Rule 65 - [Effective 1/1/2025] Continuing Legal Education(a)Mandatory Continuing Legal Education. In order to promote competence and professionalism in members of the Association, the Alaska Supreme Court and the Association require all members to engage in Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) . Every active member of the Alaska Bar Association shall complete at least twelve credit hours per year of approved MCLE . Three of those twelve MCLE credit hours must be in approved ethics CLE (MECLE). Qualifying ethics educational topics may include professional responsibility, workplace ethics, law office management, attention to cases and clients, time management, malpractice prevention, collegiality, general attorney wellness, and professionalism. Commentary. To protect the public, to ensure that lawyers stay informed about changes in the law and mindful of their obligations to their clients, and to maintain the public's confidence in the legal profession, the Supreme Court is imposing a mandatory CLE requirement of 12 credit hours per year for all active Bar members. This requirement can be satisfied with a wide variety of legal education activities described in subsection (e) of this rule, including preparing and teaching CLE, working on certain committees, attending monthly bar section meetings, participating in legal mentorship activities, and more. To help ensure that lawyers can meet the CLE requirements and readily access CLEs at their convenience, the Association will record and provide several hours of approved CLE at no cost to members each year.
(b)Carryforward of Credit Hours. An active Bar member may carry forward from the previous reporting period a maximum of 12 credits. To be carried forward, the credit hours must have been earned during the calendar year immediately preceding the current reporting period. (c)Mandatory Reporting. By February 1 of each year, each member must certify on a form prescribed by the Association whether the member has completed the required minimum of three hours of approved MECLE during the preceding year or carried over from the prior year as provided in subsection (b) of this rule. The member must also certify whether the member has completed nine hours other approved CLE during the preceding year or carried over from the prior year as provided in subsection (b). A member shall maintain records of approved MCLE hours for the two most recent reporting periods, and these records shall be subject to audit by the Association on request. (d)Time Extensions. A member may file a written request for an extension of time for compliance with this rule. A request for extension shall be reviewed and determined by the Association. (e)CLE Activities. The MCLE standards of this rule may be met either by attending approved courses or completing any other continuing legal education activity approved for credit under these rules. If the approved course or activity or any portion of it relates to ethics as described in (a) of this rule, the member may claim MECLE credit for the course or activity or for the ethics-related portion of it. Any course or continuing legal education activity approved for credit by a jurisdiction, other than Alaska, that requires continuing legal education is approved for credit in Alaska under this rule. The following activities may be considered for credit when they meet the conditions set forth in this rule: (1) preparing for and teaching approved CLE courses and participating in public service broadcasts on legal topics; credit will be granted for up to two hours of preparation time for every one hour of time spent teaching; (2) studying audio or video tapes or other technology-delivered approved CLE courses; (3) writing published legal articles in any publication or articles in law reviews or specialized professional journals; (4) attending substantive Section or Inn of Court meetings; (5) participating as a volunteer in Youth Court or similar law-related educational youth activities;(6) attending approved in-house continuing legal education courses; (7) attending approved continuing judicial education courses; (8) attending approved continuing legal education courses including local bar association programs and meetings of professional legal associations; (9) participating as a mentor in a relationship with another member of the Alaska Bar Association for the purpose of training that other member in providing effective pro bono legal services; and (10) participating as a member of the Alaska Bar Association Law Examiners Committee, the Alaska Bar Association Ethics Committee, the Alaska Rules of Professional Conduct Committee, or any standing or special rules committees appointed by the Alaska Bar Association or the Alaska Supreme Court. (f)Approval of CLE Programs. The Association shall approve or disapprove all education activities for credit. CLE activities sponsored by the Association are deemed approved. Forms for approval may be submitted electronically. (1) An entity or association must apply to the Board for accreditation as a CLE provider. Accreditation shall constitute prior approval of CLE courses offered by the provider, subject to amendment, suspension, or revocation of such accreditation by the Board. (2) The Board shall establish by regulation the procedures, minimum standards, and any fees for accreditation of providers, in-house continuing legal education courses, and publication of legal texts or journal articles, and for revocation of accreditation when necessary. (g) Effective Date; Reporting Period; Inapplicability to New Admittees.(1) This rule will be effective January 1, 2025. The reporting period will be the calendar year, from January 1st to December 31st. Any ethics or other CLE credits earned from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2007 may be held over and applied to the reporting period for the year 2025. (2) This rule does not apply to a new member of the Alaska Bar Association during the calendar year in which the member is first admitted to the practice of law in Alaska. Added by SCO 1366 effective 9/2/1999; amended by SCO 1640 effective 1/1/2008; amended by SCO2016 effective 1/1/2025.