Rule 4 Accreditation

(A) The Board shall be the exclusive authority for accreditation of continuing legal education sponsors or programs. However, the Board may delegate to a subcommittee, in accord with Rule 1(E)(3), the authority to review submissions by new sponsors. Further, the Board may delegate to its Secretary the authority to approve or deny programs submitted by previously accredited sponsors, or by sponsors who have previously had individual program(s) approved by the Board.

The Board, through its Secretary, shall provide an annual report to the Arkansas Supreme Court which shall reflect summary information with regard to program approvals or denials, attorney suspension information, and such other matters as the Board may direct.

(B) Approval of Accredited Sponsors:

(1) An organization, or entity, may seek Board designation as an accredited sponsor;

(2) In order to receive such a designation the organization or entity must establish to the satisfaction of the Board that it is regularly engaged in offering continuing legal education and is recognized as a provider of continuing legal education on a national basis;

(3) Subsequent to designation as an accredited sponsor, programs offered by that sponsor outside this State shall be approved provided such courses meet the requirements of Rule 4(C);

(4) Programs conducted by sponsors accredited in another state or by a national continuing legal education accrediting body may be approved, provided the Secretary is satisfied that the sponsor meets the requirements of this Rule; and

(5) Accredited sponsors must abide by all reasonable requests for information or course materials from the Board, or its Secretary, and the Board reserves the right to withdraw accredited sponsor designation for failure to meet the requirements of these rules.

(C) Accredited Sponsor Annual Fees:

(1) All accredited sponsors will pay an annual fee of $2500.00, due July 1 of each calendar year, to maintain their accredited status, with the following exceptions:

(a) Government entities $500.00

(b) Pro Bono sponsors $100.00

(D) Individual Course or Activity Approval: The Board may, upon application, approve continuing legal education courses or activities provided such courses meet the following standards:

(1) The course must contribute directly to professional competence of attorneys and judges, or to their education with respect to professional or ethical obligations;

(2) Course presenters must have the necessary experience or academic skills to conduct the course effectively;

(3) Prior to, during, or after the course, each attendee must be provided with access to written course materials of a quality and quantity which indicate that the written materials will be of value to the attendees in the course of their practice. In the event access to written materials is not provided before, during, or after the program, the program will not be subject to pre-approval by the Board. In the event materials are submitted after the program, the Board will make a determination as to what, if any, credit shall be given for the course;

(4) During activities presented by means of videotape, audiotape, or other such systems, there must be an opportunity to ask questions of course faculty or a qualified commentator either during or after the course;

(5) The sponsor must make available to the Board, or its Secretary, upon request, information concerning the course, which might include a list of attendees or individual affidavits signed by attendees, the course brochure, a description of the method or manner of presentation, and a set of all written materials pertinent to the course; and

(6) The course must be subject to evaluation before, during, or after presentation.

(E) Individual Application Fees:

(1) All applications for individual programs must be submitted at least 30 days ahead of the start date of the program. The application for approval must be submitted with a $50.00 processing fee. All applications must have a fully completed application, timed agenda, sample Certificate of Attendance, and Sample Evaluation form.

(2) Exceptions:

(a) The processing fee is waived for CLE programs if there is no registration fee for Arkansas licensed attorneys attending.

(b) Pro Bono sponsors who are not accredited sponsors shall submit applications with a $10.00 processing fee.

(c) County Bar Association lunch programs are not required to submit a processing fee.

(3) Late Filing Fees for Applications:

(a) If the application is filed between 15 and 29 days of the start date of the program, a late fee will be assessed in the amount of $25.00.

(b) If the application is filed between 1 and 14 days of the start date of the program, a late fee will be assessed in the amount of $50.00.

(c) If the application is filed after the start date of the program, a late fee will be assessed in the amount of $100.00.

(F) The Board is authorized and encouraged to grant approval to all sources of continuing legal education which meet the relevant standards of Rule 4(C), including: publication of law related articles in legal journals; preparation of bar examination materials; preparation for, and conduct of, approved continuing legal education courses; participation in regularly scheduled courses conducted by American Bar Association accredited law schools; and “In House” educational programs conducted by law firms or other law related entities. The Board shall also be authorized to determine the number of approved hours such activities are worth and may limit the number of such hours that may be applied to the minimum requirement.

(G) It is presumed that sponsor accreditation, or individual program accreditation, will be sought at least 30 days before the start date of the event. However, the Board may accredit a sponsor or individual program after the event, with payment of the required late fee.

(H) In the event the Secretary denies approval of an individual course or sponsor, the aggrieved sponsor may, in writing, request that the Board review such denial.

(I) The Board is authorized to establish regulations that grant credit for pro bono publico service. The Board shall limit the number of credit hours that can be earned through pro bono publico service to no more than three (3) hours per reporting period.

(J) The Board is authorized to establish regulations that grant credit for service as an active member of a Supreme Court of Arkansas Board, Commission, or Committee. An attorney may earn general CLE credit hours at a rate of one (1) hour of credit for every three (3) hours of service performed. The Board shall limit the number of credit hours that can be earned through the service to the Supreme Court of Arkansas to no more than three (3) hours per reporting period.

(K) Sponsor Requirements for Submitting Certificates of Attendance at conclusion of program:

(1) Sponsor must be able to independently verify an attorney’s completion of a program before issuing a certificate of attendance. The sponsor must verify that the attorney signed the certificate confirming attendance (digital signature is accepted) and include the correct number of CLE hours obtained. The sponsor must confirm the certificate with the signature of a representative prior to or at the completion of the program.

(2) Certificates of attendance shall be collected by the sponsor, placed in alphabetical order with a Sponsors List of Certified Registrants cover page, and submitted to the Office of Professional Programs ([email protected]) via email or the United States Postal Service within fifteen (15) days of completion of the program. Postmarked certificates will be accepted. If the certificate(s) of attendance is received or postmarked after the 15 days, a Course Attendance Late Fee will be assessed to the sponsor.

(a) Certificates of Attendance received 16–30 days after the conclusion of the program: $50.00 late fee.

(b) Certificates of Attendance received more than 30 days after the conclusion of the program: $100.00 late fee.