General Information Portal

Rule 31.07

The following standards shall govern the approval of continuing legal education activities by the board:

 (a) The primary objective of any continuing legal education activity shall be to increase the attendee's professional competence as a lawyer.

 (b) The continuing legal education activity shall deal primarily with matters related to the practice of law, professional responsibility or ethical obligations of lawyers.

(c) A mechanically or electronically recorded activity will be approved only if a qualified instructor is available to comment and answer questions.

(d) Continuing legal education materials shall be prepared and activities conducted by an individual or group qualified by practical or academic experience.

 (e) Continuing legal education activities shall be accompanied by thorough, well-organized and readable written materials which are available to attendees at the time of presentation unless otherwise permitted by the board.

(f) The board shall not approve any continuing legal education for legal ethics and professional responsibility credit unless that education has a minimum component of at least one continuous hour devoted to legal ethics and professional responsibility.

Rule 31.07

A mechanically or electronically recorded activity will be approved only if a qualified instructor is available to comment and answer questions.

Effective July 1, 2017, two new categories of CLE credits may be used. Those include “Lawyer Awareness and Understanding” and “Law Practice Management.” Each category is limited to 6.0 credits per reporting period.

50 per credit hour

Docs required: Application form

(1) A timetable or agenda whereby a credit determination may be made. It should include a precise breakdown of the actual starting and ending times of the activity, including the starting and ending times of breaks, opening remarks, meals and keynote speeches.

(2) A complete description of the written materials distributed to participants, or a copy thereof. (Materials will be returned if a postpaid envelope is enclosed.)

(3) An indication as to whom the activity was offered. If it is not apparent that the objective was legal education, or if it appears to be geared to a general audience, include a statement as to how it increased the competence of lawyers who attended

Application deadline: An approval decision is usually made within two weeks; it will take longer if the request is not complete, or if the course approval form is submitted during the CLE seasonal peak (November-January).

Application fee: N/A

Application formats: Print form only (by mail) and status of approval can be checked online

Length of reporting period: 2 years

Compliance date: December 31

Reporting date: February 1

GPA stands for “general program approval.” The Board of Bar Examiners (BBE) grants general program approval to organizations who typically provide a high volume of continuing legal education courses and who have consistently demonstrated compliance with the standards required of those courses.

Attorneys in Wisconsin must report earned CLE credits to the Supreme Court of Wisconsin Board of Bar Examiners.