New Lawyer Training FAQs
(For Attorneys Admitted by Examination or Registered for Corporate Counsel Status)
- Who is required to complete a New Lawyers Training Program, and what are the basic requirements?
- What is a New Lawyers Training Program?
- How can I locate a New Lawyers Training Program?
- How do I meet my New Lawyers Training Program requirement?
- If I take a New Lawyers Training Program outside Ohio, will I receive credit in Ohio?
- What will I learn in a New Lawyers Training Program?
- If I take a New Lawyers Training Program or a CLE course before I am admitted to the practice of law in Ohio or before I am registered for corporate counsel status, will I receive credit?
- What if I have registered for inactive status?
- Who is exempt from the New Lawyers Training Program requirement?
- What happens if I take more than the required 12 hours of New Lawyers Training education?
- What if I have further questions?
1. Who is required to complete a New Lawyers Training Program, and what are the basic requirements?
Attorneys admitted by examination, attorneys admitted by UBE transfer, and attorneys registered for corporate counsel status attorneys must comply with New Lawyers Training ("NLT") educational requirements of Gov. Bar R. X, unless otherwise exempted from the requirements (see number 9, below). Effective Jan. 1, 2023, attorneys newly registered for Corporate Counsel status will no longer be required to complete the NLT requirements, and shall comply with the CLE requirements pursuant to Gov.Bar R. X, Sec. 3.
General Requirements
- You must complete 12 hours of NLT instruction by the end of your first CLE biennial compliance period. Your biennial period is based on your last name. An attorney whose last name begins with a letter A through L must complete his or her educational hours by December 31 of each odd-numbered year. An attorney whose last name begins with a letter M through Z must complete his or her educational hours by December 31 of each even-numbered year.
- If you were admitted to the practice of law or initially registered for corporate counsel status in the second year of your first biennial period, you must complete your NLT requirements by the end of the next biennial period.
For example:
- If you were admitted to the practice of law or initially registered for corporate counsel status in 2022, and your last name begins with a letter A through L, you must complete your NLT educational hours by Dec. 31, 2023.
- If you were admitted to the practice of law or initially registered for corporate counsel status in 2022, and your last name begins with a letter M through Z, you must complete your NLT educational hours by Dec. 31, 2024.
2. What is a New Lawyers Training Program?
It is a program that has been accredited as a New Lawyers Training Course by the Commission on Continuing Legal Education. The instruction shall be live, including in-person or live webinar that will satisfy the requirements of CCLE Reg. 406. See, CCLE Reg. 414.
3. How can I locate a New Lawyers Training Program?
Check our website at www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/AttySvcs/CLE/ActivitySearch. On the website, there is a search feature that uses a drop down menu. Select “New Attorney” as the Activity Type and press the Search button. The search will return only those activities that are approved for New Lawyers Training. The list is updated as courses are approved.
To sign up for a NLT program, please contact the sponsor directly.
4. How do I meet my New Lawyers Training Program requirement?
You must earn at least 12 hours of New Lawyers Training instruction by attending programs that have been accredited by the Supreme Court of Ohio Commission on Continuing Legal Education as New Lawyers Training education. You may earn the 12 hours either entirely through live in-person classroom instruction, or by live self-study formats such as, live webcast, and live interactive webinar, or through a combination of classroom instruction and mentoring. Please go to http://sc.ohio.gov/AttySvcs/CLE/ActivitySearch/default.aspx and under “Activity Type,” select “New Attorney” for a list of accredited NLT programs
Classroom Instruction
- The required 12 hours of New Lawyers Training instruction must be earned by attending courses that have been accredited by the Supreme Court of Ohio's Commission on Continuing Legal Education as New Lawyers Training education.
- Three of the 12 hours must consist of 60 minutes of instruction on topics related to professional conduct, professional relationships, obligations of lawyers, or aspirational ideals of the profession; 60 minutes of instruction on topics related to fundamental law office management; and 60 minutes of instruction on topics related to client fund management.
- Nine of the 12 hours must be instruction in one or more substantive law topics that focus on handling legal matters in specific practice areas.
Mentoring
If you are earning your New Lawyer Training hours by participating in mentoring and through classroom attendance, please note the following:
You may meet nine of the 12 required New Lawyers Training hours by participating in the Lawyer to Lawyer Mentoring Program sponsored by the Commission on Professionalism. If you participate in mentoring, you also are required to complete an additional three classroom hours of instruction on professionalism, law office management, and client fund management. For additional information on mentoring, please go to www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/AttySvcs/mentoring/default.asp.
5. If I take a New Lawyers Training Program outside Ohio, will I receive credit in Ohio?
Attorneys and sponsors may seek approval of an out-of-state New Lawyers Training activity that was held in-person in a physical classroom. See, CCLE Reg. 410 (Post-Program Approval). The application forms are available at http://sc.ohio.gov/AttySvcs/CLE/forms/default.asp.
6. What will I learn in a New Lawyers Training Program?
A New Lawyers Training course is developed as a basic introductory level course.
7. If I take a New Lawyers Training Program or CLE course before I am admitted to the practice of law in Ohio or before I am registered for coroprate counsel status, will I receive credit?
No. To receive NLT or CLE credit in Ohio, you must first be admitted to the practice of law in Ohio or registered for corporate counsel status.
8. What if I have registered for inactive status?
If you are registered for inactive status with the Office of Attorney Services, you are exempt from NLT.
If you change your registration status to active, you will be required to complete the NLT requirements by the end of the compliance biennium in which active status is reinstated. However, if you go on active status on or after July 1 of the second year of the compliance biennium, you must complete the NLT requirements by the end of the next compliance biennium.
9. Who is exempt from the New Lawyers Training Program requirement?
- An attorney admitted to the practice of law in Ohio without examination (or "on motion") (Gov. Bar R. I Section 9). Please note that although attorneys admitted without examination are exempt from NLT, they nevertheless are required to comply with continuing legal education requirements of Gov. Bar R. X.
- An attorney registered for inactive status under Gov. Bar R. VI, Section 5 (see number 8, above).
- An attorney granted a military or other exemption by the Commission on Continuing Legal Educationas provided in Gov. Bar R. X, Sec. 12.
NOTE: There is NO EXEMPTION from the New Lawyers Training requirements for attorneys who are registered for active status and living or working out-of-state.
10. What happens if I take more than the required 12 hours of New Lawyers Training education?
You may be able to carry over up to 12 hours of additional credit to the next compliance period.
11. What if I have further questions?
Your specific NLT requirement depends on several factors, including your year of admission, method of admission, last name, and registration status. Therefore, we strongly encourage you to call us if you have any questions regarding your New Lawyers Training requirements. You may reach us by telephone at 614.387.9320, or by email at ccle@sc.ohio.gov.
PDF files may be viewed, printed, and searched using the free Acrobat® Reader Acrobat Reader is a trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated.