I passed the bar exam or entered via comity and have been sworn in this year. What is my CLE obligation?
If you were sworn in prior to September 1, you must complete the full 15-hour CLE obligation for the year. If you were sworn in on or after September 1, your CLE obligation begins the year after you were activated. The Commission awards 12 General credits and 3 Dual credits for passing the bar examination […]
There is “Pending Attendance” on my account. Do I need to do anything?
YES! Ignoring pending attendance can cost you money. CLE compliance means you have earned your hours or claimed an exemption, AND all fees have been paid. If you owe posting fees for pending attendance ($2 per credit hour), you are not in compliance and will be assessed noncompliance fees if deadlines pass. Log into your […]
I submitted an Affidavit of Compliance with my missing hours. Is there anything else I need to do?
Yes. You need to ensure that you have paid all noncompliance fees and that the hours you included on the Affidavit get reported by the provider and appear on your account. It is the attorney’s responsibility to ensure attendance is timely and accurately reported in order to avoid fines and possible suspension of their license. […]
I live outside Tennessee but occasionally advise on Tennessee law and must comply with the 15 hour CLE requirement. May I apply CLE credit from my resident state?
Yes. You can earn your CLE credits anywhere in the world as long as the course has been accredited by CLE Commission. If the course has not been accredited in Tennessee, you or your provider will need to get the course accredited for you to receive CLE credit. First, confirm that your provider has not […]
Do CLE hours carry forward to the next year?
Yes, up to one full year’s worth of both General hours (12) and Ethics/Professionalism hours (3) can be carried forward to the next compliance year. Hours earned during a year in which an attorney is exempt may be carried forward only to succeeding year, only to the extent they would have carried forward had the […]
What are Tennessee’s Continuing Legal Education (CLE) requirements?
Each attorney must complete a total of 15 hours of CLE per year, consisting of no less than 12 General hours and three Ethics/Professionalism (E/P) hours. All E/P credit is designated as Dual credit. Dual credit is first applied as E/P credit, and any remaining credit is applied as General credit. Tennessee no longer requires […]
Should attorneys file online Annual Report Statements even if they have not earned enough hours?
Absolutely! The Commission must receive a completed Annual Report Statement (ARS) and any fees due by March 31 each year. Failure to file an ARS may result in financial penalties. The Commission will file an ARS for any attorney who has earned all required hours and paid all outstanding fees.
Are attorneys who are on inactive license status with the Board of Professional Responsibility exempt from Tennessee CLE?
No. Placing a law license on inactive status with the Board of Professional Responsibility does not excuse the CLE requirement. See Regulation 2B.1. An attorney who lives outside Tennessee and does not practice Tennessee law may be eligible to claim the non-resident exemption on the Annual Report Statement sent in February. An attorney who is […]
Can I earn all of my CLE credit through online courses?
Yes. CLE hours may be earned via in-person or distance-learning format. Distance learning includes both online programs and “real-time” or “streamed” seminars; the program must have interactive components. The Commission requires all distance learning to have a tracking mechanism and attendance certification by the provider. This includes webinars, recorded online sessions, and audio-only sessions.