Illinois Attorneys N–Z: Need Free CLE Before the June 30 Completion Deadline?

Illinois attorneys with last names beginning N–Z: have you completed your CLE hours ahead of the June 30 deadline? If not, the Commission on Professionalism offers free CLE that is approved for professional responsibility (PR) CLE credit in Illinois.

MCLE requirements for the 2021-2023 reporting period are 30 hours of approved Illinois MCLE credit, including at least six professional responsibility (PR) hours.

At least one hour in diversity and inclusion (D&I) CLE and one hour in mental health and substance abuse (MHSA) CLE must be included within those six hours.

With the launch of the MCLE Board’s online transcript system, things have changed this year in terms of confirming compliance. Read on to learn what this means for you.

How to confirm your MCLE compliance

This year, lawyers do not need to report compliance to the MCLE Board. Instead, lawyers’ online “My MCLE” transcripts will constitute their report for the two-year reporting period, and such transcripts will determine compliance.

According to the MCLE Board , the transcripts of Illinois lawyers with last names beginning N-Z “must reflect [their] compliance by the June 30, 2023, initial credit completion deadline no later than the initial credit reporting deadline on July 31, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. CST to prevent a $250 late fee.”

You can check your transcript here and learn more about this new system on the MCLE Board’s FAQs page . You can also contact the MCLE Board here .

Newly admitted attorneys have separate requirements.

Free online CLE for Illinois attorneys

The Commission offers 7.5 hours of free online CLE approved for PR credit in Illinois through nine courses available on our website, including two newly added courses.

• [NEWLY ADDED]Civility in Legal Practice: Why it Matters (1.0 hours of PR CLE credit) Please note: If you received CLE credit for attending the 2023 Future Is Now: Legal Services conference, you are not eligible to receive additional credit for this course before April 21, 2024.
• [NEWLY ADDED]High-Performing and Highly Stressed: How Attorneys Can Prioritize Mental Health (1.0 hours of MHSA credit) Please note: If you received CLE credit for attending the 2023 Future Is Now: Legal Services conference, you are not eligible to receive additional credit for this course before April 21, 2024.
• Communicating During Conflict: Understanding Your Role (0.5 hours of PR CLE credit)
• Advancing Women in Law Summit (1.0 hours of D&I CLE credit )
• The Busy Lawyer’s Guide to Well-Being (0.5 hours of MHSA CLE credit)
• The Resilient Lawyer (0.5 hours of MHSA CLE credit)
• Ending Harassment, Bullying, and Incivility in the Legal Workplace (1.0 hours of PR CLE credit)
• Rebalance the Scales: Implicit Bias, Diversity, and the Legal Profession (1.0 hours of D&I CLE credit)
• The Buck Stops Here: Ethics and Professionalism for In-House Counsel (1.0 hours of PR CLE credit; satisfies the Rule 716(c) requirement for foreign in-house counsel)

Other CLE opportunities

In addition, free CLE is available through several Illinois legal organizations, including:

• Illinois ARDC : The ARDC provides licensed Illinois attorneys access to free on-demand legal education on its website.
• ISBA: The ISBA offers eligible members over 700 hours of on-demand CLE content at no additional cost.
• Illinois Lawyers’ Assistance Program : LAP provides on-demand CLEs that meet the mental health/substance abuse PR CLE requirement. Courses address topics such as mindfulness, addiction, and stress.
• Public Interest Law Initiative : PILI’s Virtual Pro Bono CLE Series will feature “ Best Practices for Inclusion of People with Disabilities ” on June 27, from 12 to 1 p.m. (1.25 hours of D&I credit)
• Local bar associations : Many local bar associations offer in-person or virtual courses this month. Check with your local bar association to see if there’s an option that suits your needs.

The MCLE Board also has a helpful course database you can use as a resource.

Did we miss any? Please comment below with any other free CLEs in Illinois and we will add them to the list.

Staying up to date on issues impacting the legal profession is vital to your success. Subscribe here to get the Commission’s weekly news delivered to your inbox.

Resources:

• High-Performing and Highly Stressed: How Attorneys Can Prioritize Mental Health
• Civility in Legal Practice: Why it Matters
• What CLEs Illinois Lawyers Took in 2022

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