Can I lose my license for not doing CLE?

It depends on your jurisdiction — in some states yes, pro bono legal work can count toward CLE credit under specified conditions, while in many others it is expressly excluded.
Where permitted, the jurisdiction will typically impose eligibility rules (which pro bono providers qualify, how many hours convert to credit, caps per period, and documentation requirements).

Details:

• In New York, you may earn 1 CLE credit hour for every 2 hours (120 minutes) of eligible pro bono legal service, up to 10 pro bono CLE credits per two-year reporting cycle.
• In Minnesota, one standard CLE credit is allowed for every 6 hours of pro bono legal representation through an approved legal services provider, with a cap of 6 credits per 3-year reporting period.
• In West Virginia, attorneys earn 1 CLE credit for every 3 completed hours of pro bono legal services performed at certain enumerated organizations, up to a maximum of 6 pro bono credits per reporting period.
• Many states do not allow pro bono work to count at all. For example, New Jersey lists pro bono work among activities that “WILL NOT be given CLE credit.”
• The Pro Bono and CLE Credit Guide (2025) notes that as of July 2025, 22 states permit some pro bono service for CLE credit, while 24 states do not permit it.

Key Takeaway:
Check your own state’s CLE rules — if pro bono hours are eligible, they’ll come with strict eligibility criteria, conversion ratios, and caps, so don’t assume all your pro bono work will count.

Yes — CLE and MCLE generally refer to the same concept, but MCLE specifically emphasizes that continuing legal education is mandatory (required) in a given jurisdiction. In other words, CLE is the general term for continuing legal education, and MCLE is CLE that is mandated by law or court rule in a jurisdiction.

Here is more detail:

Details & Examples

• Many state bar or supreme court rules require attorneys to complete a set number of CLE hours per period (e.g. per year or per multi-year cycle). That mandatory requirement is called “MCLE” in those jurisdictions.
• For example, in California, active State Bar licensees must complete 25 hours of “MCLE” every three years.
• In Texas, “MCLE” is defined as required continuing education under the State Bar rules; attorneys must complete 15 hours of accredited CLE per compliance year.
• Some CLE events (seminars, webinars, workshops) are accredited for MCLE credit, meaning they satisfy the mandatory requirement; other CLE-type activities not approved in that jurisdiction may not count toward MCLE.
• In jurisdictions without a mandatory requirement (if any), “CLE” might remain voluntary or optional for attorneys.

Key Takeaway
CLE is the general term for ongoing legal education for lawyers; MCLE is CLE that is legally required in a jurisdiction, with rules, credit, and compliance mechanisms attached.

Yes, court-mandated CLE exists in many jurisdictions. Courts may order attorneys to complete specific CLE hours as part of licensing rules, disciplinary actions, or reinstatement after suspension.

When Courts Require CLE

• Licensing requirements: State supreme courts typically mandate CLE as a condition of maintaining active law licenses.
• Disciplinary sanctions: Attorneys disciplined for misconduct may be ordered by the court to complete additional CLE, often in ethics or professionalism.
• Reinstatement: Lawyers returning from suspension or inactive status may be required to complete remedial CLE before resuming practice.
• Specialized orders: Some courts impose targeted CLE in areas like trust accounting, ethics, or technology where deficiencies were identified.

Implications for Attorneys

• Court-mandated CLE requirements are binding and non-compliance may result in suspension or denial of reinstatement.
• These requirements are in addition to the regular annual or biennial CLE obligations.
• Sprout Education provides accredited CLE programs that satisfy both standard and court-mandated requirements, ensuring attorneys remain in compliance.

Key Takeaway: Court-mandated CLE is real and can be imposed as a licensing condition, disciplinary sanction, or reinstatement requirement, making compliance essential to continued practice.

CLE is required on either an annual or biennial basis, depending on the state. Some jurisdictions require attorneys to complete CLE hours every year, while others set a two-year reporting cycle.

Common Reporting Periods

• Annual cycle: Attorneys must earn and report CLE credits each year (e.g., states like Alabama, Kansas, or Wyoming).
• Biennial cycle: Attorneys have a two-year period to complete their credits (e.g., states like California, New York, or Pennsylvania).
• Three-year cycle: A smaller group of states, such as Washington, operate on a three-year reporting cycle.

Practical Impact

• Compliance deadlines vary and often align with the attorney’s birth month, admission date, or a fixed calendar deadline.
• Attorneys practicing in multiple states must track separate compliance periods.
• Sprout Education monitors these jurisdictional differences to help attorneys stay on schedule across all reporting cycles.

Key Takeaway: CLE reporting frequency is not uniform—some states require annual compliance, others biennial, and a few triennial. Attorneys must follow the rules of their licensing state(s).

Yes — attending a legal conference can count toward CLE credit if the conference is accredited in your jurisdiction (or qualifies under that jurisdiction’s self-approval or reciprocity rules). However, not every conference qualifies — credit depends on course approval, content, format, and compliance with the state’s CLE rules.

Details & Conditions:

• The conference sessions must be approved or accredited by your CLE/MCLE authority.
• The content must be legal, educational, and meet subject / format standards (ethical, substantive law, skills, etc.).
• Attendance must be verifiable (sign-in sheets, digital timestamps, certificates).
• Some jurisdictions allow you to apply for credit for an out-of-state conference not pre-approved (i.e. request retroactive approval).
• Providers of legal conferences (such as bar associations, CLE providers) often seek multi-state accreditation and issue certificates listing credit by jurisdiction.
• Example: The Federal Bar Association offers conferences where attendees get CLE credit pending state approval; attendees must check in and out of panels.

Key Takeaway
Yes — you can often earn CLE by attending a legal conference, but only when the conference is accredited (or approved) for credit under your jurisdiction’s rules.

A CLE deficiency notice is an official notification sent by a state bar or MCLE board when an attorney has not completed or reported the required CLE credits by the deadline. It alerts the attorney to the deficiency and provides a cure period before penalties or suspension are imposed.

What It Includes

• The number of CLE credits still outstanding.
• Categories of credits missing (e.g., ethics, professionalism, specialty).
• Deadlines for curing the deficiency (often 30–60 days).
• Instructions for submitting proof of compliance and paying late fees.

Key Takeaway: A CLE deficiency notice is the bar’s formal warning that you are out of compliance, giving you a final chance to fix missing credits before fines or suspension take effect.