MCLE Frequently Asked Questions
What is MCLE?
In 1988, Louisiana required lawyers to participate in formal continuing legal education. It is the responsibility of the Louisiana MCLE Committee to administer the rules pertaining to the continuing education of lawyers. The Louisiana MCLE Committee’s duties also include updating the requirements and rules as necessary, monitoring attorney’s compliance with the requirements, notifying attorneys of CLE status, accrediting courses and working with providers of CLE.
What is the CLE hourly requirement?
The annual compliance requirement is 12.5 hours, including 1 hour of ethics and 1 hour of professionalism. At least 8.5 of the required hours must be earned via in-person attendance. All credit hours must be earned by December 31st and reported to your transcripts no later than January 31st of the following year.
Who must comply with the CLE requirement?
All attorneys that are licensed to practice in Louisiana, except for those that are exempt from the requirements under LASC Rule XXX, Rule 2 Scope and Exemptions.
If I have complied with the annual CLE requirement in another state, can I notify you of that compliance to meet the Louisiana CLE requirement?
No. CLE rules vary from state to state; Louisiana CLE does not have reciprocity with any other jurisdiction. If you have completed a course that is not already approved for LA CLE credit, you may submit a member application for out-of-state CLE for possible credit approval.
What if I take more ethics/professionalism than are required for the year?
You can take all your required hours as ethics if you choose to do so. However, please remember that ethics and professionalism credit hours in excess of the 1-hour requirement each will be carried forward as general attendance credit hours NOT as ethics and professionalism credit.
Do live webinars count as in-person attendance?
No. Live webinars, webcasts, and on-demand recordings fall under the 4-hour computer-based credit limitation.
When must I complete my CLE requirements?
CLE must be completed by December 31st, and all credits must be reported to your transcript by January 31st of the following year.
What if my hours are not reported by January 31st following the compliance period?
Any member who fails to timely comply with the requirements of these Rules and Regulations for earning hours by the December 31st deadline or for reporting compliance by the January 31st deadline shall be assessed a delinquency penalty of $150.
In addition to the delinquency fee, any member, whether in regular practice or claiming an exemption, who has previously been noncompliant within the five years preceding the current reporting year will automatically incur an additional $50 penalty calculated at the rate of $50 per year for each noncompliant year within the five year period.
What happens if I do not comply with the requirements within my compliance period?
When a member fails to comply with the requirements of these Rules and Regulations, they must make up their outstanding credit hours as soon as possible, in addition to paying a delinquency fee. This fee can be paid online by logging in to your MCLE account on the LSBA website.
What happens if I remain out of compliance or do not meet my CLE requirements within the time allotted?
On or before March 15 the MCLE Committee will forward to each non-complying Member via email a final transcript of noncompliance for the preceding calendar year. Such members must correct any error(s) in the final transcript as well as submit their delinquent fee payment by March 31 of the year following the compliance period in question.
At the expiration of sixty (60) days from the date of notice to the Member, the Committee shall notify the Supreme Court of Louisiana of a Member's failure to furnish documentation to establish compliance, or failure to comply with a satisfactory substitute, or failure to pay the delinquency penalty, and shall request that the Court certify the Member ineligible to practice law.
A Member who has been certified ineligible to practice law because of noncompliance may be reinstated by filing a report with the MCLE Committee that complies with the requirements and by paying a nonwaivable reinstatement fee of $100 in addition to any other delinquent fees already assessed. The Member must obtain the necessary credit hours during the period of ineligibility to meet the requirements for all years of noncompliance.
How do I have my license reinstated after being certified ineligible due to non-compliance with the CLE requirement?
A Member who has been certified ineligible to practice law because of noncompliance may be reinstated by filing a report with the MCLE Committee that complies with the requirements and by paying a nonwaivable reinstatement fee of $100 in addition to any other delinquent fees already assessed. The Member must obtain the necessary credit hours during the period of ineligibility to meet the requirements for all years of noncompliance.
Upon receipt of a report showing satisfactory compliance with the requirements and payment of any applicable MCLE fees, the Committee will notify the Clerk of the Supreme Court that the member has satisfied the requirements.
If I find that I am unable to complete my requirements prior to my deadline, may I be granted an extension of time?
There are no extensions.
What happens if I earn more credit hours than are required for the year?
Attorneys may carry forward up to 8 general, in-person hours annually. Excess computer-based hours do NOT carry forward. Ethics and professionalism credits in excess of the 1-hour requirement of each may be carried forward as general credit hours.
What provisions are made for lawyers licensed in Louisiana but reside and/or work in another country?
Active members using their Louisiana license in another country should contact mcle@lsba.org to discuss options.
How do I change my status to reflect inactive, or retired status?
Only the LSBA Membership Department can change the member’s status. If you would like to request any change in status, please contact the Membership Department at processing@lsba.org.
Please note that if a member requests inactive status and has used their license to practice in any capacity prior to the request within the same calendar year, they must still obtain the annual CLE requirement by December 31st.
How does a lawyer return from inactive status to active status?
To change your status to active or reinstate from a suspension, contact the LSBA
Membership Department at processing@lsba.org.
When a member returns to active status, the member will be responsible for MCLE requirements for the calendar year in which they return.
Where and when will I be able to attend CLE courses?
The
MCLE Calendar lists all courses currently approved for LA CLE credit. Attorneys can attend programs anytime and anywhere in the world, but may have to self-apply for courses using the
Member Application for Out-of-State CLE Activity Credit. Please note, out-of-state credits are not guaranteed.
How will Louisiana learn of my attendance?
If the course has been approved for credit in Louisiana, the provider is responsible for entering your attendance within 30 days of the course completion date. When the credit is posted to the member’s transcript, the member will receive an email from
no-reply-mcle@lsba.org to the email address listed on the member’s profile. If the program was not approved for Louisiana credit, the member may self-apply using the
Member Application for Out-of-State CLE Activity Credit. Please note, out-of-state credits are not guaranteed.
Do my credits have to be taken in Louisiana?
No. Attorneys can attend programs anytime and anywhere in the world, but may have to self-apply for courses using the
Member Application for Out-of-State CLE Activity Credit.
Should I keep a list of my CLE activities?
It is suggested that you keep a list of CLEs you’ve completed, as well as your certificates of completion. Only you know what you took, so only you know what should be reported to your transcript.
If I teach a CLE program, do I receive credit for it?
Credit may also be earned through teaching in an approved CLE activity. Presentations accompanied by thorough, high quality, readable, and carefully prepared written materials will qualify for CLE credit based on six (6) hours of credit for each instructional hour of presentation. Presentations accompanied by one- or two-page outlines or not accompanied by written materials will qualify for CLE credit based on three (3) hours of credit per hour of presentation. Presentations with multiple speakers will qualify for CLE credit based on three (3) hours of credit per hour of presentation. Repeat presentations qualify for one half of the credits available for the initial presentation. To receive credit, the member shall submit
MCLE Form 4.
Sponsors should not enter attendance for presenters. The presenter must fill out the teaching credit form for any session taught
and any additional sessions attended.
If the course has not been approved in Louisiana, the member may individually apply for the course by filing the
Member Application for Out-of-State CLE Activity Credit along with the
Teaching Credit form.
May I claim credit for attending an LLM class?
Credit may also be earned through formal enrollment and education in an American Bar Association accredited law school. The Committee will award six (6) hours of CLE credit for each hour of academic credit awarded by the law school. There is no form associated with this type of credit. The ABA accredited law school will need to directly mail or email the member’s original transcript to the MCLE office.
May I claim credit for teaching a law school class?
Credit may also be earned through teaching a course in an American Bar Association accredited law school. The Committee will award six (6) hours of CLE credit for each hour of academic credit awarded by the law school for the course. Similar credit may be earned through teaching an undergraduate course on law in an accredited college or university. To receive credit, the member shall submit
MCLE Form 4A.
How are credit hours calculated?
Add up the total number of instructional minutes attended and divide by 60 minutes. This will give you the number of hours. Louisiana does not award credit for introduction of the speaker, meal breaks, or business meetings.
May I claim credit for attending the in-house CLE activities of my law firm?
No. Credit will not be given for activities sponsored by law firms and corporate law departments for the sole or principal benefit of their own members or employees. The MCLE Committee considers the following four (4) factors when evaluating whether or not an activity is “for the sole or principal benefit” of a law firm or corporation’s members or employees:
(1) The course focus must be of sufficiently broad interest to ensure that attendance will extend to substantially more than the members of the law firms and corporate law departments.
(2) The venue must be appropriate to the audience and cannot simply be a place with extremely limited space that could effectively block outside attendance.
(3) The marketing of the course must also be appropriate, must provide for attendance by lawyers not working for the sponsoring entities and be disclosed on the official MCLE calendar in accordance with the procedures governing that calendar.
(4) Any fee charged for attendance must be reasonable.
What if I want to attend a CLE course and the provider has not applied for approval (includes in and out-of-state programming)?
If the course has not been approved for LA CLE credit, the member may individually apply for the course by filing the
Member Application for Out-of-State CLE Activity Credit. Make sure all required sections are completed and attach the timed agenda, certificate of attendance, speaker information, and highlight the sessions you attend.
How do I pay my MCLE invoice(s)?
Members can pay invoices through their member account after the application has been reviewed and approved. A payment link will be provided to the member. To pay an invoice, go to the
MCLE home page and click
MCLE Invoices and Delinquent Fees in either the drop down menu or under MCLE Resources on the right hand side of the page. You will be prompted to log into your member account.
I do not have credit for a course that I took earlier this compliance period. Should I send my paperwork directly to the MCLE office?
The first thing to do is find out if the sponsor applied for credit in Louisiana. If they did, contact the course provider directly. It is the responsibility of the provider to enter the attendance within 30 days of the course completion date. If the course was not applied for by the sponsor, the individual attorney may apply for credit by filing the
Member Application for Out-of-State CLE Credit.
Common errors to avoid:
- Make sure you have provided your 5-digit LA Bar ID number to the course sponsor.
- Make sure you have followed all of the provider’s instructions to certify your attendance so they can report your earned credits on your behalf.
- If you are self-applying for credit, be sure all required documents listed on the application are included with your application to avoid delay or possible denial of your application.
What happens if I am on active duty with the military?
Any member who is also a member of the Reserve or Guard and who is on active duty at any time during the calendar year, or any member of the military who is deployed to a combat zone at any time during the calendar year, may file for a military waiver by submitting the
MCLE Exemption Form at the end of the calendar year. This form is made available by December 1 and is due by January 31 of the following calendar year. If you know you will be out of touch during the end of the compliance period, please reach out to the MCLE department to discuss your options.
How will my computer-based credits be applied to my Louisiana CLE transcript?
If the course has been approved for credit in Louisiana, the provider is responsible for entering your attendance within 30 days of the course completion date. When the credit is posted to the member’s transcript, the member will receive an email from
no-reply-mcle@lsba.org to the email address listed on the member’s profile. It is important to retain a copy of your certificate of completion.
If the program was not approved for Louisiana credit, the member may self-apply using the
Member Application for Out-of-State CLE Activity Credit. Please note, out-of-state credits are not guaranteed.
How can I find out more about CLE requirements?
Visit the
MCLE homepage for more resources or email us directly at
mcle@lsba.org.