Wisconsin CLE Requirements

Wisconsin attorneys must complete 30 credit hours of continuing legal education every two years to meet the Wisconsin CLE requirements.

To comply with the Wisconsin Bar CLE requirements, attorneys must include 3 hours of Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility (EPR) credits, which must be completed through live programming such as in-person courses or live webcasts.

To satisfy the Wisconsin State Bar CLE requirements, at least 15 of the 30 credit hours must be completed through live programming. This includes in-person courses, teleconferences, or live webcasts.

The compliance deadline to complete CLE credits under the Wisconsin CLE requirements is December 31st of every reporting period.

Attorneys must report their completed CLE credits by January 31st, following the end of the reporting period. Reporting must be done electronically using the CLE reporting website provided by the Wisconsin State Bar.

Newly admitted attorneys in Wisconsin are exempt from the CLE requirements during the first year of their admission, as stated in the Wisconsin Bar CLE requirements.

Attorneys who fail to meet the CLE requirements by the deadline should contact the Wisconsin Board of Bar Examiners immediately to understand the consequences and explore possible remedies such as extensions or additional educational opportunities.

Yes, the Wisconsin Bar requires additional credit types beyond general and ethics. Attorneys must complete at least three ethics credits every two years, which include topics related to professionalism. Additionally, Wisconsin mandates one credit in “Law Practice Management” every two years for attorneys in their first two reporting periods. There are no specific requirements for credits related to mental health or substance abuse.

The frequency at which attorneys need to complete CLE courses varies by jurisdiction. Most states require attorneys to complete a certain number of CLE hours every 1 to 3 years.

CLE courses cover a wide range of topics relevant to law practice, including ethics, substantive law topics, practice management, professional responsibility, and specialty areas like tax law or family law.

Many jurisdictions require that a portion of CLE credits be devoted to specific topics such as ethics, professional responsibility, diversity and inclusion, mental health and substance abuse, and other essential topics for legal practice.