Need CLE Credits Before August 31? Don't Panic!
Need CLE Credits Before August 31? Don't Panic!
Richard Clem Continuing Legal Education
High quality, reasonably priced CLE opportunities
If you're a Minnesota attorney and need to complete your continuing legal education this year, time is running out, but it's not time to panic! This page will help you find the credits you need, at the lowest possible cost. I'll keep this page updated with free and low-cost CLE opportunities as the deadline approaches. These will include my programs, and those offered by other providers. This page is geared mostly for attorneys in Minnesota. However, most of the programs on this site are offered for credit in other states as well.
Once again, the CLE board has granted an automatic extension. The following announcement is on their website:
If you have not met your CLE requirements by June 30, you may attend courses and complete CLE requirements between July 1 and August 31 without requesting a formal extension from the Board. But you must report your CLE compliance by August 31.
In other words, even though the CLE cycle ended on June 30, you have an extra two months to finish your 45 credits. However, you need to be cautious taking advantage of this extension. You must both take the programs and report your attendance prior to August 31. If you take a program at the end of August, you must make sure that the program has already been approved for Minnesota credit. The approval process normally takes about 2-3 weeks. So if you take a course in early July, it will probably be approved well before the deadline. And if it's not, you can find an alternative. But if you take a "pending" course in late August, you won't be able to report in time.
The Minnesota CLE rules have recently changed. Under the Supreme Court's Order, attorneys who report this year (and also those who report in 2023) can earn up to 30 of their required credits using on-demand programs. However, the remaining 15 credits must be "live" CLE, which can include webinars and telephone conference calls. Unless there is a change, starting with the cycle ending in June 2024, Minnesota attorneys will be able to get all of their 45 credits with prerecorded programs.
For the attorney on a budget, I have a number of inexpensive on-demand programs to help you take care of your 30 credits. If you need just a few credits, register at the links below. Otherwise, you can purchase a Season Pass for only $89. My on-demand programs include the following:
I currently offer the following programs to help you take care of your requirement for "live" CLE:
You probably won't be able to get all of your CLE credits for free, but if you're only short a few credits, there are many opportunities. The best listing of these resources is found at http://www.4freecle.blogspot.com/. When taking free programs, be sure to check whether credit has been applied for in Minnesota. Most of the following programs should be approved for Minnesota credit.
Free On-Demand Programs
If you haven't used up your 30 credits of on-demand programs, you should be able to find most of the remaining ones at no cost. The following are good sources locally:
Free Live Programs
The following free live seminars and webcasts appear to be approved for CLE credit in Minnesota. Because these are "live" webcasts or live programs, they are not subject to the limitation for "on demand" programs, and you can use these for all of your credits in Minnesota and most other states.
For the world-class procrastinators who need more credits, there are other economical alternatives available, listed below.
Mitchell-Hamline Law School is in the middle of presenting a program which is an exceptional bargain. It is an 8-day 17.5 credit program for only $150. It's half over, but continues on July 5-8. Each day is about 2.5 credits, for only $30 per day. For more information about this program, or to register, follow this link.
Here are some upcoming programs at reasonable prices. All of these appear to be fully interactive, so they should be eligible for full credit in states such as Minnesota which provide full credit only for "live" programs. But since the deadline is fast approaching, be sure to check before registering that the program has been approved in Minnesota, or the application process is well underway.
If you need a lot of credits very fast, your best option might be to purchase an annual subscription to West Legal Ed Center at this link. This will cost you about $840, but you'll probably be able to get all of your credits before the end of August. And in the following 11 months, you can get your credits for the next reporting cycle, and you won't need to worry about it again for another few years. Other CLE providers have similar package deals, so you might want to research those as well.
$840 is a good deal for 90 credits, but West Legal Ed Center programs can be rather expensive. However, if you just need a few credits, they can be a good option. If you shop around carefully on their site, you will find some programs for about $50 per credit.
If you need additional assistance in taking care of your CLE before the deadline, please contact me.
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If you have any questions on how to maximize the number of credits for the least amount of money, please feel free to e-mail me at clem.law@usa.net. I've been in the same situation myself, and I want to work with you to get you the credits you need at the lowest possible cost.
All of my programs are linked from my main CLE page. I've helped out other lawyers who were facing an impossible deadline, and I can do the same for you. Also, if you're aware of any free or low-cost CLE opportunities, please let me know so that I can share them here.
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PO Box 14957
Minneapolis, MN 55414
612-378-7751
