Iowa CLE Requirements Explained
Continuing Legal Education (CLE) is an integral part of maintaining one’s legal proficiency, and understanding your state’s CLE requirements is imperative. For those practicing law in Iowa, there is a mandated requirement of 36.0 hours of CLE per three-year compliance period – this averages to 12.0 hours per year. This requirement is inclusive of professional responsibility requirements, which must be fulfilled as well. The professional responsibility requirement in the state of Iowa is 2.0 hours of ethics credit, also on an annual basis. In other words, Iowa attorneys must complete 2.0 hours of ethics CLE credit on an annual basis in order to stay compliant. Only those courses that have the ethics designation will count toward the 2.0 hour ethics requirement. All continuing legal education courses completed must have the appropriate CLE course classification in order to count toward the required credits in the correct category. Self-study and instructor-led training are additional classifications that determine how a course will be categorized. Any courses taken that do not meet CLE requirements will not count towards compliance. Above all things, it is the responsibility of the attorney to be aware of their individual CLE compliance dates and requirements , so that they may complete their CLE prior to their deadline. The deadlines for CLE compliance in Iowa is December 31st of every three-years as previously mentioned. The maximum number of self-study credits that an attorney may earn during a three-year reporting period in Iowa, is capped at 15.0 hours – or 5.0 hours, per year. Self-study courses are limited to being 12.0 credit hours total, all three years under the Iowa CLE program. In certain circumstances, attorneys can be reimbursed their CLE fees through their employer, however, they may only earn 12.0 general credit hours for courses sponsored by their employer. For the 36.0 hour requirement, a maximum of 6.0 hours are allowed as participation in a law-related organization in a conference other than that organization’s own meetings, and then combined with a maximum of 6.0 hours as a speaker or moderator, only for times in which the speaker or moderator earns CLE credit. The professional responsibility requirement of 2.0 hours in ethics continues to be mandatory for all attorneys in Iowa. It is worth repeating again that only CLE courses with a CLE ethics designation will fulfill the ethics requirement in Iowa for every year of compliance (2.0 hours each year). Finally, any attorney who has been licensed less than 12 months or is inactive, is exempt from the CLE requirements in Iowa.
Types of CLE Credit in Iowa
Iowa attorneys are required to earn one credit of ethics and professionalism for every two years of continuing legal education (CLE) they complete, while that rule has yet to be adopted by the Iowa Supreme Court. Ethics credits can be achieved by taking courses on any of the following:
At least one credit of ethics is required in each compliance period, with a maximum of seven ethics credits being accepted during the period. Multiple courses in the same subject matter can be taken, but only one of those credits will satisfy a course requirement. Any of those courses that are also considered legal research and writing, in-house CLE, or teaching can be counted as both categories of credit.
In addition, attorneys can earn a maximum of 10 credits playing Judge and Juror in mock trials. This category of credit can only be earned once every two years and not all mock trials qualify for credit. Attorneys can also earn credits writing an article, or serving on boards or organizations where they met certain conditions.
Iowa attorneys can earn diversity credits by taking courses that fall under the MCLE Board’s definition of diversity. A maximum of three diversity credits can be earned per compliance period. For attorney clerks, it’s three diversity credits for the first full compliance period only for clerks who sit for the exam.
How to Complete Iowa CLE Requirements
Attorneys can fulfill their Iowa CLE requirements either by taking live courses or taking the same content online. In Iowa, approved CLE formats for fulfilling live course requirements include both in-person attendance and live webinars through a CLE provider. Online courses can be taken either as a webinar or a regular online course (which are recorded). Attorneys can also take online interactive courses using streaming video or audio. In Iowa, the live requirement is 6.5 hours per year. Of those, 3.5 hours can be completed through online courses, and 3.5 hours can be completed through live seminars or webinars. Attorneys may also meet up to 3.5 hours of the required 6.5 hours by attending courses through interactive technology, which includes interactive courses online. The remaining 3.5 hours is specific to legal ethics. Attorneys can fulfill these hours through live learning or online courses.
Iowa CLE Reporting and Compliance Deadlines
The Iowa Supreme Court Commission on Continuing Legal Education has contracted with the non-profit Iowa State Bar Association to provide an online reporting system. Attorneys are required to report their CLE credits using an online form. Credit can be accumulated in 15-minute segments for any combination of accredited law-related programming. The attorney will receive credit verification once the application process is completed. The credits will then be evaluated and stored in the attorney’s CLE record. An attorney can file an application up to three years in advance, and up to six months after the end of the compliance period; however, the credits may be subject to an additional $25 fine if the reporting is done more than three months after the compliance period ends .
All CLE credits must be completed by the last day of the applicable compliance period. Attorneys must report CLE credits at least annually. Those with a birth date of July 1 through December 31 report by May 31 of the following year, and those with a birth date of January 1 through June 30 report by November 30 of the reporting year. However, they cannot report more than 15 hours in a single calendar day, unless they can provide direct personal attendance verification evidence using the BCI’s affidavit. Failure to timely report CLE credits results in a mandatory $100 fine paid to the Client Security Trust Fund. For every compliance period in which CLE credits are not completed attorneys will be subject to a fine of $300.
Attorneys who fail to comply with the reporting and credit hour requirements will be subject to disciplinary action.
Non-Compliance and Consequences
The consequences of non-compliance in Iowa are specifically laid out in Rule 41.3(1)(f). Failure to make up the shortfall within the prescribed extension period can result in a variety of sanctions, including but not limited to censure, suspension, and even disbarment.
The Supreme Court of Iowa prohibits the late payment of CLE fees. As per Iowa Rule 41.2(i), I fear there may be little you can do about being assessed a $100 fee per credit hour overdue if you miss the deadline or are late paying.
If all else fails, you can submit a petition for reinstatement, which are submitted to the Supreme Court of Iowa. The petition has to demonstrate that the individual has fulfilled the requirements of the rules for the two years immediately prior to the date of any petition for reinstatement.
Iowa CLE Resources
Iowa attorneys have an array of convenient options when it comes to completing their CLE requirements. From local bar association offerings to online courses, the resources at lawyers’ disposal are numerous and diverse. Local bar associations across the state often offer in-person and on-demand content to help attorneys meet their requirements from wherever they are located, and whenever it’s most convenient for them. For example, the Iowa State Bar Association provides a wide selection of both live and on-demand options that satisfy ethical and professional responsibility requirements. Plus, attorneys can search by specific topic to ensure they are receiving the necessary content to fulfill their CLE requirement. The Iowa State Bar Association does not require attorneys to be members to purchase products, however, unless timely completed, credit for all programs purchased is automatically applied toward the associates and semi-annual member’s CLE requirement. (Note that as of January 1, 2015, attorneys are now required to pay the $95 dues to the Iowa State Bar Association prior to claiming credit for ISBA programs . )
In addition to in-person and on-demand, attorneys also have the option of completing a course online at their own pace. For example, the UI College of Law, through its CLE Online Law Courses provides a collection of on-demand courses taught by UI faculty, Iowa judges, and local attorneys. Attorneys who take a course learn Iowa law while earning CLE credits which may be approved for half-day and full-day credit. Additionally, credit is approved by the Iowa Supreme Court for the following Iowa and out-of-state licensed attorneys (to be counted as general credit):
The UI College of Law Online Law Courses only allows one hour to be earned per course. However, they also grant an hour of ethics credit for each ethics course.
In addition to bar associations and online courses, attorneys are also able to complete CLE courses at the University of Iowa. The University of Iowa College of Law Continuing Legal Education (UI CLE) offers in-person seminars and conferences that comply with Iowa Supreme Court rules for CLE credit for attorneys licensed to practice law in Iowa. Attendees may also attend live webcasts.
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