Exploring Ohio CLE Requirements
Ohio lawyers are required to earn 24.0 hours of continuing legal education for each two-year continuing legal education period. At least two of those twenty-four (2.0) hours must be devoted to courses on professional conduct, client and lawyer confidentiality, the prevention of substance abuse and mental illness impairments and how those conditions affect a lawyer’s competence and fitness to practice law. Only courses that qualify as "professional conduct" may be used for this component of continuing education. The remaining 22.0 hours may come from any other area of legal education.
All live Ohio CLE , on-demand Ohio CLE, and online Ohio CLE courses offered by the Supreme Court of Ohio CLE department will satisfy the 24.0 annual Ohio CLE hours. We only offer 12.0 hours of online CLE courses, so you will need to find another provider for the additional 12.0 hours every year.
The Advantages of Online CLE Courses
The ability to access Continuing Legal Education programs through the internet is extremely beneficial for Ohio lawyers. As an example, you have access 24 hours a day to thousands of hours of CLE programming. It is available when you want it. You have the ability to control the replay speed and often you can return to where you left off if you need to stop for any reason. You can access all of this CLE programming from home, the office, or on the road.
Lawyers must complete CLE programs in order to meet their MCLE requirement and maintain their good standing. The use of technology in continuing education is the answer to your busy schedule! When the Ohio Supreme Court adopted new rules governing MCLE, they wisely included the option of fulfilling some credit through online programs.
As noted elsewhere on this site, online programs range from live internet courses (both live on-demand and pre-recorded), webcasts, streaming video, power point audio programs, and ILTs. Online programs are extremely beneficial for lawyers who are unable to attend a live course for various reasons, whether it be a scheduling issue, travel restrictions, traffic, weather, or even fitting the CLE into your busy schedule. The Ohio Supreme Court did not set a limit on the number of MCLE hours that can be fulfilled through pre-recorded CLE programs. The Court only requires each lawyer to complete 2.5 hours of live CLE credit every two (2) years.
How to Select the Best Online CLE Provider
With the increasing number of options available to lawyers in Ohio for fulfilling their Continuing Legal Education (CLE) requirements, it can be challenging to determine which online provider is best for their needs. When choosing the right CLE provider, there are a number of factors that lowly technical lawyers should consider.
First and foremost is accreditation. As the Supreme Court of Ohio’s Commission on Continuing Legal Education explains, "You must take courses from Ohio Supreme Court accredited CLE sponsors in order for credit to be awarded." Therefore, only providers that are accredited by the Supreme Court of Ohio’s Commission on Continuing Legal Education will be able to properly provide credits for courses taken. These accredited providers include the Supreme Court, the Ohio Bar Association CLE, local, specialty, and minority bar CLEs, as well as other organizations such as the Ohio Department of Insurance and the Ohio Department of Taxation. Many law schools also run CLE programs, including many not-for-profit law schools. Lastly, there are a few more general companies that provide CLE including non-Ohio specific ones with nationwide accreditation and those who focus on online CLE specifically.
Once you have determined that the provider you are looking at is approved to give CLE credit in Ohio, you need to look at whether they have the courses you need. With the law being a rapidly shifting discipline, with new laws and different interpretations of older laws coming out regularly, it is imperative that you stay up-to-date on the latest developments whether that may be new laws, rulings or even just new rules in general. With these needs in mind it can be critical that the provider you choose offers a wide array of topics and classes.
In addition to the accreditation and variety of courses offered by a provider, the general consensus on the provider from its customers is also important. When looking at online CLE options, it can be a good idea to check the online reviews of the provider before making a commitment. A few things to be on the lookout for in the reviews are: the quality of the courses at the site; the customer service provided; and the ease of the payment and course taking process.
Most Popular Online CLE Course Subjects
As with any profession, major trends and events can dramatically impact the continuing education subjects that attorneys are interested in. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic generated huge increases in demand for courses related to the fast-expanding and highly relevant role of technology in the legal profession. From cloud computing to AI, data privacy, and social media, attorneys have been flocking to these subjects to gain a better understanding of how technology intersects with the law.
Other trending areas of the law are more anticipated. Some of the most in-demand topics among Ohio attorneys include:
Business Law
Business Law has become progressively more complicated as technology continues to drive a wave of change in the corporate world. Everything from e-commerce to cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence, and access to capital fall under the business law umbrella . The dynamic nature of the law in this area has made streaming online CLE courses covering the latest business law trends incredibly popular with Ohio attorneys.
Real Estate Law
Like Business Law, Real Estate Law has also seen a major uptick in new technologies changing the landscape of the industry. Everything from artificial intelligence to virtual reality property tours to online closings are affecting the latest developments in Real Estate Law.
Family Law
As technology continues to expand and develop, Family Law attorneys must keep pace with how tech affects a variety of family-related issues such as asset dissolution, child custody, and divorce settlement. Family Law is a progressive and critical area of the law and Ohio attorneys continue to seek out the most up-to-date information on how technology impacts their areas of focus.
Best Budget-Friendly CLE Approaches
One of the biggest misconceptions about continuing legal education is that it’s expensive. In Ohio, there are a multitude of No-Cost and Low-Cost resources for the savvy attorney to maximize their investment in continuing education. But the courses can’t be free, I hear you say! Well actually, they can be, and in fact, they can be more effective than their paid counterparts.
Free & Low-Cost CLE Options
The most obvious of these is the Ohio Supreme Court. They conduct a significant number of free CLEs each year at the Thomas J. Moyer Ohio Judicial Center. These are typically an hour or two in length, and are held throughout the year at various times. In addition to these, the SCOMI hosts several "Evening With…" events throughout the year, also at the Thomas J. Moyer Ohio Judicial Center. These events are typically styled as informal Q&A events featuring a panel of judges discussing new legislation and sometimes hot-button issues.
Another source of free and low-cost continuing education are the Common Pleas Judges and Appellate Court Judges of Ohio. Many of these distinguished judges hold programs throughout the state for fellow judges, but most of them will allow attorneys to attend (for a small fee if necessary).
So how do you find these low-cost and free programs? Register with the CLE providers you prefer and filter their course lists by cost. If you find a program you want to attend, contact the sponsor directly for information on attending for free or low-cost. Most of these programs also offer webcasts as well, so remote attendance may be an option.
Financing Your Courses
Are you getting your MBA, PhD, or other higher graduate degree? Some universities offer scholarships to cover continuing education courses if you’re enrolled full-time or part-time.
Ask your supervisor, managing partner, or HR if the firm offers tuition reimbursement. You may be surprised at how generous your employer’s policy is.
Use tax dollars to pay for your education. Much like student loans, many credit cards offer no or low interest financing options. Especially if you don’t mind leaving a balance on your credit card for a few months, this may be the best option to avoid paying interest on your continuing education courses.
Juggling CLE Obligations with Work and Life
You’ve been told that you need to earn CLE credits to maintain your Ohio law license, but with everything else that you have going on in your life, how on earth are you supposed to complete the required CLE without losing your sanity?
Put simply, the time period to earn credits is vast. With a license renewal every two years and a minimum of 24 CLE credits needed to obtain the renewal, you have plenty of time to meet the requirement. In fact, studies show that an average of twelve CLE credits are completed at any time throughout the two year period. Approximately one-third of the 24 credits come from home study courses and one-half from live CLE in classrooms , webinars or live events.
There are various strategies that may help you manage the demands of CLE with your professional and personal responsibilities. A few tips include:
Plan Your Time Wisely
Identifying the credits that you need before the renewal is due and distributing them into the weeks and months ahead will allow for a more relaxed schedule as the time nears. By knowing how many credits you have left and when you need to be finished, you can easily put a plan into place for beginning and finishing.
Utilize Online CLE
Take advantage of the credit you have at your fingertips 24/7. Online CLE allows for a uniquely convenient way to find the credits you need without the pressure of a deadline. With many courses offering downloadable audio and transcripts, you can even take a course while you are in the middle of a busy work day!