XXX R. 3 Cle Requirement

(a) Each Member under the age of 65 shall attend, or complete an approved substitute for attendance, a minimum of twelve and one half (12.5) hours of approved CLE each calendar year. Each Member who has attained the age 65 on or after January 1, 2026, shall attend, or complete an approved substitute for attendance, a minimum of five (5) hours of approved CLE each calendar year until the Member attains the age of 75. [amended effective January 1, 2003; amended effective January 1, 2026]

(b) Any newly admitted active Member shall, during the year of his or her admission through the next calendar year, attend twelve and one half (12.5) hours of approved CLE and not less than eight (8) of such hours shall concern legal ethics, professionalism, or law office management. A newly admitted active member is not required to comply with subsections (a) or (c).

Law office management concerns knowledge and skill of office practice including courses on how to:

a. Open and operate a client trust account;

b. Establish a calendar (tickler) system;

c. Communicate with clients;

d. Set fee arrangements, send engagement letters, and establish billing procedures;

e. Avoid and/or obtain help for substance abuse problems;

f. Supervise staff;

g. Organize files;

h. Utilize a conflicts check system;

i. Handle a disciplinary complaint;

j. Terminate representation; and

k. Return files.

(c) Of the hours of CLE required annually, not less than one (1) of such hours shall concern legal ethics, and not less than one (1) of such hours shall concern professionalism.

Legal ethics concerns the standard of professional conduct and responsibility required of a lawyer. It includes courses on professional responsibility and malpractice. It does not include such topics as attorneys' fees, client development, law office economics, and practice systems, except to the extent that professional responsibility is discussed in connection with these topics.

Professionalism concerns the knowledge and skill of the law faithfully employed in the service of client and public good, and entails what is more broadly expected of attorneys. It includes courses on the duties of attorneys; elimination of bias or discriminatory communication or conduct; equal access to justice; sensitivity to cultural and other differences when interacting with members of the public, judges, jurors, litigants, attorneys, and court personnel; attorney competency; and pro bono obligations.

Legal ethics sets forth the standards of conduct required of a lawyer; professionalism includes what is more broadly expected. The professionalism CLE requirement is distinct from, and in addition to, the legal ethics CLE requirement.

(d) Computer-based credits shall be offered as an approved substitute to in-person attendance at CLE activities. Computer-based credit shall consist of participation in technological transmissions, including live or prerecorded audio and/or audiovisual presentations and activities or other appropriate technology as approved by the MCLE Committee. For Members under the age of 65, credit for attendance at such computer-based courses shall be limited to four (4) hours annually. For members who have attained the age of 65 on or after January 1, 2026, required CLE hours may be obtained through computer-based credits, except as provided for in Rule 3, Section (f).

(e) Except for CLE activities for which attendance cards are completed and forwarded by sponsors in accordance with Regulation 5.2.2 through 5.3.1, all Members shall submit to the Committee records pertaining to their compliance no later than January 31 of the following calendar year, pursuant to the conditions set forth in these Rules and Regulations. [Added and effective June 5, 2003]

(f) Louisiana state court judges shall be required to earn a minimum of 5 hours of the CLE required annually from programs sponsored by the Louisiana Judicial College, starting on January 1 of the year following their election to judicial office. A Louisiana state court judge who is otherwise exempt from MCLE requirements pursuant to Rule 2(6) or (7) shall nonetheless be required to earn 5 hours of CLE annually from programs sponsored by the Louisiana Judicial College. The 5 hours of CLE required annually from programs sponsored by the Louisiana Judicial College under this subsection must (1) be obtained through in-person attendance and may not be satisfied through computer-based credits and (2) include at least one hour every other calendar year of training in domestic violence and trauma-informed courts.[Enacted effective January 1, 2013, Amended effective April 14, 2022, Amended effective May 21, 2025, Amended effective May 30, 2025, Amended effective January 1, 2026]

(g) Of the hours of CLE required annually, Louisiana state court hearing officers, magistrates, and commissioners shall be required to earn a minimum of one hour of training in domestic violence and trauma-informed courts every other calendar year. A Louisiana state court hearing officer, magistrate, or commissioner who is otherwise exempt from MCLE requirements pursuant to Rule 2(6) or (7) shall nonetheless be required to complete at least one hour every other calendar year of training in domestic violence and trauma-informed courts. [Added effective June 19, 2025; Amended effective January 1, 2026]

REGULATIONS/RULE 3

Regulation 3.1. To meet the minimum requirements of Rule 3, each Member must obtain the required CLE credits each calendar year.

Regulation 3.2. An instructional hour must contain at least sixty (60) minutes, with no credit given for introduction of the speaker, meal breaks, or business meetings. [Amended effective January 1, 2003]

Regulation 3.2(a). For computer-based credit as defined in Rule 3(d), the approval of credit hours for such activities will include consideration of instruction time, availability of materials, provider verification of attendance, and other factors as deemed appropriate by the Committee. [Added and effective June 5, 2003, Amended effective June 26, 2023]

Regulation 3.3. Members who have a permanent physical disability that makes attending CLE programs inordinately difficult may file a request with the Committee for approval of a permanent substitute program in lieu of attendance and shall therein set out CLE plans tailored to their specific interests and physical abilities. The Committee shall review and approve or disapprove such requests on an individual basis and without delay. Rejection of any requested substitute for attendance shall be reviewed as provided in Rule 6 prior to any sanction being imposed.

Regulation 3.4. Other requests for substituted compliance, partial waivers, or other exemptions for hardship or extenuating circumstances may be granted by the Committee upon written application of the member and shall likewise be reviewed as provided in Rule 6.

Regulation 3.5. As provided in Rule 5(b), hours of credit in excess of the minimum annual requirement may be carried forward for credit in the succeeding calendar year. Such hours, however, must be reported in the Annual Report of compliance for the year in which they were earned and must be designated as hours to be carried forward.

Regulation 3.6. Credit will be given only for approved CLE activities. Under exceptional circumstances, approval by the Committee may be given retroactively.

Regulation 3.7. 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 on the basis of 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 on the basis of 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.

Regulation 3.8. 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 4.

Regulation 3.9. Credit may also be earned through authorship of a law review article on matters of law published by an American Bar Association accredited law school, or through authorship of a book on matters of law published by a recognized publishing company. The Committee will award six (6) hours of CLE credit for each such article or book published. Any attorney may petition the Committee for credit for authorship of articles on matters of law published in other publications. The article must comply with the provisions of Regulation 4.1(a) and (b). To receive credit, the member shall submit MCLE Form 5.

Regulation 3.10. Credit may also be earned through service as a bar examiner or assistant bar examiner in Louisiana. The Committee will award eight (8) hours of CLE credit annually for service as a member of the Committee on Bar Admissions and six (6) hours of CLE credit annually for service as an assistant bar examiner to a member of the Committee on Bar Admissions, but credit shall not be allowed for both activities.

Regulation 3.11. 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. [Amended effective December 10, 2001]

Regulation 3.12. Credit may also be earned through attendance at meetings of the Council of the Louisiana Law Institute or committee meetings of the Institute on the basis of one hour of CLE credit for two hours of such participation, not to exceed ten (10) hours of CLE credit per year.

Regulation 3.13. Activities providing credit hours through participation in technological transmissions must be pre-approved by the MCLE Committee for computer-based credits. [Amended effective June 5, 2003, Amended effective June 26, 2023]

Regulation 3.14. No credit will be given for activities sponsored by law firms and corporate law departments for the sole or principal benefit of their own members or employees. Credit may be awarded, however, for activities presented by public entities for the sole or principal benefit of their own employees.