A permanent program adopted by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania establishing minimum requirements for continuing legal education for Pennsylvania lawyers. The program was established by an order of the Supreme Court dated January 7, 1992 and is administered by the Continuing Legal Education Board.
The public properly expects that lawyers, in the practice of law, will maintain certain standards of professional competence and ethical behavior. The requirement for continuing legal education was established to ensure that, throughout their careers, lawyers admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania remain current regarding the law and maintain the requisite knowledge and skill necessary to fulfill their professional responsibilities.
(Rule 102(a) and Preamble to Regs)
Lawyers who became registered to practice law in Pennsylvania on or after July 1, 1992 must complete a program of continuing legal education as provided by the Rules and Regulations. There shall be no exceptions from this requirement under any circumstance except in the limited instances described in the Regulations.
(Rule 105 and Regulation Section 2 "Scope")
An active lawyer is a member in good standing of the bar and of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, who is not an active or senior member of the judiciary. A lawyer who is active for any part of a year must comply with the Rules and Regulations. An active lawyer is one who has paid the licensing fee (lawyer assessment), regardless of whether they actually engage in the practice of law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or elsewhere.
(Rule 102(b) and Regulation Sections 1 "Definitions" and 2 "Scope")
All Pennsylvania lawyers have been permanently assigned to one of three (3) Compliance Groups chosen randomly, by lawyer ID number:
Group I - May 1 through April 30 every year
Group II - September 1 through August 31 every year
Group III - January 1 through December 31 every year
The annual requirement for all compliance groups is twelve (12) total credit hours. Of this total, a minimum of two (2) hours must be in ethics.
(Rule 105(a) and Regulation Section 3, "Minimum Education Requirements")
Attorneys have up until midnight on the day of their deadline to take a course and complete the requirements. Accredited providers are given 30 days from the course date to report the credits. As long as the credits are taken prior to the deadline, the attorney will not be considered non-compliant once the credits are reported.
As long as the minimum annual ethics requirement is met, additional ethics credits will apply to the substantive portion of the CLE requirement. For example, the annual requirement may be met by completing all twelve credits in ethics.
More information
If a lawyer fails to comply under the Rules and Regulations, the Board will send the lawyer a report of non-compliance. The lawyer must, within sixty (60) days from the date of the notice, comply with the Rules and Regulations. In addition, the lawyer must pay a late fee as required by the Board.
(Regulation Section 8)
An initial late compliance fee of $100 is assessed when the requirement of 12 CLE hours is not completed by the assigned deadline date.
Note: A second $100 late fee is assessed if the requirement is not completed within the 90 day period from the initial notice of non-compliance.
(Regulation Section 18)
Those lawyers, who remain out of compliance, by either not completing hours or not paying late fees, will have their names submitted to the Supreme Court on a Non-Compliant List. The Court will issue an order to administrative suspend the licenses of those lawyers who fail to meet the CLE requirement. When the order is issued, non-compliant lawyers are assessed a third $100 late penalty fee.
(Regulation Section 18)
The first step is to contact the CLE Board to advise that you would like to come off the administrative suspension status. The CLE Board will then advise you of your requirements to come back to active status. Once the hours and / or fees are satisfied, the PA CLE Board will certify compliance with the Attorney Registration Office.
Nothing further is owed to the CLE Board; however, the Attorney Registration at the Disciplinary Board may require additional payments.
Extensions can be granted for lawyers as follows:
(a) Lawyers with medical conditions which prevent from attending CLE courses.
(b) Lawyers residing out of the country.
(c) Lawyers involved in a lengthy trial (i.e., three (3) months and longer)
(d) Severe financial difficulties.
Extension requests can be made by emailing or writing to the PA CLE Board.
a. If the request is due to medical conditions, please include a letter from the physician detailing the medical condition or any form indicating medical condition.
b. If the request is for a lawyer residing out of the country, the lawyer's letter should include how long the lawyer has been out of the country and when the lawyer plans to return.
c. Lawyers requesting extensions due to lengthy trials must include the caption of the case, court term and number, name of the judge, the date trial began, and estimated ending date.
d. Lawyers requesting extensions for financial difficulties must explain, in a letter, their situation in as much detail as possible.
NOTE: A $50.00 filing fee must accompany the extension request, except in (a) and (d) above.
(Rule 113 and Regulation Section 18)
A lawyer may carry forward live courses into the succeeding two (2) years, up to two (2) times the current year's requirement. Distance Learning hours will not carry forward. (Regulation Section 5(c) "Credit for CLE Activities")
No. There are many practical and technological reasons which prevent such change.Nothing. You always remain in the same Compliance Group. Your Compliance Group never changes, even if you change your last name. Request for Name Change
The Board makes available Non-Resident Active Deferral to those lawyers who neither practice law nor reside within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Non-Resident Active Deferral is detailed in (Regulation Section 6(e), "Waivers, Extensions and Deferrals"). To apply for this deferral, log in to your MyPacle account at www.pacle.org. The Non-Resident Deferral must be renewed annually.
A lawyer who places their license on voluntary inactive status prior to the current year's CLE deadline will have his/her CLE requirement deferred.
(Regulation Section 6(b)).
License status changes are processed by the Attorney Registration office. For information on assuming inactive status, please visit the Attorney Registration section on the Disciplinary Board's.
| Please note: | The processing time to assume voluntary inactive status can take from 4 - 6 weeks during the annual renewal period; however, if you assume voluntary inactive status at any other time in the year, the process is approximately one week. |
While on voluntary inactive status, the CLE requirement is deferred. Upon return to active status the lawyer shall complete the CLE requirement by the deadline of the current year (twelve (12.0) hours) and will have until the following compliance deadline to complete the standard requirement plus the deferred CLE requirements. The deferred requirement is not to exceed two (2) times the current annual requirement. Thus the total due in the second year will be thirty-six (36.0) hours.
Upon return to active status the lawyer shall complete the CLE requirement by the deadline of the current year (twelve (12.0) hours) and will have until the following compliance deadline to complete the standard requirement plus the deferred CLE requirements. The deferred requirement is not to exceed two (2) times the current annual requirement. Thus the total due in the second year will be thirty-six (36.0) hours.
Attorneys who reside outside of Pennsylvania have the option to continue deferring their requirement with the Non-Resident Active Deferral. An application for Non-Resident Deferral is available by accessing your MyPacle account online at www.pacle.org.
The Attorney Registration office at the Disciplinary Board processes all requests for return to active status.
Note: Depending on the length of time a license has been inactive, different reactivation instructions apply. If a license has been inactivated for more than three (3) years, additional requirements and procedures are required. More information.
After the Disciplinary Board reactivates a lawyer, the PA CLE Board will inform the lawyer of his/her CLE requirements.
Members of the Judiciary, who have been appointed or elected and are serving as a judicial official of the United States of America and whose position prohibits the individual from the practice of law within the territorial jurisdiction where the individual serves as a judge, are exempt from CLE during the period they are judges. A member of the judiciary returning to regular active status has no deferred requirement but must complete the current requirement within twelve (12) months of returning to active status.
(Regulation Section 6(c))
Active duty military lawyers, assigned outside the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania have their CLE requirements waived for any compliance period of their active duty, upon written request. Within thirty (30) days after termination of active duty, the lawyer must notify the CLE board - and will be required to comply with CLE requirements for the forthcoming year.
(Regulation Section 6(d))
Newly admitted lawyers, including lawyers admitted on motion from other states, shall be exempt from CLE requirements for a period of at least twelve (12) months, not to exceed twenty-four (24) months from the date of admission, depending on the compliance group to which the newly admitted lawyer is assigned and the compliance period for that group.
(Regulation Section 4)
Lawyers on Voluntary Inactive status and those on Non-Resident Active deferral defer their current CLE requirements . NRA deferral must be renewed every year.
(Regulation Section 6(b) and 6(e))
CLE providers will advertise the dates and locations of their presentations. You may contact your local bar association, or access PA CLE's 'Approved Courses' page for a searchable course database that is updated daily.
A provider is a corporation or association which has been accredited by the Board to provide continuing legal education under the PA Rules or a corporation or association which provides one (1) or more continuing legal education courses approved by the Board.
An accredited provider is one who has made application for accredited status and demonstrated to the Board that its CLE activities have consistently met the standards of quality set forth in the Rules and Regulations, or is an accredited law school.
(Regulation Section 11)
An accredited provider is required to notify the Board of your attendance within 30 days after the CLE activity. However, courses taken from other than accredited providers must first be approved by the Board. Once the course is approved, attendance may be reported by the provider or by you with the submission of a properly executed Certificate of Attendance and appropriate attendance fees.
(Regulation Section 14 and Section 18
No. The key factor is whether the CLE activity is approved by the Pennsylvania CLE Board, not the location of the CLE activity. A complete listing of approved upcoming courses is available by accessing PA CLE's Approved Courses page for a searchable course database that is updated daily.
Each active lawyer shall maintain records sufficient to establish compliance with the CLE requirement in the event of a dispute with the final compliance report.
(Regulation Section 7) The recommendation from the Board is that you maintain those records for three (3) years. The MyPacle account access is intended to assist in tracking of courses and credits.
The Board may assign credit to teaching activities involving courses accredited under the Rules and these Regulations upon receiving a Teaching Application describing the teaching activity. The Teaching Application can be found on our website.
Credit for teaching activities will be given on the basis of two (2) hours credit for each hour of presentation where the applicant has prepared quality written materials for use in the presentation. Credit for repeat presentations or presentations without such materials will be given only for the actual time of presentation.
(Regulation Section 5(b))
Yes, if the law school is approved as a CLE provider, the courses would otherwise qualify under the Rules and Regulations, and the class is not required to qualify for awarding a basic law degree. Courses offered toward graduate or advance degrees may receive credit upon submission of an appropriate grade transcript accompanied by a letter to the Board. One (1) hour of CLE credit may be given for each approved graduate credit you are awarded by the law school.
(Regulation Section 5(f))
Normally no. Teaching a law school course is not considered to be continuing your legal education; in special circumstances, credit may be considered if you are not a member of the faculty.
Participants shall receive credit of one (1) hour for each sixty (60) minutes for all CLE courses. After attending at least an hour, credit may be granted for each half hour of participation. Credit will not be awarded for participation less than sixty (60) minutes.
Based on the actual time spent at the course, one hour credit will be given for each 60 minutes of instruction, not including introductory remarks or breaks, but including question and answer periods. One half hour credit will be given for attendance of at least 30 minutes beyond the initial 60 minutes.
(Regulation Section 5(a))
If the provider is NOT an accredited provider in PA, you may apply, as an individual, to have the CLE activity approved. CLE activities may be approved even if the provider does not seek approval. (Regulation Section 12) The application for approval is available in the Forms section of this website.
Yes, one check is preferred when making more than one payment. The check can be made payable to PA CLE.Pennsylvania grants one (1) CLE credit for each 60 minutes of attendance. The attendance fee is $1.50 per credit hour or any portion thereof. Pennsylvania accredits only in whole or half hour increments.
No, accredited providers pay all credit hour fees for attorneys. If your course is not posted within 40 days from the date of the course, please contact the provider.
Upon written request, active duty military lawyers, assigned outside the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania have their CLE requirements waived for any compliance period of their active duty. Within thirty (30) days after termination of active duty, the lawyer must notify the board - and will be required to comply with CLE requirements for the forthcoming year.
Example: A lawyer in compliance group 1 with an April 30 annual deadline is called to active duty in February 2007 and serves until July 2008.
Since the period of active military service extends over three compliance periods (those with deadlines of April, 2007; April 2008, April 2009) the CLE requirement for all three compliance cycles is waived.
In this example, the next deadline by which CLE will be due is April 30, 2010.
(Regulation Section 6(d))
Address changes are processed through the Attorney Registration Office. To update your official address of record, please complete the Request for Address Update Form that can be found on our Forms and Explanations key under the 'Lawyer' icon.
Name changes are processed through the Attorney Registration Office. To update your name, click here to access a list of forms.
For additional information, contact the Communications Representatives at the Pennsylvania Continuing Legal Education Board by calling (800) 497-2253 or via email pacleb@pacle.org.
An Accredited Provider is an organization that has demonstrated to the PA CLE Board that its courses have consistently met the standards of quality and service to lawyers as outlined in the Rules and Regulations for PA CLE. Accredited Providers are granted presumptive approval for their CLE programs given that courses meet the Rules and Regulations for PA CLE. An organization may apply for Accredited Provider status once five (5) CLE courses have received "single course" approval during a two year period.
Single course approval is accreditation for CLE programs offered and conducted by non-accredited providers. Single Course approval is granted for courses through an application process in which CLE programs are approved on a course-by-course basis. To apply for single course approval a provider may file an Application for Approval of a CLE Course along with a detailed course agenda and a $25 application fee.
In order to provide the highest levels of lawyer service and accuracy in determining lawyer compliance with the CLE requirement, the PA CLE Board is especially sensitive to reporting deadlines. To this end, the PA CLE Board has established paperless methodologies for the filing of CLE information and data. Reporting responsibilities are primarily handled through the ASAP/APPro system and are detailed as follows:
Course Notifications: Accredited Providers shall notify the PA CLE Board of upcoming CLE activities (Ideally, thirty (30) days prior). Course information is loaded into PA CLE's online database of upcoming activities and made available to potential attendees on the Approved Courses page of this website.
Attendance/Roster Reporting: After a CLE course is conducted, Accredited Providers have thirty (30) days to file a Roster Report that indicates the names of lawyers who are to receive credit, their Pennsylvania Lawyer ID numbers and the amount of credit they are to receive. Accredited Providers shall also pay the $1.50 per credit hour attendance fee with each attendance report. The attendance fee payment is also processed in automated fashion in the ASAP/APPro system through Automated Clearing House (ACH) transfer. (See Electronic Payment Processing.)
Course Evaluation Summary: Accredited Providers agree to file a course evaluation summary along with the attendance roster for each course or activity. The ASAP/APPro program can generate forms for attendees to complete and return so that this course evaluation information may be collected and summarized. These evaluations are designed to be a basic evaluation tool for general course assessment. Four categories are evaluated on a five-scale rating system.
The information reported is used to generate Annual Provider Evaluation Reports that are distributed annually to Accredited Providers.
We believe that CLE in Pennsylvania will only be as strong as its Accredited Providers. The PA CLE Board looks to Accredited Providers to demonstrate high levels of quality CLE, lawyer service and operational efficiency.
A clear understanding of PA CLE's mission, administrative approach and reporting procedure is essential to maintaining the integrity of the CLE program while granting presumptive approval to providers.
In 1997 the PA CLE Board began offering informational meetings with Accredited Provider applicants. These sessions are designed to provide an overview of the Rules, Regulations, policies and procedures of PA CLE. Over the years, as the CLE reporting process has evolved from paper to paperless, the orientation session has changed and include a focus on ASAP/APPro training and a demonstration on how to use the paperless reporting software. The sessions have been extremely well received and have allowed the provider/regulator relationship to get off to a mutually beneficial start.
A pre-requisite for Accredited Provider application is to first have five (5) programs approved on a Single Course basis. (See Single Course Approval) Once five programs have been approved an Application for Accredited Provider Status may be requested by contacting Nate Graham at ngraham@pacle.org. Your application will be reviewed and an Accredited Provider Orientation may then be scheduled to complete the approval process.
ASAP/APPro stands for the Automated System for Accrediting Programs and CLE Application Professional. These are internet-based programs developed cooperatively by PA CLE and CLE providers to allow for the electronic filing of CLE Reports. (Course Notifications and Applications, Course Attendance Rosters, Course Evaluation Data, and more.)
In addition to the paperless processing of CLE reports, ASAP/APPro includes other options developed to assist in the administration of a CLE event such as, attendee registration, printable report options and the ability to generate attendance and accreditation forms.
Login and password information, as well as a technical "walk thru" is available to providers by contacting Nate Graham at ngraham@pacle.org or at (717) 231-3230.
ACH (Automated Clearing House) transfers are a safe and easy means of electronically paying fees. This payment method is incorporated with the PA CLE paperless reporting software (ASAP/APPro) and has been used successfully by CLE providers since 2001 and received extremely positive feedback. The payment process is initiated by the CLE provider and offers a fully documented audit trail for financial tracking.
The most compelling reason to engage in electronic payments is to increase service levels to lawyers. ACH processing ensures that CLE credits are reported and posted to lawyer transcripts approximately 50% faster than payment by check.
If your organization has not signed up for electronic payments, please strongly consider doing so today. For more information and to obtain an application, contact Nate Graham at ngraham@pacle.org.
Pennsylvania grants one (1) CLE credit for each 60 minutes of attendance. The attendance fee is $1.50 per credit hour or any portion thereof. Pennsylvania accredits only in whole or half hour increments.
Courses must be a minimum of sixty (60) minutes in length to be reviewed for course approval. After the initial sixty (60) minutes, courses are then accredited in half hour increments.
After May 1, 2006, attorney seeking appointment as defense counsel in capital cases shall have completed a minimum of 18 credit hours of training relevant to representation in capital cases.
The PA CLE Board has developed a classification system with CLE providers to identify and report courses that contribute to this requirement. Courses reported to the CLE Board relating to capital counsel training in the following area should be designated with the Type of Law Code: CAP. This option is available when filing a Course Notification or Application in the ASAP/APPro system.
Training in capital cases shall include, but not be limited to, training in the following areas:
1. relevant state, federal and international law;
2. pleading and motion practice;
3. pretrial investigation, preparation, strategy and theory regarding guilt and penalty phases;
4. jury selection;
5. trial preparation and presentation;
6. presentation and rebuttal of relevant scientific, forensic, biological and mental health evidence and experts;
7. ethical considerations particular to capital defense representation;
8. preservation of the record and issues for post-conviction review;
9. post-conviction litigation in state and federal courts;
10. unique issues relating to those charged with capital offenses when under the age of 18;
11. counsel's relationship with the client and family.
An extensive list of Provider Information is available on this website for organizations who wish to apply to become Accredited Distance Learning Providers.
First, please double check your login and password and try again. If you are still not accessing your Law Firm Services account, make sure you are logging in through the Law Firm Services Page and not a MyPACLE page. MyPACLE accounts are established for individual attorney. Law Firm Services should be accessed here: Law Firm Services Log In
If you continue to experience difficulties, please contact our office.
No. Accounts are currently created for use by only one primary contact. A username and password is assigned to the primary contact and is the only way the account may be accessed.
Occasionally you may need to update the list of lawyers in your account database. To make changes, select the "Add/Update Lawyer Information" option on the Law Firm Services homepage.
To ADD a new lawyer record, select ADD from the Action options, enter the attorney ID number and the last four digits of the social security number and click continue.
To DELETE a lawyer record, select DELETE from the Action options, enter the attorney ID number and click continue.
PA CLE provides an "opt out" for lawyers who do not wish to have their information posted online. Lawyer records listed with "Data Unavailable" must "opt in" for record information to show in the report. Lawyers may opt in for online services by completing this form and returning it to PA CLE.
Lawyers who meet their CLE requirement with credits completed after a deadline are subject to late fees. Payment of any assessed fees is considered a condition of compliance.
The PA CLE Board strongly believes that all lawyers shall be entitled to attend and participate in high quality CLE programming. Effective in September of 2000, the Rules and Regulations were amended to include the following condition of accreditation for Accredited Providers. Section 11: Accreditation of Accredited Continuing Legal Education Providers (h) The provider shall have available a financial hardship policy for attorneys who wish to attend its courses, but for whom the cost of such courses would be a financial hardship. Upon request by the Board, the provider must produce the detailed financial hardship policy. The policy may be in the form of scholarships, waivers of course fees, reduced fees, or discounts. Attorneys seeking information on qualification conditions and application procedures should contact the provider directly. A list of Accredited Providers is maintained on this website.
MyPACLE is a free online resource that allows you to review your current CLE transcript and monitor your compliance with the annual CLE requirement. Your MyPACLE account is securely password protected and is updated each day.
Registration requires you to enter your Lawyer ID number, confirm your contact information and provide your email address. It takes about 30 seconds. Click here to create your account.
This may mean you have already registered and previously created an account. Try logging into MyPACLE with your email address and password. If you are unsure of, or forgot, your password, click the "Reset Password". If it does not recognize your email address then you will have to create your account
From the homepage, enter your email address and password. Please note that usernames and passwords are case sensitive. Your email address must be valid as it will be used to send confirmation emails. In addition, the email provided will be used to send information about resetting your account if needed.
Click "Reset Password" link. In the �Reset Password� section, enter your email address and click �Send Reset Password Email�. If the email provided matches the record used to create your MyPACLE account, you will be sent an email to reset your password. Click on the blue RESET link within that email and it will take you into the new password requirements screen.
To access your account, log in with the existing email address used to register. Once logged in, choose the Edit Profile link to modify your information
You may opt to reset your MyPACLE account by choosing the "Reset Password" link on the homepage. To begin, enter your Lawyer ID number and last four of your social security number. At the profile screen, you may edit the email and password for future access.
If you have followed the instructions in these Frequently Asked Questions and still experience difficulty logging in, click here to contact us.
Criminal Procedure Rule 801 promulgated by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, establishes minimum experience and educational qualification standards for defense counsel in capital cases. The educational qualifications prescribed in the rule are administered by the PA CLE Board and the Board will maintain a list of attorneys who have satisfied the capital case educational requirements. More: Supreme Court Order
After May 1, 2006, an attorney shall have completed a minimum of 18 credit hours of training relevant to representation in capital cases. The PA CLE Board has developed a classification system with CLE providers to identify and report courses that contribute to this requirement. Training in capital cases shall include, but not be limited to, training in the following areas:
1. relevant state, federal and international law;
2. pleading and motion practice;
3. pretrial investigation, preparation, strategy and theory regarding guilt and penalty phases;
4. jury selection;
5. trial preparation and presentation;
6. presentation and rebuttal of relevant scientific, forensic, biological and mental health evidence and experts;
7. ethical considerations particular to capital defense representation;
8. preservation of the record and issues for post-conviction review;
9. post-conviction litigation in state and federal courts;
10. unique issues relating to those charged with capital offenses when under the age of 18;
11. counsel's relationship with the client and family.
The PA CLE Board has made a list of qualifying programs easily identifiable and searchable on theApproved Courses page of this website.
The PA CLE Board has made a listing of attorneys who have completed training relevant to representation in capital cases, using the new Rule 801 educational criteria as a guide for relevance. The listing can be found on the Qualifying Capital Counsel page of this website.
A CLE qualification certificate is obtained by clicking on your name if it appears on the list of qualifying capital counsel.
An attorney becomes eligible for appointed to represent a defendant in a capital case when the qualifications set forth in Rule 801 are met. The PA CLE Board administers the minimum educational requirement. The experiential requirement of the rule will be determined by the appointing or admitting court. More: Rule 801
Distance learning programs offer an opportunity for lawyers to meet a portion of their annual CLE requirement by participating in preapproved interactive computer based CLE programs or teleconferences.
You may access PA CLE's approved courses page for a listing of distance learning programs.Attorneys may complete up to six (6) credits of distance learning per compliance period. Any credits earned via distance learning in excess of the allotted credit limit, will not carry over into the next compliance period.
Yes, as long as there is an ethics component in the program you have chosen.Only distance learning courses that have been pre-approved and offered by PA CLE accredited providers are eligible for PA CLE credit.
Yes, if the course is pre-approved and offered by one of PA CLE accredited providers.Approved course providers agree to file your request for PA CLE credit with the PA CLE board. Attendance at distance learning programs is typically filed on a monthly basis.
From the Approved Courses page on this website, you may search for courses offered via distance learning. On the course results page, click the course title to view the contact information for the course provider. Please contact the provider or visit their webpage to register for the course or access the program.
Internet, CD-Rom, Live Webcasts, Podcasts and Telephone Seminars that are pre-approved and offered by PA CLE Accredited Providers are eligible for PA CLE credit.
No. For a program to be approved for CLE in Pennsylvania, it must be preapproved, offered by an Accredited Provider and meet the minimum standards for distance learning, including participant tracking/interactivity.
Podcasting is a method of electronically distributing multimedia files, such as audio (or video) programs for playback on mobile devices such as an iPod or mp3 player or on a personal computer.
PA CLE will apply and maximize distance learning credits earned each compliance period. The annual allotment is listed above.
Example: During the 2015 compliance period, a lawyer has previously completed 12 hours of non-distance learning credit. A week before the compliance deadline, the lawyer completes six additional credits via distance learning program.
Result: PA CLE's compliance tracking system will apply the six hours of distance learning credit to the 2015 compliance period. The system will carry forward the six remaining (non-distance learning) credits in accordance with the regular rules and regulations for CLE.
No. Credits earned via distance learning in excess of the annual credit limit, will not carry over into the next compliance period.
On this website there is additional information relative to course standards and conditions. It may be found under Distance Learning Provider Information.
Also, in an effort to assist in the use of common language, the National Association of CLE Regulators, (CLEreg) maintains a working list of Distance Learning Terms and Definitions.
In recent years the Disciplinary Board of Pennsylvania has recorded an increasing number of complaints filed against newly admitted lawyers for violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct - Specifically which directly relate to the practical aspects of operating a law office.
A program was developed by a subcommittee of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania to introduce newly admitted lawyers to practice of law in the Commonwealth. This program includes subject matter and topics relative to the Rules of Professional conduct and was developed by a Subcommittee of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.
To ensure consistency in delivery and to assist providers of CLE, the Bridge the Gap Program is produced on a DVD and comes complete with student materials and a facilitator guide. The program is offered and conducted under rules for video replays.
The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania requires newly admitted lawyers to complete the Bridge the Gap program prior to their first CLE compliance deadline.
No. Completion of the Bridge the Gap program is intended for newly admitted attorneys and/or recent law school graduates.
Yes. Completion of the Pennsylvania Bridge the Gap program by your first CLE deadline is considered a condition of compliance for PA CLE. Pennsylvania's Bridge the Gap contains subject matter and information specific to the practice of law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and its disciplinary processes.
Bridge the Gap programs are regularly offered and conducted by County Bar Associations and other Accredited Providers of CLE. As a service to lawyers, Accredited Providers will report your attendance to the PA CLE Board within thirty (30) days of the activity.
From the Approved Courses page on this website, you may search for upcoming offerings of the Bridge the Gap program. On the course results page, you may click the title of any course to view the contact information for the course provider. Please contact the provider to register for the course.
The Bridge the Gap DVD and all corresponding materials are available to Providers free and upon request. The DVD program is offered in accordance with existing accreditation standards for video replay delivery methods. (Presented in a suitable setting with a moderator to comment and answer questions.) For more information, contact the PA CLE office at pacleb@pacle.org
The CLE for Pro Bono pilot project is open to organizations that receive funding for their pro bono programs from the Pennsylvania Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts Board (IOLTA) or the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network (PLAN). Interested providers should complete the Application for Approval as an Accredited Provider of Pro Bono CLE and return to the CLE Board.
Pro bono legal services must be performed for a person, or persons of limited means or a charitable organization, and the matter must be assigned, verified and reported to the CLE Board by Accredited Pro Bono CLE Providers.
In order to receive CLE credit for pro bono work, the services must be assigned, overseen and reported to the CLE Board by an Accredited Provider of Pro Bono CLE. Upon acceptance of a case from an Accredited Provider of Pro Bono CLE, you will receive instructions and an Affirmation of Service Form from the provider. The provider will verify your participation in the case(s) and report your credits to the CLE Board.
Substantive credit will be granted for pro bono serviceThe cap on pro bono CLE credit will be treated in the same manner as other forms of CLE credit on which limits are applied (distance learning.) Lawyers who earn CLE credit for pro bono work may receive up to three hours of CLE credit per compliance period and any credits reported in excess of three hours will not carry forward to future compliance periods.
The Board will waive the attendance fee for credits earned in this manner.Accredited Pro Bono CLE Providers shall report credits earned in a manner determined by the Board. The Board will develop an electronic means of reporting to minimize paperwork and increase the accuracy. Attorneys should not submit requests for CLE credit for pro bono work directly to the CLE Board.
Providers shall file CLE credits upon conclusion of case work by the attorney.Accredited Pro Bono CLE Providers will maintain and oversee their organizational standards for volunteer service. This may include prerequisite training, periodic reports and evaluations, mentoring or other monitoring systems.