credit hours into the next biennial reporting cycle.

Details & nuances

• Under the New York CLE “Carry-Over Credit FAQs,” once you complete your required 24 hours, you may carry forward a maximum of 6 excess credit hours, in any category.
• The New York Rules (NYCRR) similarly provide: “an attorney who accumulates more than the 24 hours of credit in any one biennial reporting cycle may carry over a maximum of six credits.”
• For newly admitted attorneys (in their transitional 2-year period), the carryover rules differ:
  • If in your first year you earn more than the required transitional 16 credits, you may carry over up to 8 credits into your second year.
  • Once the transitional period is over, you follow the 6-credit carryover maximum like experienced attorneys.
• Ethics/Professionalism credits cannot be carried over during the transitional period, although after you become an experienced attorney you may carry ethics credits in the 6-credit carryover.

Key Takeaway

In New York, experienced attorneys may carry over up to 6 CLE credits into the next biennial period; newly admitted attorneys have a higher carryover (up to 8 credits) only during their transitional period, but ethics credits aren’t allowed to carry over then.