Transcript So You’ve Got Responsibility for CLE Or What You Need to Know if the Bomb Drops!

So You’ve Got Responsibility for CLE
Or What You Need to
Know if the Bomb
Drops!
CT, DC, IL, MA, MD, MI, NE, NJ, SD
AK
Where to turn for CLE information
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Local jurisdiction
West’s LegalEdCenter (interactive map)
PLI (quick and dirty text summary)
Reqwired (CLE reciprocity table)
CLE Requirements
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Who needs the CLE?
What are they thinking of doing for CLE?
Where are they located?
When do they need to have their CLE done?
Traditional “Live” Program
 Single
speaker or panel
 Led by subject-matter expert
 Lecture format
 Duration: 1 hr. – several days
In-House
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Typically 1 hour
Often at lunch time
Narrow subject
May be video-conferenced
Speaker resources
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Inside firm
Outside organizations
Vendors
In-House
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Challenges
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Find, coordinate, and confirm speaker
Reserve and set up venue
Video- or audio-conferencing:
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Arrange for equipment
Coordinate with remote locations
Double check set up before program
Monitor transmissions during program
In House
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More challenges
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Order and confirm meal
Track attendees at multiple offices
External consultants
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Question: How do you find an expert?
Answer: Network, network, network
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Professional organizations (State Bar, local Bar,
ABA, practice-specific sections)
Law school professors
Ask a Librarian
And then there are Vendors ….
External Consultants
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Partnering with Vendors
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Often overlooked
Vendors in the legal field usually have subject
matter experts available to present a CLE
program
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External Consultants
 Partnering
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with Vendors
Added benefits – usually FREE and vendor
often provides meals
Caveat: Check for state certification restrictions
on Vendors providing CLE
Client Development Seminars
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Not exactly CLE – but….
Marketing opportunity for your library
Business development opportunity for your firm
Typically devoted to specific, highly topical
subject
Provide food, handouts, in-house speakers
Audio/video programs
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May be live or recorded
In-house or purchased from commercial CLE
provider
Many states are accepting these. Check with
the accrediting body in your state.
Webcasts and Web Programs
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Webcasts – live programs carried over web
Web programs – archived programs carried
over web
More states are accepting these for CLE credit
Promoting CLE programs
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Advertise EARLY for in-house presentations
Create graphic invitation that may be emailed
internally and printed as a flyer for posting
To encourage participation, ask a section head
to support a program by “strongly suggesting”
that attorneys attend
Caveat: Some states require that even inhouse programs be advertised publicly
Sample Invitation
Promoting CLE programs
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Advertise EARLY for in-house presentations
Create graphic invitation that may be emailed
internally and printed as a flyer for posting
To encourage participation, ask a section head
to support a program by “strongly suggesting”
that attorneys attend
Caveat: Some states require that even inhouse programs be advertised publicly
Keeping track of CLE credits
Sometimes it’s easy,
sometimes it’s not
Homegrown methods
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hardest part of managing CLE is
keeping track of details
Homegrown methods
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For each program, you must:
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Check the state(s) requirements for pre- and postcertification … and Fees
Advertise appropriately
Use the approved sign in sheets
Obtain/File Certificates of Attendance
Enter all this data in a CLE Tracking Database
Homegrown methods
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CLE Tracking Database
You don’t have to spend money
Simply use Access or Excel
For each attorney, include all elements
required by each state in which an attorney has
CLE responsibility
KEEP UP!
Spending money
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CLE Tracker
Harraka Intellectual Software
CLE provider software
Reqwired
CLE provider software
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West LegalEd Center
State and local bars (MyAZBar.org, OCBar.org)
Taecan and all the others….!
Best Practices
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KEEP UP! This is very detailed work.
Get/create the best CLE tracking database you
can. Time spent up-front will simplify your life
forever.
KEEP UP!
Collect pertinent information from every state in
which you will seek accreditation.
KEEP UP!
Best Practices
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Monitor changes in the CLE requirements in
each state that affect you.
Call the CLE accreditation office in those
states. Make friends. Ask them about
suggested best practices and how to monitor
changes.
Good Luck! (and….. KEEP UP!)