Texas Newly Admitted CLE Requirements for Attorneys

Newly admitted attorneys are those admitted to the Texas bar for two years or less, following their birthday.

The "Initial Compliance Year” begins on the first day of the attorney's birth month, after the date of admission. It ends 24 months later on the last day of the month preceding the attorney's birth month. 

For example, if the attorney’s birthday is in June and their admission date is in August 2022, then their initial compliance year begins June 1, 2023 and goes through May 30, 2025. If the attorney’s birthday is in August and their admission date was June 2022, then their compliance year begins August 1, 2022 and goes through July 31, 2024.

Newly admitted attorneys in Texas must complete the 15 hour minimum CLE credits needed for a regular one-year MCLE compliance year during the initial 24-month MCLE compliance year.

The Justice James A. Baker Guide to Ethics and Professionalism in Texas course will count towards the 15 hour requirement, but must be completed within 12 months of admission.

Newly Admitted attorneys are required to take the Justice James A. Baker Guide to Ethics and Professionalism in Texas course. This 4 hour course counts towards the 15 CLE credits needed and satisfies the Ethics requirement.

The remaining 11 CLE credits can be completed via accredited CLE classes or activities, including live group presentations, live and pre-recorded online CLE and webinars and by reviewing approved downloadable CLE programs such as podcasts and programs recorded onto DVD and CD. Other course delivery formats may be approved for CLE credit as “developed through advanced technology”. 

Yes, Newly admitted attorneys in Texas can receive CLE credits for participating in the same types of approved activities as experienced attorneys. Such activities include:

• Self-Study: Up to three (3) hours can be completed via self-study. Self-study credit refers to credits for a CLE activity that is performed by an individual acting alone or while attending a non-accredited professional education activity. Time spent viewing or listening to audio, video, or digital media as part of an organized CLE activity approved by the Committee counts as conventional continuing legal education and is not subject to the self-study limitation. Only one (1) hour of the Ethics/Professional Responsibility requirement can be fulfilled by self-study.
• Attending Law School: Up to thirty (30) hours of CLE can be earned per compliance year for attending ABA-accredited, in-person law school courses after admission to practice. Credit can only be earned in this manner through in-person classroom instruction, not through electronic means.
• Teaching CLE: Attorneys may earn credit for teaching or participating in accredited CLE activities. Credit may be earned for both presentation and preparation time, and preparation time for repeated presentations.
• Legal Research and Writing: Attorneys may earn CLE credit for legal research-based writing, and can apply for credit for these activities to the CLE Committee. The activity needs to have:
  • Produced published material in the form of an article, chapter, or book written, in whole or in part, by the applicant
  • Contributed substantially to the attorney’s own CLE education and the CLE education of other attorneys
  • Not been done during the ordinary course of the practice of law, the performance of regular employment, or as a service to clients.
• Teaching Law School: Attorneys who hold full-time faculty positions in ABA-accredited law schools may be credited as fulfilling the Texas CLE requirements, except with regards to the Ethics/Professional Responsibility requirement. Attorneys who hold part-time faculty positions in ABA-accredited law schools may claim participatory credit for actual hours of classroom instruction (up to 12 hours per compliance year), except with regards to the Ethics/Professional Responsibility requirement.
• Mentorship Program: Attorneys may earn a maximum of five (5) hours, including one (1) ethics hour, per compliance year for participating in a Mentor Program that is either sponsored or cosponsored by the State Bar of Texas or otherwise approved by the MCLE Committee, is open to all members of the State Bar, and is completed in conjunction with MCLE approved training. The purpose of the Mentor Program is to prepare attorneys for providing pro-bono services or for managing professional responsibility challenges and shall consist of substantive legal training as opposed to coaching or personal encouragement.

All CLE requirements should be completed by the last day of the month preceding the attorney's birth month, 24 months after the first day of the attorney's birth month, after their admission. 

Each attorney has an automatic grace period until the last day of his or her birth month to complete and report MCLE hours for that compliance year.

For example, if the attorney’s birthday is in February and their admission date is in October 2022, then their initial compliance year begins February 1, 2023 and goes through January 30, 2025. If the attorney’s birthday is in September and their admission date was April 2022, then their compliance year begins September 1, 2022 and goes through August 31, 2024.

Yes! Attorneys can carry over a maximum of 15 credit hours, including 3 ethics credits, to their next compliance period. Of these 15 credit hours, only 3 credit hours (1 hour ethics) of self-study may be carried over.

Newly Admitted Resources 

Newly admitted attorneys must take the Justice James A. Baker Guide to Ethics and Professionalism in Texas through the Texas Center for Legal Ethics. This course is not available through Lawline.

The remaining 11 CLE credits can be completed on Lawline through live and pre-recorded online  CLE.