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Tennessee CLE Requirements

Whether you're an experienced Tennessee attorney or newly admitted, here's what you need to know about Tennessee’s mandatory continuing legal education (MCLE) requirements.

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Tennessee CLE Requirements - General Information

General Information
CLE credit requirement15 credits every year
Categories12 General CLE 
CLE Compliance deadlineDecember 31
CLE Reporting deadlineMarch 31
Approved Quimbee formatsCOVID-19 Update: The Supreme Court of Tennessee has lifted the restriction for on-demand courses. Attorneys may complete all of their credits through distance learning for the 2021 reporting period.

On-demand (limit 8 credits)
Carryover15 credits, including 3 ethics CLE
CLE reporting instructionsQuimbee reports the previous week's attendance to the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education through their website each Wednesday. Please retain this certificate as proof of your attendance. You may also access your certificates from our website at any time.

Tennessee CLE Requirements

Tennessee attorneys must complete 15 credits, including 3 ethics CLE credits, each year.
COVID-19 Update: The Supreme Court of Tennessee has lifted the restriction for on-demand courses. Attorneys may complete all of their credits through distance learning for the 2021 reporting period.

Tennessee attorneys can complete up to 8 credits through Quimbee's on-demand courses.
  • Attend approved, live CLE courses. 
  • Teach an approved CLE course. 
  • Perform pro bono services. 
  • Publish legal writing. 
  • Teach a course in an approved law school. 
  • Attend graduate-level courses in an approved law school. 
  • Judge or coach moot court or a mock trial at an approved law school. 
  • Attend postgraduate courses at an approved law school. 
  • Serve as a bar examiner. 
  • Participate as a member of governmental commissions, committees, or other governmental bodies at either the state or national level. 
  • Complete a bar review course.
Tennessee attorneys must complete their CLE requirements by December 31.
Yes, up to 15 credits, including 3 ethics credits, may be carried over to the following reporting cycle. Only 8 credits earned from distance learning may be carried forward.

Newly Admitted Attorneys

Newly admitted Tennessee attorneys who passed the February Bar Exam, have a CLE requirement, but the Commission on CLE will award them 15 CLE credits to fulfill that CLE obligation. Newly admitted Tennessee attorneys who passed the July Bar Exam, do not have a CLE requirement in the year they passed the bar exam. They will receive 15 CLE credits the year following their passage of the bar exam.

CLE Compliance and Reporting

Quimbee will report your attendance to the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education. We electronically report the previous week’s attendance each Wednesday through the Commission's website. Please retain your certificate as proof of your attendance. You may also access your certificate from our website at any time.

The Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education will mail each attorney their Annual Report Statement around February each year. Attorneys must complete the form and return it by March 31.

Resources

Tennessee Commission on CLE & Specialization 
221 Fourth Avenue North, Suite 300 
Nashville, TN 37219 
615-741-3096 
Tennessee Rules & Regulations