- Credit hours and reporting: Experienced attorneys (admitted to the New York Bar for more than two years) are required to complete 24 credit hours, with at least 4 of the 24 credit hours in the Ethics and Professionalism category, 1 of the remaining credits in the Diversity, Inclusion, and Elimination of Bias category, and 1 of the remaining credits in Cybersecurity, Privacy, and Data Protection category every two years, reporting within 30 days after the attorney's birthday.
- Minutes per credit hour: 50 minutes. To calculate credit for a specific program, divide the total minutes of instruction by 50 and round down to the nearest half hour.
- Credit requirements and format limitations for newly admitted attorneys: Newly Admitted attorneys (admitted to the New York Bar for two years or less) are required to complete 32 credit hours in transitional accredited programs during the first two years of admission. Each year 16 hours must be completed as follows: 3 in Ethics and Professionalism credit, 6 in Skills, and 7 in Law Practice Management and/or Areas of Professional Practice. Newly admitted attorneys must complete the first set of 16 transitional CLE credit hours before the first anniversary of admission to the NY Bar, in the designated categories of credit. The second set of 16 transitional CLE credit hours must be completed between the first and second anniversaries of admission. Additionally, newly admitted attorneys are required to complete 1 credit of Cyber Security, Privacy, and Data Protection during the first or second year as one of the total 32 credit hours. Newly admitted attorneys may not earn credit in the new diversity, inclusion, and elimination of bias credit category. This credit type does not qualify for transitional credit.
- Format limitations for newly admitted attorneys: Newly admitted attorneys must complete their CLE requirement in the following formats: 1) Law Practice Management, Areas of Professional Practice, and Cybersecurity, Privacy and Data Protection-General credit: may be completed in any approved format, including non-participatory formats. 2) Ethics and Professionalism, and Cybersecurity Privacy and Data Protection-Ethics credit: may be completed in the traditional live classroom setting; by fully interactive videoconference; or by simultaneous transmission with synchronous interactivity, such as webconference or teleconference, where questions are allowed during the program. 3) Skills credit: must be completed in the traditional live classroom setting or by fully interactive videoconference. Effective March 11, 2020 through June 30, 2025, newly admitted attorneys may earn Skills credit by simultaneous transmission with synchronous interactivity, such as webconference or teleconference, where questions are allowed during the program. Newly admitted attorneys based in law offices outside of the United States may fulfill up to 16 credit hours in any approved format. The remaining credit hours must be completed in a format permissible for the category of credit. Newly admitted attorneys eligible for a prorated CLE requirement must complete the credit in a format permissible for the category of credit, except that no more than 14 credits may be earned through non-participatory formats, such as on-demand audio or video, or live broadcast.
- Distance Learning Requirements: May take all credits with live webcast or previously recorded.
- Attendance Reporting Procedure: The ABA issues New York certificates of attendance to attorneys after verifying their participation. Attorneys must retain these certificates for four years after the program and certify completion of CLE requirements each reporting period. The ABA does not send certificates of attendance to the New York board.
About the ABA's CLE
Only the American Bar Association offers high-quality CLE in such a comprehensive range of relevant topics to benefit every legal professional across the nation.