Tracking those CLE Credits

Norma Hackler, CMP Coordinator, Paralegal Division/State Bar of Texas

The task of tracking one’s attendance and completion of continuing legal education (CLE) programs has become a monumental task for most paralegals. Different CLE attendance requirements among the various certification programs and paralegal organizations have become a maze to those individuals who have successfully completed more than one certification examination or proving CLE attendance to continue their membership with paralegal organizations [specifically the Paralegal Division of the State Bar of Texas]. Hopefully, this article will assist you in keeping up with the different educational seminars you have attended.

The most important task is to keep a copy of all brochures, attendance certificates, and any other materials issued by the sponsoring agent of the seminar proving your attendance at a CLE event. Build a personal CLE file by year of attendance. Include in this file any self-study [CLE hours] that may be accepted as continuing legal education by the various certifying entities or organizations. If you have any questions regarding the number of CLE hours you receive for a particular seminar, please contact the sponsoring agent within the six months following the event. As time goes by, it may be difficult for the sponsoring agent to offer assistance because of the ability to keep records on file. It is up to you to make the contact within a reasonable period of time. The sponsoring agent is not responsible for keeping a record of your CLE attendance.

Below is a summary of the different certifying organizations and the Paralegal Division and their requirements for tracking CLE:

To prove CLE hours to TBLS, the sponsoring agent should apply for credit directly to the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. If credit is issued by TBLS, the sponsoring agent will distribute to each seminar attendee a "Certificate of CLE Attendance for Paralegals" at the seminar being attended. This Certificate will have a place for the number of hours attended and should be signed by the sponsoring agent. If you are a TBLS board certified legal assistant and have received a TBLS file number, you may send a copy of the certificate to the Texas Board of Legal Specialization at P. O. Box 12487, Austin, TX 78711 to be placed in your record file. Keep a copy of this certificate in your personal CLE file along with a copy of the seminar brochure. If you are not yet board certified but plan to take the board certification examination, keep this Certificate in your personal CLE file along with a copy of the CLE brochure. For more information regarding the TBLS examination and requirements, please contact TBLS at 512/463-1463, ext. 1454 or 1-800-204-2222, ext. 14546 or visit their web site at www.tbls.org.

To prove CLE hours to NALA, the sponsoring agent may or may not distribute a NALA Certificate of Attendance form to seminar attendees. Most sponsoring agents for paralegal continuing legal education will have the forms on site. This form can be received directly from NALA and brought to the seminar by the attendee. The Certificate must be signed by the sponsoring agent at the seminar. It is wise to attach a copy of the brochure (or list of topics attended) to the NALA Certificate of Attendance to forward to NALA for CLE credit hours. For more information regarding keeping track of CLE for NALA, please contact NALA at 918/587-6828 or visit their web site at www.nala.org.

To prove CLE hours to NFPA can be accomplished by one of two ways. The sponsoring agent may or may not forward a list of attendees to the NFPA’s continuing legal education chairperson stating your attendance at a seminar. Please ask the sponsoring agent at the seminar if they will be forwarding a list of names to NFPA for CLE credit. If the sponsoring agent does not forward a list [check with seminar sponsor on site], you may forward a copy of the brochure and any certificate of attendance that you received at the seminar. It is wise to attach a copy of the brochure to the certificate that is forwarded to NFPA for CLE credit hours. For more information regarding keeping track of CLE for NFPA, please contact NFPA at 206.652.4120 or visit their web site at www.paralegals.org.

As most of you are aware, the MCLE Department of the State Bar of Texas keeps track of all attorney CLE hours [this is the purpose of the MCLE Department]. This State Bar Department will also keep track of CLE hours for paralegals who are members of the Division and who have attended a seminar that is approved for MCLE credit. In order for a seminar to be approved by the MCLE Department of the State Bar of Texas, the seminar must be targeted primarily to attorneys. Seminars [targeted primarily to paralegals] that are sponsored by various organizations/companies may not meet the criteria for MCLE approval and attendance at non-approved MCLE seminars will not be tracked for Paralegal Division members. If the sponsoring agent distributes the State Bar computer cards at the seminar, it will indicate the seminar was approved by the MCLE Department. If you attend a seminar that has been approved for MCLE credit, please complete the MCLE computer card and return it to the staff person on-site. This information will be entered into the MCLE Department computer database. In order to receive a print-out of the CLE hours you have attended [approved by the MCLE Department], you must forward a check in the amount of $5.00 to the MCLE Department at P. O. Box 13007, Austin, TX 78711. Please call the MCLE Department at 1/800-204-2222, ext. 2118 or 512/463-1463, ext. 2118 with any questions.

To prove CLE hours to the Paralegal Division to renew as an Active or Associate member, the member is required to complete (list the courses attended or viewed for self-study) the CLE Reporting Form on back of the Membership Renewal Form. Please do not attach any certificates to this form. The information requested on this form is the date of the seminar or online course, name of the sponsor of the CLE, CLE topic/speaker location, receipt of attendance form, CLE accrediting organization, and the number of CLE hours. The Paralegal Division suggests each member keep a copy of the CLE Attendance Certificate in your personal CLE file along with a copy of the seminar brochure. The CLE Reporting Form must be signed and dated the member as well as a notary public before submission to the Paralegal Division. The CLE that is accepted by the Paralegal Division is as listed below:

Active and Associate members must complete six (6) hours of substantive continuing legal education (CLE) by May 31 of the membership year. CLE hours must be obtained between June 1 – May 31 of each year in order to renew membership for the next fiscal year. carry-over of hours are allowed for one year only. Members are allowed no more than two (2) hours of self-study during each membership year. Members must report their CLE hours on the back of the membership renewal form. The Division will use the following criteria for approval of continuing education courses for credit towards mandatory CLE requirements for membership:

a. The Division will accept substantive law CLE presented by the Division, approve by the State Bar of Texas, approved by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, approved by the National Association of Legal Assistants, approved by the National Federation of Paralegal Associations, and presented by local bar or paralegal associations for credit towards the Division mandatory CLE requirement.

b. If the CLE course is not accredited by any of the above-referenced groups, the Division will accept a seminar, if it is a substantive law course offered by a qualified presenter that would qualify for approval if submitted to one of the above organizations. "Substantive Law Course" means an organized program of legal education dealing with:

i. substantive or procedural subjects of law;

ii. legal skills and techniques;

iii. legal ethics and/or legal professional responsibility; or

iv. alternative dispute resolution.

Additionally, law office management programs accredited by the State Bar of Texas will be accepted.

A "Qualified Presenter" means an attorney, judge, or legal assistant/paralegal that is familiar with the topic presented, or an expert in the particular subject matter comprising the course.

Speaking and writing credit will be considered for approval under the same criteria as (a) and (b) above.

Membership renewal forms will be mailed to all current members in April for renewal for fiscal year beginning June 1 – May 31 of each year.

Texas Paralegal Journal © Copyright 2006 by the Paralegal Division, State Bar of Texas.

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