Click here for New Admittee CBA CLE-Advantage Guidelines (PDF) .
MCLE Requirements for Newly Admitted Attorneys
Every Illinois attorney admitted to practice law in Illinois must complete the Illinois Supreme Court's 15 hour MCLE requirement for newly admitted attorneys within their first year of admission to the Illinois bar.
You can comply with the newly admitted attorney requirement in three ways:
1. Attend a Basic Skills Course of no less than 6 hours AND 9 additional hours of MCLE courses of your choice; OR
2. Participate in a year-long Mentoring Program approved for no less than 6 credit hours by the Illinois Supreme Court’s Commission on Professionalism AND attend at least 9 additional hours of MCLE courses of your choice; OR
3. Attend a Basic Skills Course of no less than 6 hours AND participate in a year-long Mentoring Program approved for no less than 6 credit hours by the Illinois Supreme Court’s Commission on Professionalism AND attend at least 3 additional hours of MCLE courses of your choice.
Reporting Compliance with newly admitted attorney requirements:
After you complete your newly admitted attorney requirements, you must submit a report using the MCLE Board’s online reporting system (www.mcleboard.org ). Log into the “Attorneys” section of this website, then go to “My MCLE” and follow the prompts to submit your report.
To report “complied,” you must finish requirements by the completion deadline, which is the last day of the month following the day that marks one year of admittance to the Illinois bar. You must submit your report by the reporting deadline, which is 31 days after the completion deadline. For example, if you are admitted in November 2022, you have until November 30, 2023 (completion deadline) to finish your requirements. You then must report your compliance or a valid exemption by 31 days later, which is December 31, 2023 (reporting deadline).
For more information on reporting newly admitted attorney requirements click here.
MCLE Requirements After First Year of Practice
After the newly admitted attorney MCLE requirements are completed and reported to the MCLE Board, attorneys must report MCLE credits every 2 years. The MCLE requirements and reporting periods are as follows:
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First Letter of Last Name
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Initial Two-Year Reporting Period: 30 Hours of MCLE Required,
including 6 hours professional responsibility (PR-MCLE)
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A through M
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Begins July 1 of the next even number year after the completion deadline
for the newly admitted attorney requirements.
Example: Attorney A admitted to the bar May 2018: Newly admitted attorney
course completion deadline is May 31, 2019, and first two year reporting
period begins July 1, 2020.
Example: Attorney B admitted to the bar November 2018: Newly admitted attorney course completion deadline is November 30, 2019, and first two year reporting period begins July 1, 2020.
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N through Z
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Begins July 1 of the next odd number year after the completion deadline for the newly admitted attorney requirements.
Example: Attorney Y admitted to the bar May 2018. Newly admitted attorney course completion deadline is May 31, 2019, and first two-year reporting period begins July 1, 2019.
Example: Attorney Z admitted to the bar November 2018. Newly admitted attorney course completion deadline is November 30, 2019, and first two- year reporting period begins July 1, 2021.
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To confirm your initial 2-year reporting period, go to
www.mcleboard.org and click on "Attorneys Enter Here." Log in with your ARDC number and click on "My MCLE."