.1523 Credit for Non-Traditional Programs and Activities

Note: The following regulations of the Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Program were amended by the North Carolina Supreme Court on June, 14, 2023. The new regulations will not be enforced until March 1, 2024.

The former text of the CLE regulations can be found on this page. 

(a) Law School Courses. Courses offered by an ABA accredited law school with respect to which academic credit may be earned may be approved programs. Computation of CLE credit for such courses shall be as prescribed in Rule .1524 of this subchapter. No credit is available for law school courses attended prior to becoming an active member of the North Carolina State Bar.

(b) Service to the Profession Training. A program or segment of a program presented by a bar organization may be granted up to three hours of credit if the bar organization’s program trains volunteer lawyers in service to the profession.

(c) Teaching Law Courses.

(1) Law School Courses. If a member is not a full-time teacher at a law school in North Carolina who is eligible for the exemption in Rule .1517(e) of this subchapter, the member may earn CLE credit for teaching a course or a class in a quarter or semester-long course at an ABA accredited law school.

(2) Graduate School Courses. A member may earn CLE credit by teaching a course on substantive law or a class on substantive law in a quarter or semester-long course at a graduate school of an accredited university.

(3) Courses at Paralegal Schools or Programs. A member may earn CLE credit by teaching a paralegal or substantive law course or a class in a quarter or semester-long course at an ABA approved paralegal school or program.

(4) Other Law Courses. The Board, in its discretion, may give CLE credit to a member for teaching law courses at other schools or programs.

(5) Credit Hours. Credit for teaching described in this paragraph may be earned without regard to whether the course is taught online or in a classroom. Credit will be calculated according to the following formula:

(A)  Teaching a Course. 3.5 Hours of CLE credit for every quarter hour of credit assigned to the course by the educational institution, or 5.0 Hours of CLE credit for every semester hour of credit assigned to the course by the educational institution. (For example: a 3-semester hour course will qualify for 15 hours of CLE credit.)

(B) Teaching a Class. 1.0 Hour of CLE credit for every 50 – 60 minutes of teaching.

(d) In-House CLE and Self-Study. No approval will be provided for in-house CLE or self-study by lawyers, except, in the discretion of the Board, as follows:

(1) programs to be conducted by public or quasi-public organizations or associations for the education of their employees or members;

(2) programs to be concerned with areas of legal education not generally offered by sponsors of programs attended by lawyers engaged in the private practice of law; or

(3) live ethics programs presented by a person or organization that is not affiliated with the lawyers attending the program or their law firms and that has demonstrated qualification to present such programs through experience and knowledge.

(e) Bar Review/Refresher Course. Programs designed to review or refresh recent law school graduates or lawyers in preparation for any bar exam shall not be approved for CLE credit.

(f) CLE credit will not be given for (i) general and personal educational activities; (ii) courses designed primarily to sell services; or (iii) courses designed to generate greater revenue.

History Note: Authority - Order of the North Carolina Supreme Court, October 7, 1987, 318 N.C. 711

Readopted Effective December 8, 1994

Amendments Approved by the Supreme Court: March 6, 1997; March 5, 1998; March 3, 1999; March 1, 2001; June 7, 2001; March 3, 2005; March 2, 2006; March 8, 2007; October 9, 2008; March 6, 2014; June 9, 2016; September 20, 2018; September 25, 2019; June 14, 2023

Rule transferred from 27 N.C. Admin. Code 01D.1602 on June 14, 2023