MCLE Rules Changes
The Maine Supreme Judicial Court issued an Emergency Order suspending the in-person requirement for Maine Bar Rule 5 CLE programs – programs on recognition and avoidance of harassment and discriminatory communication or conduct related to the practice of law. Maine attorneys may now complete this credit with live webinars, but are still not allowed to take the credit with on demand programming.
The Maine Board of the Overseers of the Bar has also extended the 2018/2019 CLE reporting deadline to May 1, 2020. The Board also decided to forgo the imposition of late fees for the 2018/2019 reporting period.
MCLE Requirements
Credit hours required: 12 hours per reporting period
Specialty credits required: 1 hour of ethics and 1 hour of avoidance of harassment and discrimination in the legal profession credit
Length of reporting period: 1 year
Compliance date: December 31
Reporting date: December 31
Compliance group: All attorneys report annually. Newly admitted attorneys who complete an approved Bridging-the-Gap program or other practical skills course made available by the Board of Overseers of the Bar will be exempt from the requirements during the year in which the attorney is admitted to the bar of Maine and during the following calendar year.
Minutes per credit hour: 60 minutes. To calculate credit for a specific program, divide the total length of the program in minutes by 60 and round up or down to the nearest quarter hour.
Limit on credit hours for recorded programs: Attorneys can earn up to 5 CLE hours via recorded programs. The product formats listed below are approved in Maine.
Attendance Reporting: The ABA reports attendance to the Maine on behalf of attendees.
Approval of ABA Programs
Approved ABA Live Program Formats
Live, in-person meetings (e.g., National Institutes)
Live Webinars and Teleconferences
Approved ABA CLE Product Formats
On-Demand Online Courses
Recorded products may be used for credit for up to 2 years from the original recording date. Recorded programs may not be used to satisfy the harassment/discrimination requirement.
State Contact Information
Maine Board of Overseers of the Bar
97 Winthrop Street
P.O. Box 527
Augusta, ME 04332-0527
(207) 623-1121
E-mail
Website
A Note About MCLE Credit
The content on this page is for informational and educational purposes only. Each state has its own rules and regulations indicating what qualifies for CLE credit. Certain programs, subjects, and formats may not receive credit in some states and there may be specific rules regarding who may earn credit or the maximum number of credit hours that may be earned with specific formats. Please contact your state MCLE regulatory entity for specific questions about your MCLE rules.