Okay, let's break down CLE ethics credit courses.

What are CLE Ethics Credits?

• CLE: Stands for Continuing Legal Education. It's the mandatory ongoing training that lawyers are required to complete to maintain their license to practice law.


• Ethics Credits: A specific subset of CLE credits focused on legal ethics, professional responsibility, and sometimes related areas like substance abuse, mental health, and diversity/inclusion. These are typically required within the overall CLE requirements.


• Why are they required? To ensure lawyers stay up-to-date on the rules of professional conduct, understand their ethical obligations to clients, the court, and the public, and address issues that can impact their ethical decision-making.

Here's a breakdown of places to look and factors to consider:

• Your State Bar Association:


• This is often the BEST place to start. Most state bar associations have a CLE department or a partnership with a CLE provider. They will have a catalog of courses, and you can be confident that courses listed as "ethics" are approved for ethics credit in your state.


• They often offer live seminars, webinars, on-demand courses, and even sometimes ethics-focused conferences.


• Many state bars have online portals where you can track your CLE credits and see your requirements.


• National CLE Providers:


• These are companies that offer CLE courses nationwide. You'll need to confirm that the course is accredited in your specific state and that it qualifies for ethics credit. Popular providers include:


• PLI (Practising Law Institute): Known for high-quality, in-depth programs.


• ALI CLE (American Law Institute CLE): Another reputable provider with a wide range of courses.


• NBI (National Business Institute): Offers practical skills-based training.


• Thomson Reuters/West LegalEdcenter: Part of a large legal information company.


• LexisNexis: Another large legal information company with CLE offerings.


• Lawline: Focuses on online CLE.


• MyLawCLE: Online and On-Demand CLE


• Local and Specialty Bar Associations:


• City, county, or specialty bar associations (e.g., trial lawyers associations, family law associations) often host CLE programs, and some of those will be ethics-focused. Check their calendars and websites.


• Law Schools:


• Many law schools offer CLE programs, sometimes including ethics courses. Check the websites of law schools in your area.


• CLE Aggregators/Search Engines:


• Some websites allow you to search for CLE courses across multiple providers. Be very careful to verify accreditation and ethics credit status.

• Accreditation: ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL. Make sure the course is accredited by the CLE board or agency in your state. If it's not accredited, you won't get credit.


• Ethics Credit Designation: Confirm that the course is specifically designated as an "ethics" course for CLE purposes. A general legal topic course is unlikely to qualify for ethics credit.


• Format: Do you prefer live, in-person seminars, live webinars, or on-demand recordings? Consider your learning style and schedule.


• Cost: CLE courses can range in price from free (often offered by bar associations as a member benefit) to several hundred dollars.


• Topic: Ethics is a broad area. Some courses might focus on specific areas of ethics (e.g., conflicts of interest, confidentiality, attorney advertising, cybersecurity ethics). Choose a topic that's relevant to your practice or of particular interest to you.


• Speaker/Presenter: Look for experienced and knowledgeable speakers who are experts in legal ethics.


• Reviews/Reputation: If possible, read reviews of the course or the provider to get an idea of the quality.


• Jurisdictional Specificity: Ethics rules vary somewhat by jurisdiction. Look for courses that specifically address the ethics rules in your state.

Here are some common topics covered in ethics CLEs:

• Rules of Professional Conduct: A general overview of the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct (or your state's equivalent) and their application.


• Conflicts of Interest: Identifying and managing conflicts of interest in client representation.


• Confidentiality: Protecting client information and complying with confidentiality rules.


• Attorney-Client Privilege: Understanding the scope and limitations of the attorney-client privilege.


• Competence: Maintaining competence in your area of practice.


• Candor to the Tribunal: Honesty and integrity in dealings with the court.


• Advertising and Solicitation: Complying with rules governing attorney advertising and solicitation.


• Fees and Billing: Ethical considerations in setting and collecting fees.


• Trust Account Management: Properly handling client funds.


• Cybersecurity Ethics: Protecting client data in the digital age.


• Substance Abuse/Mental Health: Addressing substance abuse and mental health issues that can impact ethical decision-making (often required for ethics credit in some states).


• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Promoting diversity and inclusion in the legal profession (increasingly required for ethics credit in some states).


• Legal Ethics in Specific Practice Areas: Ethics issues specific to areas like criminal law, family law, real estate, etc.

• "CLE ethics [your state]"


• "Continuing Legal Education ethics credit"


• "[Your state] Bar Association CLE"


• "Legal ethics webinar"


• "Online ethics CLE"

• Check Your State's Requirements: The number of ethics credits required and the specific topics that qualify can vary significantly from state to state. Always consult your state bar's CLE rules.


• Keep Records: Maintain records of all CLE courses you complete, including certificates of attendance or completion. You'll need these to report your compliance to your state bar.


• Deadlines: Be aware of the deadlines for completing your CLE requirements. Procrastinating can lead to penalties.


• Plan Ahead: Don't wait until the last minute to complete your CLE requirements. Courses can fill up, and you might not be able to find a course that fits your schedule.