How do I … know if my online program counts for live MCLE credit?

Rushing at the last moment to complete your mandatory minimum continuing legal education credits is stressful – but a situation lawyers can avoid. MoBarCLE will offer dozens of virtual programs through the end of 2022 and in the first half of 2023 to help Missouri lawyers reach their MCLE requirements and avoid the mad dash at the end of the reporting year on July 31, 2023.

With online programs, lawyers can select CLE opportunities that fit into their hectic schedules. But remember: Not all online programs count for live MCLE credit.

Missouri lawyers can earn their 15 MCLE hours in various ways, such as participating in live programs or self-study activities.

Live programs – programs that have scheduled start and stop times and are happening in real time. If a program is pre-recorded, it must have a live moderator who is present while you watch the program and who engages with the audience in real time. These credits can be carried over to the following year.

“On-demand” programs – programs that are not live and can be accessed and viewed at any time by the viewer. On-demand videos and audio legal materials count for self-study credit. A lawyer may receive up to six hours of self-study credit in a reporting year, but a lawyer can’t use self-study credit to satisfy ethics or elimination of bias requirements. Self-study credit also doesn’t count towards the following year’s carryover credits.

To help decide whether an online program counts for live MCLE credit, follow the flowchart below. All Missouri Bar members are responsible for performing this analysis for every program they take, regardless of how sponsors advertise the programs.

Missouri lawyers must complete and report 15 hours of CLE programs or activities each year. At least three of the 15 hours must include ethics programs, seminars, and activities, and at least one of the three ethics credit hours must be devoted exclusively to elimination of bias. For more information, visit MoBar.org/MCLE.