Rule 18-201 Minimum educational requirements.
ARTICLE 2 Continuing Education Requirements
Rule Text
A. Hours required. Every member of the state bar in active status, beginning in the first full year after the date of admission, shall complete twelve (12) hours of CLE during each year as provided by these rules. One (1) hour of CLE is equivalent to sixty (60) minutes of instruction. This rule sets forth the requisite hours and categories of CLE. Rule 18-204 NMRA sets forth the means by which the hours may be acquired.
B. Legal substantive credits. Nine (9) of the required twelve (12) hours may include legal subjects or subjects which relate to the individual attorney's practice of law. The hours shall be defined as general credits.
C. Legal ethics and professionalism credits. At least two (2) hours of the twelve (12) hours shall be devoted to board approved subjects dealing with legal ethics or professionalism. Excess ethics and professionalism credits shall be applied as follows:
first, to any deficit in general credits in the current licensing year;
second, to the next licensing year as carry-over ethics and professionalism credits; and
third, to the next licensing year as carry-over general credits, subject to the limitations set forth in Paragraph E of this rule.
D. Equity in justice credits. At least one (1) hour of the twelve (12) hours shall be devoted to board approved subjects dealing with equity in justice. Excess equity in justice credits shall be applied as follows:
first, to any deficit in general credits in the current licensing year;
second, to the next licensing year as carry-over equity in justice credits; and
third, to the next licensing year as carry-over general credits, subject to the limitations set forth in Paragraph E of this rule.
E. Carry-over. Any member may carry up to twelve (12) hours of excess credits earned in one (1) licensing year over to the next licensing year only. Only two (2) hours of ethics and professionalism credit may be carried over as part of the twelve (12) hours of credits. Only one (1) hour of equity in justice credit may be carried over as part of the twelve (12) hours of credits. Excess ethics, professionalism, and equity in justice credits can be converted to be used toward the substantive (general) requirement. No credit may be carried over for more than one (1) licensing year.
F. Judges. All state and federal judges, retired judges, and other judicial officers who are members of the state bar on active status or who are honorary judicial members shall be required to complete the same number of hours of CLE as other bar members in active status. The means by which these individuals may satisfy their CLE requirements are set forth in Rule 18-204 NMRA.
Amendment history: As amended, effective January 1, 1990; November 1, 1991; February 1, 1992; March 23, 1998; January 1, 2001; as amended by Supreme Court Order No. 05-8300-007, effective January 1, 2006; by Supreme Court Order No. 06-8300-033, effective January 1, 2007; by Supreme Court Order No. 11-8300-020, effective May 1, 2011 for compliance year ending December 31, 2011, and subsequent compliance years; as amended by Supreme Court Order No. 20-8300-015, effective December 31, 2020; as amended by Supreme Court Order No. 21-8300-030, effective for all cases filed or pending on or after December 31, 2021; as amended by Supreme Court Order Nos. S-1-RCR-2023-00032 and S-1-RCR-2023-00034, effective January 1, 2024; as amended by Supreme Court Order No. S-1-RCR-2024-00055, effective January 1, 2025. Adopted by Supreme Court Order No. S-1-RCR-2023-00032, effective January 1, 2024.