Happy family

Find a legal form in minutes

Browse US Legal Forms’ largest database of 85k state and industry-specific legal forms.

Florida CLE Requirements

RULE 6-10.1 CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT

(a) Preamble. It is of primary importance to the public and to the members of The Florida Bar that attorneys continue their legal education throughout the period of their active practice of law. To accomplish that objective, each member of The Florida Bar (hereinafter referred to as “member”) shall meet certain minimum requirements for continuing legal education.

(b) Reporting Requirement. Each member except those exempt under rule 6-10.3(c)(4) and (5) shall report compliance with continuing legal education requirements in the manner set forth in the policies adopted for administration of this plan.

(c) Fees. The board of governors of The Florida Bar may require a reasonable fee to be paid to The Florida Bar in connection with each member’s report concerning compliance with continuing legal education requirements.

(d) Rules. The board of legal specialization and education of The Florida Bar shall adopt policies necessary to implement continuing legal education requirements subject to the approval of the board of governors.

[Revised: 01/01/1993]

RULE 6-10.3 MINIMUM CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION STANDARDS

(a) Applicability. Every member except those exempt under rule 6-10.3(c)(4) and (5) shall comply and report compliance with the continuing legal education requirement.

(b) Minimum Hourly Continuing Legal Education Requirements. Each member shall complete a minimum of 30 credit hours of approved continuing legal education activity every 3 years. Five of the 30 hours must be in approved legal ethics, professionalism, substance abuse, or mental illness awareness programs. Courses offering credit in professionalism must be approved by the center for professionalism. These 5 hours are to be included in, and not in addition to, the regular 30-hour requirement. If a member completes more than 30 hours during any reporting cycle, the excess credits cannot be carried over to the next reporting cycle.

(c) Exemptions.

(1) Active military service.

(2) Undue hardship.

(3) Nonresident members not delivering legal services or advice on matters or issues governed by Florida law.

(4) Members of the full-time federal judiciary who are prohibited from engaging in the private practice of law.

(5) Justices of the Supreme Court of Florida and judges of the district courts of appeal, circuit courts, and county courts, and such other judicial officers and employees as may be designated by the Supreme Court of Florida.

(6) Inactive members of The Florida Bar.

(d) Course Approval. Course approval shall be set forth in policies adopted pursuant to this rule. Special policies shall be adopted for courses sponsored by governmental agencies for employee attorneys that shall exempt such courses from any course approval fee and may exempt such courses from other requirements as determined by the board of legal specialization and education.

(e) Accreditation of Hours. Accreditation shall be as set forth in the policies adopted pursuant to this rule. If a course is presented or sponsored by or has received credit approval from an organized state bar (whether integrated or voluntary), such course shall be deemed an approved course for purposes of this rule.

(f) Full-time Government Employees. Credit hours shall be given full-time government employees for courses presented by governmental agencies. Application for credit approval may be submitted by the full-time government attorney before or after attendance, without charge.

(g) Skills Training Preadmission. The board of legal specialization and education may approve for CLER credit a basic skills or entry level training program developed and presented by a governmental entity. If approved, credit earned through attendance at such course, within 8 months prior to admission to The Florida Bar, shall be applicable under rule 6-10.3(b).

[Revised: 02/08/2001]

RULE 6-10.4 REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

(a) Reports Required. Each member except those exempt under rule 6-10.3(c)(4) and (5) shall file a report showing compliance or noncompliance with the continuing legal education requirement. Such report shall be in the form prescribed by the board of legal specialization and education.

(b) Time for Filing. The report shall be filed with The Florida Bar no later than the last day of such member’s applicable reporting period as set forth in the rules and regulations.

[Revised: 01/01/1992]

RULE 6-10.5 DELINQUENCY AND APPEAL

(a) Delinquency. If a member fails to complete and report the minimum required continuing legal education hours by the end of the applicable reporting period, the member shall be deemed delinquent in accordance with rule 1-3.6, Rules Regulating The Florida Bar.

(b) Appeal to the Board of Governors. A member deemed delinquent may appeal to the board of governors of The Florida Bar. Appeals to the board of governors shall be governed by the policies promulgated under these rules.

(c) Appeal to the Supreme Court of Florida. A decision of the board of governors may be appealed by the affected member to the Supreme Court of Florida. Appeals to the court shall be governed by the policies promulgated under these rules.

(d) Exhaustion of Remedies. A member must exhaust each of the remedies provided under these rules in the order enumerated before proceeding to the next remedy.

(e) Tolling Time for Compliance. An appeal shall toll the time a member has for showing compliance with continuing legal education requirements.

[Revised: 01/01/1993]

RULE 6-10.6 REINSTATEMENT

Any member deemed delinquent for failure to meet the continuing legal education requirement may be reinstated by the executive director upon a showing that the noncompliance has been corrected and upon payment to The Florida Bar of a uniform reinstatement fee, as established by the board of governors.

[Revised: 01/01/1992]

RULE 6-10.7 CONFIDENTIALITY

Unless directed otherwise by the Supreme Court of Florida, the files, records, and proceedings of the board of legal specialization and education, as they relate to or arise out of any failure of a member to satisfy the continuing legal education requirements, shall be deemed confidential and shall not be disclosed, except in the furtherance of the duties of the board of legal specialization and education or upon request of the member, in writing, or as they may be introduced in the evidence or otherwise produced in proceedings under these rules. Nothing herein shall be construed to prohibit The Florida Bar from advising that a member has been suspended from the active practice of law for failure to meet continuing legal education requirements.

[Revised: 01/01/1993]

RULE 6-10.8 DISCIPLINARY ACTION

The board of legal specialization and education may refer misrepresentation of a material fact concerning compliance with or exemption from continuing legal education requirements for disciplinary proceedings under chapter 3 or chapter 4 of the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar.

[Revised: 10/01/1989]


Inside Florida CLE Requirements