The CLE completion deadline is quickly approaching for Illinois attorneys with last names beginning N-Z. By June 30, 2021, attorneys in this group must complete 30 hours of MCLE credit for the 2019-2021 reporting period.
Six of those hours must be professional responsibility (PR) CLE in the area of professionalism, civility, legal ethics, diversity and inclusion (D&I), or mental health and substance abuse (MHSA). Of those six hours, attorneys must complete either one hour of D&I CLE and one hour of MHSA CLE, or the year-long Lawyer-to-Lawyer Mentoring Program.
To avoid a late fee, attorneys with last names beginning N-Z must report that they have “complied” or “not yet complied” with these requirements to the MCLE Board by July 31, 2021. Newly-admitted attorneys have separate requirements.
The inclusion of mandatory D&I and MHSA CLE began in 2017 to address rampant challenges in these areas within the profession. In the four years before the carve-out, only 1,989 courses were approved for D&I and MHSA credit in Illinois. However, in the four years since, a staggering 3,476 courses have been approved.
Where to Earn CLE?
The Commission on Professionalism offers five hours of free online CLE through six courses on our website.
Our interactive and accessible courses are approved for professional responsibility CLE credit in Illinois and cover topics including lawyer well-being, D&I, civility, and legal ethics. Our course catalog includes two hours of D&I credit and one hour of MHSA credit.
Have you already taken our courses? We have compiled a list of external organizations that are offering free online CLE. Check it out here.
Likewise, you may follow the thousands of Illinois lawyers who have participated in our mentoring program as mentors and mentees to earn six hours of free PR CLE. Our unique one-year mentoring program provides a guided—yet flexible—curriculum that goes beyond substantive legal education to explore how attorneys can build careers based on integrity and professionalism.
Need more information on the CLE deadline? Visit the MCLE Board’s website.
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