CLE Credit

Continuing Legal Education (CLE) for Professional Education programs

CLE credit is available for participants in most states that have mandatory CLE requirements. Prior to Professional Education programs, Northwestern Law will apply for accreditation with most states on your behalf. If we have not applied to your state, we will happily assist you in applying and supply you with all the necessary documentation.

How to obtain your CLE credit

An attendance log will be provided in your registration packet when you check in at the program. On the form, the program schedule will be broken down by session. You must initial each full session you attend and indicate how long you attend any partial sessions. At the completion of the program, a Professional Education representative will sign your attendance log and issue a copy to you for your personal records. 

Participants may apply for credit from multiple states on one form. Please indicate for which state(s) you are seeking credit as well as your bar number(s). Attendees should turn in their attendance logs to be signed at the conclusion of the program in order for us to submit credits on your behalf or assist you in self-reporting. If you do not turn in your attendance log, we will assume you are not seeking CLE credit and you will not receive a certificate of attendance. Attendance logs must be submitted no later than 14 days after an event in order to accommodate sponsor reporting deadlines. Submissions received after that time may not be eligible for credit.

Northwestern Law will issue your certificate of attendance within 30 days via the email address submitted with your registration. If you do not receive it, contact us.

Certain states require attorneys to file for and report credit themselves or submit special forms; we will supply these forms upon request. Questions regarding your state's specific reporting requirements should be directed to your state bar or MCLE board.

For those seeking non-legal credits, many states accept this certificate as proof of attendance. However, Northwestern Law only applies for continuing legal education credit for our programs.

Illinois CLE Credit

Northwestern Pritzker School of Law Professional Education is an Accredited CLE Provider in the state of Illinois. Effective July 1, 2019, Northwestern Law must submit Illinois attendance information, including ARDC numbers, to the state for all MCLE events. Please bring your ARDC number with you so you may provide it to us via your attendance log. Visit the MCLE Board website for additional reporting information.

Please direct specific questions regarding your CLE requirements or transcript status to your state bar. Other questions regarding your state's approval of our programs or what may be required of you may be directed to our office.


Continuing Legal Education (CLE) for the internal Law School community

The Supreme Court of Illinois has established minimum continuing legal education (MCLE) requirements for Illinois attorneys.

Northwestern Pritzker School of Law Professional Education is an Accredited Provider in the state of Illinois. Northwestern Law has established a policy in accordance with the Illinois CLE rules to ensure that affiliates of the Law School are properly accredited. Policies for:

Regular Adjuncts and Clinic Adjuncts

Initial and Repeat Presentations

All presentations or classes are counted at the full hour or fraction thereof for the initial presentation. A repeat presentation/class of the same material is to be counted at one half. No further hours may be earned for additional presentations/classes of the same materials. For sessions that are co-taught, the total presentation time will be divided among the number of adjuncts teaching.

Preparation Credit

Preparation time is also accredited. Illinois MCLE rules state that time spent in preparation for eligible part-time instruction of a law school course at an ABA-accredited law school activity shall be counted at three times the actual presentation time.

Guest Instructors/Speakers

While Illinois grants credit for guest instructors, Northwestern Law will not certify such unless the guest instructor/speaker is approved by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs: Curriculum. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs: Curriculum must receive notice of a guest instructor/speaker's participation in the adjunct professors' class prior to the start of the semester. In order for the guest instructor to receive credit, the adjunct professor must notify the Office of Professional Education with the name of each guest instructor/speaker, the date of participation, and total presentation time.

CLE Certificates

Northwestern Law's Office of Professional Education will provide teaching certificates for appointed adjunct faculty. This applies only to attorneys who are not employed full-time by the Law School. Appointed adjuncts will receive their certificates via email within 60 days after the end of each semester. As mandated by the MCLE board of Illinois, attorneys are responsible for maintaining these records for three years after the end of the relevant reporting period.

Non-Traditional Course

The MCLE board of Illinois considers part-time instruction of a law school course as a non-traditional course/activity.

Moot Court Judges

All Moot Court Competitions

To obtain CLE credit for moot court competitions, an attorney must serve as a judge in at least one session in which the participants argue a case presented in a law school moot court competition.

Judging on Panels

The total time of the moot court argument is divided between the attorneys serving as judges. For example, each attorney on a three-judge panel for a 120-minute moot court argument earns 40 minutes of actual presentation time.

Preparation Credit

Preparation time is also accredited. Illinois MCLE rules state that time spent in preparation for an eligible moot court argument at an ABA-accredited law school activity shall be counted at three times the actual presentation time. For instance, if individual presentation time equals 40 minutes, preparation time totals 120 minutes (40x3). Total CLE hours are calculated by adding the presentation time (40 minutes) to the preparation time (120 minutes) and dividing by 60. In this example, 160/60=2.66 for 2.50 CLE hours (round down to the nearest quarter hour).

CLE Certificates

Northwestern Law's Office of Professional Education will provide certificates to participating attorneys who serve as judges in a moot court argument. Judges will receive their certificates via email within 60 days after the completion of their competitions. As declared by the MCLE board of Illinois, attorneys are responsible for maintaining these records for three years after the end of the relevant reporting period.

Non-Traditional Course

The MCLE board of Illinois considers judging a moot court argument as a non-traditional course/activity.

Northwestern Law Community

Programs, workshops, and other events approved for Illinois CLE accreditation are posted on the Law Calendar and in the daily email announcements. Programs that have been approved will have the following designation:

Example: Analysis of the Credit Market and Proposed Rescue Plan (IL MCLE Credit)

Attendance Logs

An attendance log will be made available and must be completed by the attendee in order to receive credit. Event organizers are responsible for reminding attendees to fill out and turn in attendance logs in person at CLE programs to ensure credit is received. Attendance logs submitted more than 14 days post program will not be accepted.

Certificates of Attendance

Northwestern Law's Office of Professional Education will provide certificates for those who participate in approved CLE programs. Attendees will receive their certificates via email within 60 days after the completion of their programs. As declared by the MCLE board of Illinois, attorneys are responsible for maintaining these records for three years after the end of the relevant reporting period.

Questions?

If you have questions regarding CLE credits earned at Northwestern Law or how to accredit a program, please contact External Partnerships by phone at (312) 503-0473 or by email.