Illinois CLE requirements
Whether you're an experienced Illinois attorney or newly admitted, here's what you need to know about Illinois’s mandatory continuing legal education (MCLE) requirements.
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Illinois CLE requirements - general information
| General information | |
|---|---|
| CLE credit requirement | 30 credits every 2 years |
| Categories | 24 General CLE 1 Diversity & Inclusion |
| CLE compliance deadline | June 30 |
| CLE reporting deadline | July 31 |
| Approved Quimbee formats | On-demand |
| Carryover | Up to 10 credits may be carried over to the following reporting period. |
| CLE reporting instructions | Quimbee reports the previous week's attendance to the Illinois MCLE Board each Wednesday. Please retain your certificate as proof of your attendance. You may also access your certificates from our website at any time. |
Illinois CLE requirements
What is my requirement as a Illinois-licensed attorney?
Illinois-licensed attorneys are required to complete 30 credits, including 6 Professional Responsibility CLE credits, every two years. Of those 6 Professional Responsibility credits, 1 credit must be in Diversity & Inclusion and 1 credits must be in Mental Health & Substance Abuse CLE.
How can Quimbee help me complete my CLE requirement?
Quimbee currently offers a limited number of on-demand courses for Illinois attorneys.
Quimbee is an accredited provider in Illinois.
How else can I earn CLE credit?
- Attend an approved, in-person program.
- Attend a law school course. Attend a legal presentation at a bar association meeting for up to 1.0 hour of CLE credit.
- Teach an accredited CLE course. Teach (part-time only) a law course at a law school.
- Teach (part-time only) a law course at a university, college or community college.
- Judge a law school moot court argument or other training simulation.
- Publish a scholarly legal book or article.
- Complete a year-long mentoring program approved by the Commission on Professionalism.
When must I complete my CLE requirement?
Illinois attorneys must complete their requirement by June 30 on the second year of their two-year reporting period. Those with last names starting with A-M report in even-numbered years. Those with last names starting with N-Z report in odd-numbered years.
Can I carry over credit from my last reporting cycle?
Yes, up to 10 credits, including professional responsibility credits may be carried over to the following reporting period. Only the number of credits needed (up to 10) may be carried over only to satisfy the next consecutive period’s requirements. If carryover credits are needed to meet the current reporting period's requirement, any excess hours earned in the current period are forfeited and may not be carried forward into future reporting periods.
Newly Admitted Attorneys
I'm a new attorney. When do I report CLE credit?
Newly admitted Illinois attorneys must complete an approved Illinois basic skills course or complete the Illinois mentoring program along with additional CLE credits for a total of 15 credits, within the first year of admission. After the first year, the initial two-year reporting period begins on July 1 after the completion deadline.
CLE compliance and reporting
When do I report the CLE credits that I have earned?
Illinois attorneys must report their compliance with the MCLE requirements by July 31 following the end of their two-year reporting period. Illinois reporting groups are split into two groups:
Last names A-M report in even-numbered years
Last names N-Z report in odd-numbered years
How do I report the CLE credits that I have earned?
CLE Providers are responsible for reporting individual course attendance. Illinois attorneys must report their compliance by logging in to their Attorney Portal and submitting their MCLE report.
Resources
Contact info
The MCLE Board of the Supreme Court of Illinois
200 West Madison Street, Suite 900
Chicago, Illinois 60606
312-924-2420
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