The Memphis Bar Association provides multiple opportunities, live and prerecorded, for attorneys to earn CLE credits. We will report your CLE hours that you earn through our courses to the CLE Commissions in Tennessee and Mississippi (if applicable).

Want to receive updates on our CLEs? Email info@memphisbar.org to receive our weekly CLE newsletter. 
 

Frequently Asked Questions

I'm having trouble registering for a CLE, what should I do?

Contact Jan Reisman at 901.260.3275 or jreisman@memphisbar.org or call 901.527.3573 or email info@memphisbar.org.

What are Tennessee's Continuing Legal Education (CLE) requirements?

Each attorney must complete a total of fifteen (15) hours of CLE, which must consist of no less than twelve (12) General hours and three (3) Ethics/Professionalism hours (or Dual hours) per year. All hours can be earned online. 

What is the latest I can get my hours without penalty?

The CLE compliance year runs from January 1 to December 31. Compliance must be obtained by December 31, or you will be assessed a $100.00 penalty.  You have until March 31 to claim an exemption though.

What if I don't have my hours by December 31st?

You will owe a $100 non-completion fee, and you will still be required to complete the required hours. The hours you earn following the close of the compliance year will first go toward your shortage and then will count toward the new compliance year.

What are the deadlines for CLE compliance and penalties for noncompliance?

• December 31 – Deadline for earning hours without $100 late fee
• February 28 – The Annual Report Statement (“ARS”) is emailed to attorneys.
• March 31 – The ARS must be completed and submitted to the Commission via the website for attorneys reporting hours or claiming an exemption. 
• April 30 – Notices of Non-Compliance sent certified mail to noncompliant attorneys who have insufficient hours or owe fees.
• May 31 – Deadline for establishing compliance by filing the Affidavit of Compliance or claiming a valid exemption. Compliance means the hours necessary for compliance have been earned or a valid exemption has been claimed and all fees have been paid.  Failure to comply with this deadline will result in the imposition of the $200 continuing noncompliance penalty.
• June 1 – $200 late fee assessed to noncompliant attorneys who have not filed Affidavit of Compliance and paid all fees due.
• June 28 – Draft Suspension Order sent by certified mail to noncompliant attorneys.
• August 10 — Deadline for filing Affidavit of Compliance and paying all fees to avoid being included on the Suspension Order submitted to the Tennessee Supreme Court.
• August 15 – Commission submits Suspension Order to the Tennessee Supreme Court. Attorneys not in active status with BPR are placed in suspended status and assessed a $500 suspension fee. Upon entry of the Suspension Order by the Court, a $500 suspension fee is assessed to noncompliant, active status attorneys, and those attorneys are moved to suspended status.

I passed the February Tennessee Bar Exam this year. Must I also complete 15 hours of CLE?

You have a CLE obligation the year you pass the February Bar Exam, but the Commission on CLE will award you the required fifteen (15) hours of CLE credit to fulfill that CLE obligation. If you were not sworn in prior to September 1, then you should contact the Commission on CLE.

I passed the July Tennessee Bar Exam this year. Must I also complete 15 hours of CLE?

Because you did/will not receive your results until October, you do not have a CLE obligation the year you passed the July Tennessee Bar Exam. You will receive your fifteen (15) hours of CLE credit the year following your passage of the bar exam regardless of when you are sworn in. See Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 21 §4.06.

What does it mean if a course shows "Dual" credits?

“Dual” credits are hours of CLE that can be used either toward the General or toward the Ethics/Professionalism requirement. However, Dual credits do not count twice. In other words, you cannot receive 2 hours of credit for 1 hour of attendance.

Dual credits are first applied toward Ethics/Professionalism requirements, and any remaining hours are applied as General credit.

At what age am I exempted from CLE?

The Commission will automatically apply the exemption to every attorney in the year they become eligible (the compliance year in which an attorney turns 71). The Commission will continue to maintain accounts for age-exempt attorneys and welcomes them to continue to earn and report CLE. Click here for more information on CLE exemption. 

Is it possible to have the non-completion or suspension fees waived?

Fees can be waived only when they were assessed erroneously and the attorney was in CLE compliance by December 31 (all hours were earned and all fees were paid). See Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 21 § 7. An attorney may request Exceptional Relief by completing the Request for Exceptional Relief provided upon request from the CLE Commission. See Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 21 § 2.04

I lived outside of Tennessee and did not practice Tennessee law during the compliance year. Am I exempt from CLE?

You are eligible to claim the non-resident exemption on the back on the Annual Report Statement emailed to you on the last day of February. If you do not annually claim the exemption for the compliance year, you will not receive the exemption and will be expected to complete your fifteen (15) hour requirement.

Updated! Self-Paced Courses

Looking for a self-paced course?  We are adding new options monthly.  Current topics and great video/audio quality.

Visit the self-paced CLE catalog.