Who must comply with the continuing legal education requirement?
Any attorney with a plenary or limited license to the New Jersey bar is required to comply. The program is mandatory for attorneys, judges, in-house corporate counsel, and attorneys who work for government entities.
Please email cle@gannlaw.com for additional assistance.
Regulations of the Board on Continuing Legal Education
On January 27, 2010, regulations of the Board on Continuing Legal Education were released.
Click HERE to read them.
2012 Amendments
Rule 1:42 (Continuing Legal Education)
On December 18, 2009, the Supreme Court adopted R. 1:42, and deleted R. 1:26 (Skills and Methods Course), effective immediately.
Click HERE to read the notice to the bar.
Prior History
Supreme Court Committee on MCLE in New Jersey
New Jersey's Existing MCLE Requirements
Under the prior rules only newly admitted New Jersey attorneys were subject to continuing legal education (CLE) requirements (i.e., the completion of three years of additional training in areas such as professional responsibility, criminal trial law, civil trial law, family law, real estate, and administrative law, and in electives such as municipal court and workers’ compensation). Beyond this requirement there was no ongoing mandatory CLE obligation that New Jersey attorneys generally had to satisfy. There were CLE requirements that pertained to achieving and maintaining certain attorney certifications, as discussed below.
*10.8.09*
By press release dated October 8, 2009, the New Jersey Supreme Court announced proposed Court Rule 1:42 (and the proposed deletion of Rule 1:26 ["Skills and Methods Course"] and associated Administrative Determinations.
Read the press release
Under the proposal:
[A]s of Jan. 1, 2010, all New Jersey attorneys would be required to take 24 hours of continuing legal education every two years, including at least four hours on topics related to ethics or professionalism. The requirement could be satisfied by attending classes or using other media such as videorecording, videoconferencing or online programs. New Jersey attorneys would receive reciprocal credit for meeting equivalent legal education requirements in other states.
Proposed Court Rule 1:42 PDF
Administrative Determinations PDF
*8.13.09*
The Supreme Court has announced that credit for certain qualifying courses, taken after January 1, 2009, will be applicable towards the pending MCLE requirements in NJ. Read the full notice HERE.
Gann routinely applies for credits both to the New Jersey Attorney Certification Board and the CLE accrediting agencies of PA and NY. Consequently, Gann seminars will be "qualifiying" seminars within the meaning of the Court's Notice to the Bar.
Prior History of the Ad Hoc Committee On MCLE
*12/1/08*
The CLE Committee released its report recommending mandatory CLE in New Jersey. This is just a recommendation, and the Court will have to decide whether to go along with it. The Committee recommends that attorneys be required to complete 24 CLE credits per two-year period, four credits of which must be in ethics.
Here's the link to the announcement:
http://www.judiciary.state.nj.us/notices/2008/n081201a.htm
View the full report here
On April 7, 2007, the New Jersey Supreme Court announced the appointment of a special committee to consider whether CLE requirements should be imposed upon all members of the bar in New Jersey:
http://www.judiciary.state.nj.us/pressrel/pr070407a.htm
After holding hearings, the committee issued an interim report on May 20, 2008:
MCLE Interim Report PDF
New Jersey Attorney Certification Program and Requirements
Required CLE exists in New Jersey with respect to its attorney certification program:
The Board on Attorney Certification was established by the Supreme Court of New Jersey in 1980 for the purpose of helping consumers find attorneys who have a recognized level of competence in particular fields of law. Attorneys may be designated by the Supreme Court as "certified attorneys" if they: are able to demonstrate sufficient levels of experience, education, knowledge and skill in a specific area of law or practice; have passed a rigorous examination; and have been recognized by their peers as having sufficient skills and reputation in the designated specialty. http://www.njbac.org/12.htm. The pertinent regulations impose CLE requirements on attorneys seeking initial certification or renewals of such certification. See, for example, RG 205:
http://www.njbac.org/reg.htm#r205
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