At Attorney Credits, part of our goal as an online CLE provider is to keep attorneys informed about pertinent CLE information. Since each state controls the MCLE rules for its own lawyers, we have tried to keep attorneys in different states abreast of important compliance and reporting information.
Attorneys in Florida (FL) must complete 30 CLE credit hours each three-year compliance period as mandated by Florida Rule 6-10. Rule 6-10 of the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar sets out the MCLE requirement for Florida lawyers. As part of the specialty credit requirement, Florida (FL) attorneys must also complete five credit hours of legal ethics, substance abuse, professionalism or mental illness awareness.
In accordance with Rule 610.3(b), every member shall complete a minimum of 30 credit hours of approved CLE every three years — five of the hours must be in the area of legal ethics, professionalism, mental illness awareness or substance abuse. The five hours are to be included in, and not in addition to, the regular 30hour requirement.
Online CLE is one main option for Florida (FL) attorneys to complete their 30 unit CLER (Continuing Legal Education Requirement). The Florida Bar does not limit the amount of online FL CLE courses that Florida attorneys may take each compliance period and Attorney Credits offers excellent one-click 30 CLE unit FL compliance packages for Florida attorneys.
You must complete the 30 unit CLER every three years unless you qualify for a valid exception. You can click here to access a CLER Exemption Request Form. Rule 6-10.3(c) lists all valid exemptions:
(1) Active military service
(2) Undue hardship
(3) Nonresident membership
(4) Full-time federal judiciary
(5) Justices of the Supreme Court of Florida and judges of district, circuit and county courts
(6) Inactive members of The Florida Bar
One question we are frequently asked by Florida attorneys concerns reporting FL CLE credits to the Florida Bar. Members of the Florida Bar are required to report CLE hours earned every three years. Each member of the Florida Bar is assigned a three-year reporting cycle, and you may find your reporting date on the mailing label of The Florida Bar News.
Once you have completed a course, the easiest method to report compliance to your CLER record is to post your MCLE hours completed online. You will need to request a password from the Florida Bar prior to using any of the online functions.[1] To report your MCLE hours online, you can go to www.floridabar.org and click on Update Member Profile in the middle of the web page. You can then click on ‘Post CLE Credits’ under the ‘Continuing Legal Education’ heading.
If you have not yet completed your MCLE hours, you will receive a courtesy reminder from the Florida Bar forty-five days prior to the end of your reporting cycle. You must update and correct the form, complete any outstanding MCLE hours and return the affidavit by your reporting date. Complete instructions appear on the reverse side of the form.
Attorney Credits also provides further information about FL CLE:
Florida (FL) CLE How Does It Work?
Florida FL One-Click State Bundles
[1] Please allow 5-7 days to receive your confidential password from the Florida Bar.