Continuing Legal Education Requirement (CLER)
Florida attorneys are required to complete their Florida Continuing Legal Education Requirement (CLER) which is a minimum of 30 total credit hours during their three-year compliance cycle. At least 3 of the 30 hours must be in technology. At least 3 of the 30 hours must be in either ethics, professionalism, substance abuse, or mental health and wellness. The final 2 required hours must be the Mandatory Florida Legal Professionalism course, which is offered free of charge by the Florida Bar.
The Supreme Court of Florida adopted the CLE requirement in 1988 for all members of the Florida Bar and it has been a requirement ever since. If you are interested in finding the rules, they are Rule 6-10 of the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar.
The Florida Bar is supposed to notify you about three months before your compliance cycle ends via email reminding you about your upcoming deadline. The Florida Bar requires that you report your own completed CLE credit hours. Providers are not allowed to report to Florida. Luckily Attorney Credits gets courses pre-approved by The Florida Bar, unlike some providers, and when you complete a course, we will give you the Florida Course Number you will need to report. If you take a course that isn’t pre-approved (such as with another provider) you will be forced to self-apply for course approval (something you don’t want to hassle with).
Failure to complete your required CLE hours can result in you being deemed a delinquent member which would prohibit you from engaging in the practice of law in Florida.
Attorney Credits has several Florida Compliance Bundles for you to choose from, or if you just need a course or two, we have lots of individual Florida courses to choose from. Completing your Florida Legal Education Requirement (CLER) is easy with one of Attorney Credits’ Florida compliance bundles.
Basic Skills Course Requirement (BSCR)
If you are a new Florida attorney, which is any attorney under 36 who has not been admitted to practice law in any jurisdiction for more than five years, you are required to complete the BSCR requirement.
The Basic Skills Course Requirement is comprised of two phases.
Phase I: Completion of Practicing with Professionalism (PWP) within the first year of admission to the Florida Bar.
Phase II: Completion of 21 credit hours of basic level courses within the first three years of admission. The Florida Bar offers “Basic” skills courses which have the word “Basic” in their title such as Basic Trial Law or Basic Trust Law. Attorney credits does not offer Basic courses for Florida attorneys.
Florida Registered Paralegals (FRP) Continuing Education
Paralegals are required to complete a minimum of 30 hours of continuing education each three-year cycle. Of the 30 hours, a minimum of 5 hours must be in ethics or professionalism and 3 hours in technology. FRP’s can earn credit for any course offered for Florida attorneys. Since Attorney Credits pre-approves all Florida CLE courses – all our courses are good for FRP’s. Check out our 30 credit hour FRP Bundle.
Get Free CLE Through Your Law Firm
Many law firms provide CLE for their attorneys. If yours doesn’t ask them to because having an easy-to-use firm portal to get your CLE frees up your time so you can concentrate on your clients. Teams by Attorney Credits is the most affordable law firm CLE solution and we fully manage it for your firm. Get your firm signed up now, we are even offering free CLE credits with a trial sign-up. We offer CLE accreditation services, ask us how we can help you get courses approved or even deliver your CLE.