27 ncAc 01D .1518         CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION requirements

(a)  Reporting period. Except as provided in Paragraphs (1) and (2) below, the reporting period for the continuing legal education requirements shall be two years, beginning March 1 through the last day of February:

(1)           New admittees. The reporting period for newly admitted members shall begin on March 1 of the calendar year of admission.

(2)           Reinstated members.

(A)          A member who is transferred to and subsequently reinstated from inactive or suspended status before the end of the reporting period in effect at the time of the original transfer shall retain the member's original reporting period and these Rules shall be applied as though the transfer had not occurred.

(B)          Except as provided in Subparagraph (A) above, the first reporting period for reinstated members shall be the same as if the member was newly admitted pursuant to Paragraph (1) above.

(b)  Hours requirement. Each active member subject to these rules shall complete 24 hours of approved continuing legal education during each reporting period, as provided by these rules.

Of the 24 hours:

(1)           at least four hours shall be devoted to ethics as defined in Rule .1501(c)(8) of this Subchapter;

(2)           at least one hour shall be devoted to technology training as defined in Rule .1501(c)(19) of this subchapter. This credit must be completed in at least one-hour increments; and

(3)           at least one hour shall be devoted to programs on professional well-being as defined in Rule .1501(c)(18) of this subchapter. This credit must be completed in at least one-hour increments.

(c)  Carryover credit. Members may carry over up to 12 credit hours from one reporting period to the next reporting period. Carryover hours will count towards a member's total hours requirement but may not be used to satisfy the requirements listed in Paragraphs (b)(1)-(3) of this Rule.

(d)  The Board shall determine the process by which credit hours are allocated to lawyers' records to satisfy deficits from prior reporting years. The allocation shall be applied uniformly to the records of all affected lawyers and may not be appealed by an affected lawyer.

(e)  Professionalism Requirement for New Members. Except as provided in Rule .1517(l), each newly admitted active member of the North Carolina State Bar must complete an approved Professionalism for New Attorneys program (PNA program) as described in Rule .1525 during the member's first reporting period. It is strongly recommended that newly admitted members complete the PNA program within their first year of admission. CLE credit for the PNA program shall be applied to the mandatory continuing legal education requirements set forth in Paragraph (b) above.

History Note:        Authority - Order of the North Carolina Supreme Court, October 7, 1987, 318 N.C. 711;

Readopted Eff. December 8, 1994;

Amendments Approved by the Supreme Court: February 12, 1997; December 30, 1998; March 3, 1999; November 6, 2001; October 1, 2003; March 11, 2010; August 25, 2011; March 6, 2014; March 5, 2015; June 9, 2016; April 5, 2018; September 20, 2018; September 25, 2019;

Amendments Approved by the Supreme Court June 14, 2023 and re-entered into the Supreme Court's minutes March 20, 2024.