Live-Interactive MCLE Requirement for Virginia Attorneys

Since November 1, 2011, Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Regulations in Virginia require that Virginia attorneys obtain at least four (4) hours of annual CLE include simultaneous, live interaction with the presenter.

All Virginia CLE^® Live on Site, Webcast, and Telephone Seminars feature live Q&A and carry live-interactive credit toward meeting the Bar's 4-hour requirement.

Please click below for upcoming courses that carry live-interactive MCLE credit:

Live on Site

Webcast

Telephone

Gale Cartwright Answers Live-Interactive Requirement Questions

Gale Cartwright, MCLE Director at the VSB, speaks to former Virginia CLE^® Executive Director, Tom Strassburg, about the MCLE rule changes.

>> View information about the MCLE changes on the VSB website.

>> View VSB FAQs.

Live-Interactive Regulation FAQs

1. What is the Bar's new "live-interactive" requirement in the MCLE regulations?

The regulations now require that at least 4 hours of credit be earned in programs that include simultaneous, live interaction with the presenter.

3. Is the 2-hour Ethics requirement affected by the live-interactive requirement?

No. Ethics credit may be earned through either live-interactive or pre-recorded programming.

3. What Virginia CLE^® seminar formats count toward meeting the Bar's live-interactive requirement?

4. How do Webcasts and telephone seminars meet the live-interactive requirement?

All Virginia CLE^® Webcasts, both live and replay, offer interactivity via a chat room accessible by the presenters and other program attendees. Therefore, MCLE credits for these seminars count toward meeting the live-interactive requirement.

Virginia CLE^® telephone seminars, both live and replay, either provide a 15-minute question-and-answer session at the end of each program or allow questions to be emailed to the presenters during the program. Therefore, MCLE credits for these seminars count toward meeting the live-interactive requirement.

Please note that if a telephone seminar includes a live Q&A session at the end of the seminar, participants must be on the call during that portion of the seminar in order to receive live-interactive credit.

5. What Virginia CLE^® seminar formats qualify as "pre-recorded" credit only and cannot be counted toward meeting the Bar's 4-hour live-interactive rule (but can still be applied to the eight other required hours)?

The following types of Virginia CLE^® seminars will not meet the live-interactive requirement, but can be applied to fulfill 8 hours of the annual 12-hour requirement:

Video on Site
Online Seminars (including a downloadable audio version)
USB Flash Drive Video Seminars

6. It is very difficult for me to travel to a live seminar. What are my distance learning options for meeting the 4-hour live-interactive requirement?

All Virginia CLE^® Webcasts and telephone seminars meet the live-interactive requirement.

7. Can I use the Virginia CLE^® Online Bundle to meet the live-interactive requirement?

Yes. You can use Virginia CLE^® Online Bundle credits to register for Webcasts, which qualify for live-interactive credit.

Each year Virginia CLE^® presents at least 10 Webcasts, cumulatively carrying at least 20 MCLE credit hours, including the annual "Ethics Update for Virginia Lawyers," with two hours of Ethics credit. We are now replaying many Webcasts and bringing the presenters in for additional live Q&A, providing for even more opportunties to get live-interactive credit.

8. Should I expect to have a hard time finding at least 4 hours of high-quality live-interactive CLE programming relevant to my practice?

No. Each year Virginia CLE^® sponsors close to 50 new live, on-site seminars, as well as more than 50 telephone or Webcast seminars, covering all major practice areas.

>> View information about the MCLE changes on the VSB website.

>> View VSB FAQs.