| How
much Continuing Legal Education (CLE) must members of the Bermuda Bar
complete? |
|
- Eight (8) credit hours annually for the period
November 1st to October 31st
|
|
| Who is subject to the mandatory
CLE requirement? |
|
- All practising members of the Bermuda Bar
and registered associates
- Students completing their pupillage are not
required to meet the CLE requirement.
|
|
| What qualifies for
credit? |
|
- CLE programmes provided by the Bermuda Bar
Association and other providers (including distance education)
- In-house CLE provided by law firms
- Educational programmes with
content relevant to legal or practice management issues
- Authoring
legal books or articles
- Presenting educational
programmes
|
|
| Do I have to apply for credit |
|
- You do
not have to apply for credit for:
• in-house programmes
•
programmes provided by the Bermuda Bar Association
• programmes
pre-approved by the CLE Committee [e.g., those provided by the Bermuda
Society of Trusts & Estates Practitioners (STEP) or the Bermuda
Insurance Institute] for the number of credit hours designated by the CLE
Committee
• courses which have been approved for credit by the Law
Society or the American Bar Association or a State Bar Association for the
number of CPD/ CLE hours specified
• presentations for Bermuda Bar
Association CLE programmes, STEP programmes and courses which have been
approved for credit by the Law Society or the American Bar Association or
a State Bar Association
• any other programmes or courses approved by
the Continuing Legal Education Committee
- Applications for CLE
credit must be submitted for:
• programmes and courses other than
those listed above for which credit is automatically given
• books and
articles
• presentations for courses other than those listed above for
which credit is automatically given
|
|
| What is the application
process? |
|
- Members seeking CLE credit should complete an
Application for CLE Credit and submit it to the Director of Continuing
Legal Education along with the course agenda (if applicable)
- The
Continuing Legal Education Committee considers applications and applicants
are informed of the Committee's decision following its
meeting
|
|
| How much credit do I get? |
|
- For courses
which have been approved for credit by the Law Society or the American Bar
Association or a State Bar Association, the number of CPD/ CLE credit
hours so approved
- For Bermuda Bar Association and STEP programmes,
the number of teaching hours (i.e., excluding any registration period,
refreshment breaks and question periods. The regular weekly Bar
Association courses from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. count for one (1) credit
hour.
- Presenters for Bar Association and other approved programmes
are entitled to four (4) hours' credit for each teaching hour (pro-rated
where there is more than one presenter)
|
|
| What records are required? |
|
- Members and registered associates are required to
keep records of their CLE courses. However, the system is an honour system
and these records do not have to be submitted.
|
|
| Can CLE credits be carried over from one year to the next? |
|
- No,
credits can only be used in the practising year in which they were
obtained
|
|
| What are the requirements if I am away from active practice? |
|
- Members who are away from active practice on a
leave of absence (e.g., for medical reasons, on maternity/ parental leave,
to pursue further education) may apply to the Continuing Legal Education
Committee to have their CLE requirement reduced or waived for the period
for which they are not actively practising. Such applications should be in
writing and set out the relevant details as to dates, reasons for absence,
etc
|
|
| What if I cannot complete my required CLE credit hours before October 31? |
|
- Please send a letter to the Continuing
Legal Education Committee setting out the relevant
details.
|
|
