Do private vendors need accreditation to offer CLE?

No — judges in Massachusetts do not have a separate, mandatory CLE requirement apart from general attorney education norms.

Massachusetts does not impose a mandatory CLE for attorneys; judges may participate in Judicial Education programs, but those are not required under a distinct CLE mandate.

Details

• The Massachusetts Bar Association confirms that Massachusetts does not maintain a mandatory CLE regime for attorneys.
• Because there is no required CLE for attorneys statewide, there is no parallel, separate CLE requirement for judges in Massachusetts.
• Massachusetts’s Judicial Education program offers training and ethics guidance for judges, but it functions on a discretionary or policy basis rather than under a binding credit mandate.
• The Judicial Ethics FAQs for Massachusetts reference ethics obligations but do not state a continuing legal education credit mandate for judges.

Key Takeaway

In Massachusetts, judges are not subject to a separate mandatory CLE requirement — only discretionary Judicial Education applies, because the state does not enforce CLE for attorneys.

Yes — Pennsylvania requires that 6 of the 12 annual CLE credits be earned via “live-online or in-person/classroom” formats (i.e. synchronous or live courses). The remaining 6 credits may come from prerecorded (asynchronous) distance learning courses, subject to the Board’s limits.

Pennsylvania CLE Format Rules

• Total requirement: 12 credit hours annually, including at least 2 in ethics, professionalism, or substance abuse.
• Live-credit requirement: 6 credits must be live-online or in-person/classroom courses.
• Distance learning cap: Up to 6 credits may be earned through accredited prerecorded/asynchronous programs.
• Carryover: Only credits earned via live (in-person or live-online) courses may carry forward to future compliance periods.

Key Takeaway: In Pennsylvania, attorneys must earn half of their CLE credits through live formats (in-person or synchronous webcasts), and only the other half may be from prerecorded courses — in-person attendance is not required as long as the format is live.

Yes, on-demand CLE is generally available 24/7. Attorneys can access courses online at any time, which makes it easier to fit CLE into demanding schedules.

Why On-Demand CLE Is Flexible

• Always accessible: Programs can be started, paused, and resumed at any hour.
• Device compatibility: Courses are typically available on computers, tablets, and smartphones.
• Self-paced learning: Attorneys can complete courses in segments, rather than in one sitting.

State Variations

• Some states place caps on how many on-demand or self-study credits may count toward compliance.
• A few jurisdictions still require a minimum number of live or interactive hours, even if on-demand is unlimited for general credit.
• Deadlines apply: Even though available 24/7, credits must be completed and reported by the state’s compliance deadline.

Provider Support

• Sprout Education makes its on-demand CLE library accessible at all times and ensures tracking/reporting so that attorneys stay compliant with state rules.

Key Takeaway: On-demand CLE is accessible 24/7 and offers convenience and flexibility, but attorneys must confirm state limits on how many on-demand hours can count toward compliance.

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.

Lawyers in North Carolina generally do not self-report CLE; approved CLE sponsors submit attendance to the State Bar within 40 days of the program. If a lawyer is asked to cure a CLE deficiency, they may self-report attendance (by mailing, faxing, or emailing certificates) to the CLE department.

Key Details:

• Most sponsors of CLE programs must report attendance directly to the NC State Bar CLE department within 40 days.
• If a lawyer receives a notice of a prior year’s deficit, they may self-report attendance via submission of the certificate(s) to the CLE department.
• The State Bar provides a “Report of Attendance at a CLE Program” form for sponsors.
• Attorneys must maintain records and certificates in case the Bar audits the compliance certificate.

Key Takeaway: In North Carolina, the reporting format is primarily sponsor-driven attendance submission, with attorneys only self-reporting in corrective or deficiency contexts.

Yes — Virginia requires that 4 of the 12 mandatory CLE credit hours each year be fulfilled via “live interactive” programs (which can be in-person or via real-time webcasts or telephone). The remaining credits may come from pre-recorded or asynchronous formats, subject to a limit.

Virginia CLE Rules & Format Requirements

• Total requirement: 12 credit hours per annual period (November 1 – October 31).
• Ethics/Professionalism: at least 2 credits must be in legal ethics or professionalism.
• Live interactive credit minimum: 4 hours must be in programs with real-time interaction with the presenter (live on-site, live webcast, or telephone).
• Pre-recorded (non-interactive) programs: no more than 8 credit hours may be earned from these formats in a year.

Key Takeaway: Virginia mandates that one-third of your annual CLE credits be live and interactive, but it does not force you to attend physically — live webcasts with Q&A or telephone sessions qualify.