MCLE Credit

The State Bar evaluates whether a single activity is approved for Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) credit using the following factors:

• the activity must be directly relevant to members of the State Bar
• the activity has significant and current professional or practical content
• the presenters or faculty have significant professional or academic experience related to the topic being presented
• the intended audience must be primarily members of the State Bar (for example, courses intended for paralegals do not qualify)
• the written or electronic materials that accompany the activity must be suitable and easily understood

Learn tips for offering MCLE credit for virtual events.

For a complete list of Berkeley Law MCLE credit offerings, please click here.  

MCLE SPECIAL CREDIT HOURS:

• Legal ethics MCLE activity must focus on attorneys’ professional responsibility, including education on and citation to the California Rules of Professional Conduct and the State Bar Act, and related authorities such as the professional conduct rules of a tribunal. Activities that focus on the ethics of business, corporate or government affairs, or society, in general, do not qualify for MCLE credit.
• Recognition and elimination of bias MCLE activity must focus on education in the recognition and elimination of impermissible bias in the courtroom and law offices; attorney-client relationships and relationships with other attorneys; legal and nonlegal employment and workplaces, including hiring, managing, and terminating employees; and in housing, including accommodations and services. Courses required by Government Code section 12950.1 also qualify for recognition and elimination of bias credit.
• Implicit bias and the promotion of bias-reducing strategies MCLE activity must meet the requirements of Business and Professions Code section 6070.5 and must focus on implicit bias and the promotion of bias-reducing strategies to address how unintended biases regarding race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or other characteristics undermine confidence in the legal system.
• Prevention and detection competence MCLE activity must consist of education that relates to the prevention and detection of substance use disorders, mental illness, and other mental or physical issues that impair an attorney’s ability to perform legal services with competence.
• Wellness competence MCLE activity may include physical and mental wellness and well-being or stress management so long as the activity addresses these topics in the
  context of the practice of law and the impact these issues can have on an attorney’s ability to perform legal services with competence.
• Technology MCLE activity must consist of education that addresses technology in the practice of law. This includes education on technology tools, programs, or applications to assist attorneys in their law practice. Credit will not be awarded for course content consisting of marketing of a technology product or service.  Examples of courses that would qualify for this credit include:
  (1) Cybersecurity, privacy, and data protection;
  (2) Use of technology to create, receive, transmit, store, analyze, or delete client documents or client information;
  (3) Law practice management technology tools, including technology for virtual appearances before a tribunal;
  (4) Use of applications to assist attorneys in advising clients, including artificial intelligence technology; and
  (5) Electronic discovery.
• Civility MCLE activity must consist of education that addresses civility in the legal profession. This includes education that discusses the link between civility and bias, incivility that is directed at opposing parties or counsel, and incivility aimed at the judiciary.

Full details on Special Credit hours can be found here.

REQUIREMENTS FOR OFFERING MCLE CREDIT:  

All Berkeley Law programs must complete the following steps to offer MCLE credit:

BEFORE EVENT:

Submit your event to our MCLE calendar.
(Submission form here)

In the event description field, please include:

1. Agenda or a link to the agenda.
2. Link(s) to substantive written materials. (If the presentations are one hour or more, substantive written materials are required and must be available at the event or online before the event begins.)
3. Be sure to enter the total amount of MCLE credit being offered.

Please submit your event at least 10 business days before the event date. The Events team will respond to your submission within 5 business days. Once the event is submitted, it will be reviewed and, if approved, will be posted to the MCLE calendar.

DURING EVENT:

1. Maintain Record of Attendance : Google Forms can be used for attendees to sign in with their name and CalBar number and submit the attendance Excel sheet in the CalBar formatted template.
2. Offer Certificate of Attendance to MCLE participants. You may send these after the event as well.
3. Offer Evaluation Forms to MCLE participants (Forms are optional for participants to complete).

MCLE templates for your event can be found here. This link requires a password; please contact mcle@law.berkeley.edu if you need access. 

AFTER EVENT:

Within 30 days of your event, turn in the following to Berkeley Law Events (please see below for the link to upload electronic versions of documents):

1. Record of attendance/Sign-up Sheet (Please don’t delete any columns or rows in any of the tabs.  Leave them blank if they do not apply to your event.)
2. Any evaluation forms (optional for participants to complete)
3. A blank copy of Certificate of Attendance (original certificates for participants and/or presenters for their records)
4. Written materials must be available online for at least 30 calendar days after the MCLE activity [per this page: http://www.calbar.ca.gov/Attorneys/MCLE-CLE/MCLE-Providers/Qualifying-Activities]