Earning Credits

No — there is no universal requirement mandating that family law attorneys take specific CLE topics just because they practice family law.
That said, attorneys who become certified specialists or engage in specialty practice may face additional CLE obligations in family law or related areas.

• In California, the State Bar’s “legal specialist” program requires that CLE activities for specialists include certain recognized practice-area topics, including family law.
• In North Carolina, for board-certified family law specialists, at least 60 hours of CLE must be in family law (with up to 12 in related fields), and at least 9 hours per calendar year.
• In Illinois, the Illinois State Bar Association’s family law certification requires an applicant to complete a minimum of 36 hours of CLE in subjects specifically approved for family law.
• Some states maintain a list of “family relations” CLE courses approved for attorneys practicing that area. For example, Ohio has a selection of pre-approved family relations CLE programs.

Key Takeaway:
Unless the jurisdiction requires specialization, family law attorneys typically must satisfy general CLE requirements. But if they hold or seek a certification in family law, or the state imposes specialty CLE standards, then specific family law topics will be required.

CLE records are verified by the bar through audits, provider-reported attendance, certificates retained by attorneys, and reconciliation against official records.
This process ensures accurate compliance and prevents fraudulent reporting.

Self-Reporting and Audits

In most jurisdictions, attorneys self-report their CLE compliance through online transcripts, affidavits, or compliance reports. Bar authorities conduct random audits to verify the accuracy of these reports. During an audit, attorneys must provide supporting documentation such as certificates of attendance, agendas, or provider confirmations.

Provider Reporting and Recordkeeping

CLE providers are generally required to keep detailed attendance rosters, registration logs,

CLE credit in California counts for participatory programs (live or interactive) and self-study activities, subject to the State Bar’s credit rules.

Participatory activities include in-person seminars, live webcasts, approved online courses, speaking at or teaching CLEs, mock-trial coaching, and similar roles. Self-study includes recorded seminars, reading with self-tests, and qualifying publications.

Details

• State Bar Rule 2.84–2.87 define participatory and self-study credit under California’s MCLE rules.
• Participatory

In Wyoming, attorneys satisfy CLE by completing approved live, self-study, teaching, writing, or pro bono activities—subject to caps and format rules under Rule 6 of the Wyoming CLE regulations.

Wyoming lawyers must earn 15 CLE credit hours per calendar year, including 2 hours of legal ethics.

Qualifying CLE activities

• Attendance at live or interactive programs (in-person, live webcast, teleconference)
• Self-study /

Nothing “counts” toward CLE in South Dakota because the state does not require attorneys to complete CLE.

Attorneys are not obligated to earn or report CLE credits under South Dakota law.

Key facts

• South Dakota is a non-mandatory CLE jurisdiction — there is no MCLE requirement for license maintenance.
• Because CLE

Yes – Idaho attorneys can submit CLE attendance and credits online through the Idaho State Bar’s MCLE reporting portal.
The online system allows attorneys to report attendance, verify compliance status, and manage CLE records electronically throughout the reporting cycle.

• Idaho attorneys must complete 30 CLE hours every three years, including at least 3 hours of legal ethics.
• CLE credits can be submitted online using the MCLE Attendance Form available through the attorney’s ISB Dashboard.
• The Idaho State Bar generates a Certificate of Compliance once all attendance records have been entered online; this certificate must be confirmed or corrected by February 1 following the compliance period.
• Attorneys can view, add, and verify attendance records at any time, eliminating the need for separate paper submissions.
• If an attorney identifies missing or incorrect credits, they can upload attendance documentation or contact the MCLE Department for correction through the same portal.

Key Takeaway
Yes – Idaho allows attorneys to submit and manage CLE credits entirely online via the State Bar’s MCLE reporting system, with final certification due by February 1 of the year following the compliance period.

In Florida, CLE credit counts for attending approved CLE programs, participating as speaker or panelist, teaching law courses, writing legal articles, and (as of Dec. 30, 2024) approved pro bono service.

These activities must comply with Rule 6-10.3 requirements for accreditation, content, certification, and reporting.

Details

• Each attorney must complete 30 credit hours every three years, including 5 hours in legal ethics/professionalism and 3

In Oklahoma, attorneys satisfy CLE requirements by completing approved CLE programs or equivalent approved alternatives that conform to MCLEC rules.

Each active or senior Oklahoma Bar member must earn 12 approved CLE credits per calendar year, including at least 2 hours in legal ethics.

Qualifying CLE activities

• Attendance at MCLEC-approved CLE programs (live, webinar, webcast, teleconference, video replay,

It depends — in some jurisdictions you can earn CLE credit for volunteer (pro bono) legal work, but only if your state’s CLE rules expressly permit it and the work meets specified criteria. Whether your volunteer work qualifies depends on that jurisdiction’s rules about pro bono CLE credit.

Details & Examples:

• Ohio: Attorneys may receive one CLE credit for every six hours of pro bono service performed for recognized organizations, with a

In North Carolina, CLE credit counts when earned through State Bar-approved educational programs, teaching, writing, or other approved methods under 27 N.C.A.C. 1D (Rule .1500–.1518).

Attorneys must complete 24 hours of approved CLE every two years, including minimum hours in ethics, technology, and professional well-being.

Approved activities that count

• Attendance at approved CLE programs (live, webcast, teleconference, on-demand) sponsored or

In Vermont, attorneys earn CLE credit through Board-approved educational programming, writing, service, and self-study under Vermont’s MCLE rules.

The requirement is 24 credit hours every two years, including mandated hours in ethics, wellness, and diversity/inclusion, and a required portion must be “moderated” (interactive) programming.

Qualifying CLE activities

• Attendance at moderated programming — in-person, live webinars, teleconferences, or other courses

In Tennessee, CLE credit counts when earned through Commission-approved educational and professional activities under Supreme Court Rule 21.

Attorneys must earn 15 credit hours per calendar year, including 3 hours of Ethics & Professionalism (EP).

Allowed CLE activities

• Attendance at approved live or distance-learning programs (in-person, webcasts, recorded) — all hours,

It depends — bankruptcy attorneys may have specialized CLE requirements or recommended topic tracks tied to bankruptcy law, especially in jurisdictions where certification or specialization rules apply.
Because bankruptcy practice involves complex federal procedures, commercial restructuring, and creditor-debtor dynamics, CLE for bankruptcy attorneys often emphasizes substantive, procedural, and regulatory topics specific to insolvency law.

• In North Carolina, attorneys seeking certification in Bankruptcy Law must complete at least 36 hours of accredited CLE in bankruptcy law over the preceding three years, with a minimum of six hours each year.
• In Louisiana, the Board Certified Bankruptcy Law specialty follows the American Board of Certification (ABC) standards, which include separate CLE requirements beyond general bar compliance.
• Common CLE topics for bankruptcy practitioners include:
    • Chapter 11 reorganization and confirmation issues
    • Avoidance, preference, and fraudulent transfer actions
    • Debtor-in-possession financing and cash collateral use
    • Valuation disputes, cramdowns, and plan modifications
    • Ethical obligations, conflicts of interest, and professional responsibility in bankruptcy practice
    • Federal rule amendments and procedural updates from the U.S. Bankruptcy Courts
• Specialized CLE for bankruptcy law may overlap with, or supplement, general CLE requirements depending on jurisdictional policy.

Key Takeaway
It depends — while not all states impose unique CLE rules for bankruptcy attorneys, those pursuing certification or specialization must often meet additional CLE obligations and focus on advanced bankruptcy topics under their state’s or certifying body’s requirements.

No — CLE rules generally do not require “antitrust CLE” as a distinct mandated topic, but many CLE providers and specialty sections do offer courses tailored for antitrust practitioners.
Antitrust specialists routinely access targeted CLE offerings in competition law, merger control, cartel enforcement, Big Tech antitrust, and related economic or regulatory topics.

• The ABA Antitrust Law Section regularly hosts CLE programs focused on competition, antitrust enforcement, and policy developments. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
• The American Antitrust Institute offers CLE credits for antitrust and competition law conferences, issuing certificates attorneys can submit to state MCLE boards. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
• Many state and local bar sections—for example Washington State’s Antitrust, Consumer Protection & Unfair Business Practices Section—conduct specialized CLEs for trade regulation practitioners. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
• Targeted CLE modules may be treated as electives or substantive-law credits, depending on your jurisdiction’s CLE classification rules.

Key Takeaway
While antitrust CLE is not universally mandated, attorneys practicing in competition law have access to specialized CLE offerings—and should pursue them via antitrust sections, ABA programs, and compliance with their state’s credit rules.

In South Carolina, CLE credit counts when the course is approved by the Commission on CLE & Specialization (or designated under SCACR), including live, broadcast, distance, teaching, and specialty programming.

Attorneys must complete 14 approved hours yearly, with at least 2 in ethics and periodic substance abuse/mental health training.

Qualifying CLE activities

• Attendance at Commission-approved courses (live in-person, seminars)
• Alternatively delivered courses

In Colorado, CLE credit counts for attending accredited live or on-demand programs, teaching or presenting CLE, pro bono legal work, research and writing, committee work, mentoring, and law school or LLM courses (with limits).

To qualify, activities must meet the Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel’s Regulation 103 standards and be properly accredited or approved.

Details

• Live or real-time programs (in person, webinars, teleconferences) earn standard credit.
• On-demand/homestudy programs

CLE credit in Georgia counts for approved educational programming—live, recorded, webinars—along with teaching, trial-practice programs, professionalism/ethics courses, and certain other approved activities.

These activities must be approved by Georgia’s CLE Commission and satisfy content, duration, and reporting rules.

Details

• Georgia requires 12 CLE hours per year, including 1 hour of ethics and 1 hour of professionalism.
• Attorneys who try cases

In Iowa, CLE credit includes approved live programs, moderated webinars, on-demand courses, teaching, writing legal articles, and out-of-state programs—so long as they comply with the Iowa Supreme Court’s CLE rules.

These activities must be accredited by the Iowa Commission on CLE under Court Rule ‎41 and follow content, format, and reporting standards.

Details

• All Iowa attorneys must complete 15 CLE credit hours annually, including 1 hour of legal ethics and 1 hour of either

In Montana, CLE credit counts when earned through accredited live programs, distance learning (with limits), teaching, authorship, law school coursework, and certain service activities under the Montana CLE Commission rules.

Attorneys must complete 15 CLE credit hours each year, including at least 2 ethics hours.

Approved CLE activities

• Attendance at accredited live CLE programs (in-person or live webcast).
• Distance learning/on-demand

Yes — New Jersey will accept CLE credits earned in New York so long as the New York credits satisfy New Jersey’s reciprocity conditions.
Under New Jersey’s rules, courses approved in another state that has mandatory CLE may count “through reciprocity,” provided they are the types of courses NJ allows and the credits do not exceed teaching limits.

Details:

• New Jersey’s CLE FAQ states: “Through reciprocity, New Jersey will accept credits for courses … accredited in another