Can non-attorneys take CLE courses?

Yes — in some jurisdictions you can claim CLE credit for overseas courses, but only if your state’s CLE rules allow recognition of activities approved by “approved jurisdictions” or equivalent foreign accrediting bodies. Whether the credit is accepted depends on your jurisdiction’s reciprocity or approval policy.

How it works in practice:

• California: Allows attorneys to claim MCLE credit for education done abroad if the course is approved by a jurisdiction on California’s “Approved Jurisdictions” list (which includes certain foreign entities).
• New York: Through its “Approved Jurisdiction” policy, New York allows attorneys to count out-of-state or abroad CLE courses if they are accredited in a jurisdiction recognized by New York.
• General rule: Many states require that the overseas CLE be approved by a recognized CLE accrediting authority (domestic or foreign) or that you seek approval or reciprocity with your home jurisdiction.
• If your jurisdiction does not automatically accept overseas CLE, some allow you to self-apply to your CLE board with evidence (syllabus, certificate, accreditation) to get credit.

Key Takeaway
Yes — overseas CLE courses may count, but only when your jurisdiction’s CLE rules permit reciprocity or foreign-jurisdiction recognition; always verify with your CLE board and possibly apply for credit ahead of time.

The difference between live and on-demand CLE is that live CLE happens in real time with instructors and allows interaction, while on-demand CLE is a pre-recorded program that attorneys can watch later at their own pace. Both formats may count toward CLE credit, but state rules often treat them differently.

Live CLE

• Delivered in real time (in-person, webcast, or teleconference).
• Allows interaction, such as Q&A, polling, or discussion.
• Often required for a portion of credits in states that limit self-study or on-demand.

On-Demand CLE

• Pre-recorded courses available to view anytime.
• Offers scheduling flexibility but usually does not allow real-time interaction.
• Many states cap the number of on-demand credits or require some credits to be live.

Provider Support

• Sprout Education offers both live webcast CLE and on-demand courses, giving attorneys the flexibility to meet state-specific requirements in either format.
• Programs are accredited and designed to balance convenience with compliance, ensuring credits count toward annual or biennial obligations.

Key Takeaway: Live CLE provides real-time engagement, while on-demand CLE offers flexibility — and providers like Sprout Education deliver both to help attorneys stay compliant.

Sometimes — there is no general CLE requirement that applies only to real estate attorneys, but in some jurisdictions real estate law is a specialty requiring additional CLE for certification or specialization. Whether such a requirement exists depends on your state’s legal specialization and CLE rules.

Details:

• In California, attorneys certified as specialists must complete additional “Legal Specialist Continuing Legal Education” (LSCLE) beyond the standard MCLE hours.
• In Texas, attorneys certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS) in real estate must earn a specified number of CLE hours in the specialty area (e.g. 60 hours in the specialty area over three years).
• In North Carolina, for certification in Real Property Law, applicants must complete at least 36 hours of CLE in real property law (with minimum annual thresholds) during the preceding three years.
• In Connecticut, Residential Real Estate Specialist applicants must accumulate 36 hours of continuing legal education in residential real estate law (including ethics) during the period prior to filing.
• For non-specialist real estate practice, there is usually no distinct additional CLE obligation; attorneys must satisfy general CLE/MCLE requirements of the jurisdiction.

Key Takeaway
While real estate attorneys generally must meet the same general CLE obligations like any attorney, in several states specialty certification in real estate law triggers additional CLE requirements specific to that specialty.

Blockchain CLE is continuing legal education focused on blockchain, NFTs, and related legal issues. It helps attorneys understand both the technology and its legal, regulatory, and risk dimensions.

What Blockchain CLE Covers

• Basics of distributed ledgers, tokens, and smart contracts
• Legal frameworks for NFTs, crypto assets, and digital property
• Regulatory compliance challenges across jurisdictions
• Practical use cases in contracts, IP, finance, and governance
• Ethical and professional risks in advising on blockchain

Featured Course Example

• Sprout Education offers “A Legal Guide to Blockchain and NFTs,” a 1-credit on-demand course taught by Jeonghoon Ha, covering fundamentals, UCC issues, and regulatory risk.
• The course qualifies in many states for both general and technology credits.

Key Takeaway: Blockchain CLE arms attorneys with both technical and legal insight into a transformative space — and courses like Sprout Education’s help you earn real credit while building competence.

You verify a CLE provider’s bar approval by checking your state bar or MCLE board’s list of accredited providers or approved courses, which is published on their official website.
Most states maintain searchable directories or course databases where you can confirm provider status before enrolling.

Steps to Verify CLE Provider Bar Approval

• Visit your state bar or MCLE board website and navigate to the “Approved/Accredited CLE Providers” or “Course Search” section.
• Search by provider name or course ID to confirm accreditation status.
• Review whether the provider is a “Presumptive/Approved Provider” (courses automatically accredited) or if each course must be individually approved.
• If a provider is not listed, contact the MCLE office to ask whether the course qualifies for credit in your jurisdiction.
• Keep documentation (provider approval letter, course approval code, or confirmation screenshot) in your CLE records in case of audit.
• Sprout Education is an accredited CLE provider in multiple jurisdictions, and courses taken with us clearly identify the state approval codes or credit hours earned.

Key Takeaway: Always confirm a provider’s accreditation through your state bar’s official website or MCLE office before taking a course, and retain proof of approval for your compliance records.

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.