Hello everyone and welcome to this Ethics Alert Update which will clarify compliance with the Supreme Court of Florida’s opinion which approved increased total CLE from 30 to 33 and required three hours of continuing legal education in technology related areas/courses.
I have had questions regarding when compliance will begin and, according to the Bar’s website, compliance with the new CLE requirements will begin in the member’s next reporting cycle following the January 1, 2017, effective date.
As I said previously, Florida will become the first state to require technology CLE. The Court’s opinion is here: https://www.floridasupremecourt.org/decisions/2016/sc16-574.pdf. Five of the 33 credit hours must be in approved legal ethics, professionalism, bias elimination, substance abuse, or mental illness awareness programs, and three of the 33 credit hours must be in approved technology programs, which are included in, and are not in addition to, the 33 hour CLE requirement. The 33-hour requirement does not apply to Florida Registered Paralegals.
Bottom line: Beginning January 1, 2017, lawyers will be required to obtain 33 hours of CLE every 3 years with a minimum of three hours in technology related areas/courses beginning with their next full CLE cycle.
Be careful out there.
Disclaimer: this e-mail is not an advertisement, does not contain any legal advice, and does not create an attorney/client relationship and the comments herein should not be relied upon by anyone who reads it.
Joseph A. Corsmeier, Esquire
Law Office of Joseph A. Corsmeier, P.A.
29605 U.S. Highway 19 N. Suite 150
Clearwater, Florida 33761
Office (727) 799-1688
Fax (727) 799-1670
