What type of CLE seminars will count toward the requirement? How do I find out if a course I would like to take will count before I take it and/or after?

The Division will accept substantive law CLE presented or approved by the MCLE Department of the State Bar of Texas, the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, the National Association of Legal Assistants, the National Federation of Paralegal Associations, and/or presented by the Paralegal Division, local bar associations, paralegal associations, or law firms for credit towards the Paralegal Division mandatory membership renewal CLE requirement. If the CLE course is not accredited by any of the above-referenced groups, the Paralegal 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: 1. substantive or procedural subjects of law, 2. legal skills and techniques, 3. legal ethics and/or legal professional responsibility, or 4. 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.

How do I locate documentation for my CLE attendance?

It is the member’s responsibility to track MCLE-Approved and document Non MCLE-Approved activities.  Read the CLE Attendance Recording page for the details of the process.

As a reminder, do NOT discard your certificates of attendance.  You should maintain a personal CLE file with copies of the seminar brochures and certificates of attendance in case any clarification is needed as random audits are performed by the Division’s CLE Committee.

How do I track MCLE-Approved and document Non MCLE-Approved activities?

It is the member’s responsibility to track MCLE-Approved and document Non MCLE-Approved activities.  See the CLE Attendance Recording page for the details of the process.

As a reminder, do NOT discard your certificates of attendance.  You should maintain a personal CLE file with copies of the seminar brochures and certificates of attendance in case any clarification is needed as random audits are performed by the Division’s CLE Committee.

How can Division members access the attendance records to CLE seminar(s) that have been approved by the MCLE Department of the State Bar of Texas? Can Division members access these attendance records through the Texas Bar website?

The Paralegal Division is aware that attorneys can view their CLE hours online at www.texasbar.com.  However, the benefit of viewing and printing the CLE hours from MyBarPage on the SBOT website has not been extended to other divisions of the State Bar.  The MCLE Department of the State Bar of Texas keeps track 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. Paralegal seminars [targeted primarily to paralegals] do not meet the criteria for MCLE approval and will not be approved by the MCLE Department and, therefore, they [MCLE Department] will not keep track of those CLE hours for paralegals.

With the assistance of the State Bar of Texas, MCLE records can be viewed and CLE records can be viewed or managed by the members of the Paralegal Division via the My Account page.

See CLE Attendance Recording for more details.

What are the CLE requirements? When do they take effect?

The Division Board of Directors passed a motion in December 2002, requiring 6 hours of continuing legal education per year for Active and Associate members of the Division. The changes took effect May 2004. Each year during the renewal process, Active and Associate members must report CLE earned between June 1 and May 31 for each succeeding year. In June 2017 the Division Board of Directors passed a motion requiring 1 hour of the 6 hours of required continuing legal education be legal ethics. In summary, renewing Active and Associate members must complete 6 hours of substantive continuing legal education, at least 1 hour of which must be legal ethics, by May 31 of the membership year. Members are allowed to substitute up to 2 hours of self-study or pro bono service in order to satisfy the 6 hour requirement, but members must still show proof of 1 hour of legal ethics.