MCLERuleandRegulationAmendments
InpreparationforanOregonStateBarsoftwareupdate,whichwillbeimplementedin
2017, and to improve the efficiency of the MCLE program, the Oregon Supreme Court and
BoardofGovernorsrecentlyapprovedseveralamendmentstotheMCLERulesandRegulations.
TheMCLERulesandRegulationsamendmentsaresummarizedbelow.Unlessotherwise
indicated,allruleandregulationnumbersreferencetheCURRENTMCLERulesandRegulations.
Click here for a redline version of the MCLE Rules and Regulations reflecting the changes
(deletionsarecrossedout;newtextisunderlined;movedtextisdouble-underlined.)Clickhere
for a clean copy of the Rules and Regulations. The rule changes will eliminate the “retired”
MCLEstatus(inlightofanewlycreatedretiredbarmembershipstatus),makechangestoMCLE
accreditation standards, and provide greater flexibility to members who seek MCLE credit for
probonoandothervolunteeractivities.AllrulesareeffectiveSeptember1,2016.
Programsaccreditedundertheoldrules(priortoSeptember1,2016)maystillbeused
tomeetamember’sMCLErequirement.Also,thetypesofprogramsthathavebeenapproved
forCLEcreditinthepastwillcontinuetobeaccredited.
Please direct any questions about these changes to MCLE Program Manager Denise
Clineat503-431-6315.
Summary
ThefollowingruleamendmentswereapprovedbytheOregonSupremeCourtandwill
beeffectiveSeptember1,2016.
1) Throughoutthedocument,anyreferencetoMCLEAdministratorischangedtoMCLE
ProgramManager.
2) Rules1.12,3.4,3.5,3.6and3.7(c)&(d).RetiredMemberstatusisbeingremovedfrom
theMCLERules.TheBoardofGovernorshasapprovedthecreationofaseparateretired
membershipstatusoutsideoftheMCLERules.Toreflectthenewmembershipstatus,
MCLERules1.12,3.4,3.5,3.6,3.7(c)and(d)wereamended.
3) Rule3.2(b).AmendedRule3.2(b)regardingthenumberoflegalethicscreditsrequired
(fivelegalethicsrequiredinsteadofsixincludingonechildabusereportingorelder
abusereporting).Movedtextregardingchildabusereportingorelderabusereporting
creditrequirementtonewRule3.2(c).
4) Rule5–MajorchangesarebeingrecommendedforRule5’sAccreditationStandards
(seedetaileddescriptionofchangestoRule5insectionbelow).
5) Accreditationstandardsaresetforthforeachcategory(I,IIandIII).Contentstandards
arelistedseparatelyfromtheaccreditationstandards.CurrentRules5.1(a)and(b)have
beenmovedtoActivityContentStandards.
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6) CategoryIactivitiesincludeattendingCLEprograms,lawschoolclassesorotherclasses
thatmeetthecriteriasetforthintherules,legislativeservice,completingNewLawyer
MentoringProgram(forbothmentorandnewadmittee)andattendingclassesdesigned
forotherprofessionals(dependingonprogramcontent).
7) CategoryIIactivitiesincludeteachingCLEprograms,LegalResearchandWriting
Activities,serviceasaBarExaminer,serviceoncertainOSBcommitteesandboards.
8) NewRules5.6,5.7,5.8,5.9,5.10–Referencetohowmanycreditsmaybeclaimedfor
theseactivitiesisremovedfromtherulesandplacedintheregulations.Currently,some
creditlimitationsareintherulesandsomeareintheregulations.Thischangewasmade
forconsistencypurposes.
9) BecauseCategoryIIandCategoryIIIactivitieswillnotrequireanaccreditation
application,languagewaschangedfrom“maybeaccredited”orsomethingsimilarto
“creditmaybeclaimed”orsomethingsimilarthroughouttheAccreditationStandards
forCategoryIIandCategoryIIIActivities.
10) CategoryIIIactivitiesincludepersonalmanagementassistancecredits,creditforother
volunteeractivitiesandattendingcoursesdevotedtobusinessdevelopmentand
marketing.
11) NewRule5.11(b)–TheMCLECommitteehasreceivedseveralrequestsrecentlyforrule
amendments that will allow members to receive CLE credit for various volunteer
activities including pro bono representation, teaching to paralegals, coaching and
judginghighschoolmocktrialandWethePeoplecompetitions.Ratherthanamending
the rules to allow credit for specific activities, new Rule 5.11(b) was approved. This
allowsmemberstoclaimcreditforvariousvolunteeractivitiesbutcapsthenumberof
credits members may claim for these activities. Credits earned for these activities are
includedinCategoryIII,whichiscappedat6.0inathree-yearreportingperiodand3.0
inshorterreportingperiods.
ThetextofnewRule5.11(b)issetforthbelow.
Rule 5.11(b) Other Volunteer Activities. Credit for volunteer activities for which
accreditationisnotavailablepursuanttoMCLERules5.3,5,4,5.6,5.7,5.8,5.9or5.10may
beclaimedprovidedtheMCLEProgramManagerdeterminestheprimarypurposeofsuch
activitiesistheprovisionoflegalservicesorlegalexpertise.
12) NewRule5.11(c)–SeveralBoardmembershaveexpressedconcernsaboutthenumber
ofnewlawyersenteringtheprofessionwhohavenoideahowtoestablishthemselves.
Toassisttheselawyers,thenewRule5.11(c)wasadded,whichallowsmemberstoclaim
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credit for certain business development and marketing courses specifically tailored to
thedeliveryormarketingoflegalservices.
ThetextofnewRule5.11(c)issetforthbelow:
5.400 Rule 5.11(c) Business Development and Marketing Courses. Credit may be claimed for
Activitiescoursesdevotedtobusinessdevelopmentandmarketingthatarespecificallytailoredto
the delivery or marketing of legal services and focus on use of the discussed techniques and
strategies in law practices. enhancing profits or generating revenue through advertising and
solicitation of legal business, whether denominated business development, client development,
practice development, or otherwise, shall not be accredited. Activities dealing with ethical issues
relating to advertising and solicitation under applicable disciplinary rules may be accredited if it
appears to the Administrator that the emphasis is on legal ethics rather than on business
developmentormarketing.
Credits earned for these activities are included in Category III, which is capped at six
creditsinathree-yearreportingperiodandthreecreditsinashorterreportingperiod.
13) ActivityContentStandards–NewRule5.12setsforthcontentstandardsforgroupand
teachingactivities.NewRule5.13setsforthcriteriaforethics,childabusereportingor
elderabusereporting,andaccesstojustice.
14) NewRule5.14setsforthstandardsforclaimingcreditforteachingtoother
professionals.
15) Rules6.1(a)(b)and(c)–Explainsthecreditlimitsineachcategory.
16) Rule7.3(c)–Explainsthatlatefeeswillbeassessedincertainsituations.(Memberswho
claimcreditsincategoriesIIandIII,andendupbeinginnoncomplianceduetoa
reductionordisallowanceofthecreditsafteranaudit,willberequiredtomakeupthe
creditshortagebutwillnotbeassessedalatefee.)
ProposedChangestoRule5
Whenthenewsoftwareisimplemented,allmemberswillfiletheircompliancereports
electronically.Customprogrammingforallofthecurrenttypesofcreditandmeansof
achievingthosecreditsisverycostlyandcomplex.Therefore,wehavecombinedthedifferent
typesofCLEactivitiesintothreecategories.Memberswilladdtheseactivitiestotheir
compliancereportbyusingadrop-downmenu.ManymemberswillhavecreditsinCategory1
only,whileothersmayhavecreditsinallthreecategories.Thetypesofactivitiesincludedin
eachcategoryissetforthbelow.
CategoryI
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Creditsinthiscategoryareunlimited.Membersmayearnasmanyastheywishfor
attending/screeningprogramsanduptothemaximumlimitsformentoringandlegislative
service.
• Withtheexceptionofpersonalmanagementassistancecredits(seeCategory3),
anycreditsearnedatanaccreditedCLEprogramareincludedinCategory1(E.g.
generalcredits,accesstojusticecredits,ethicscredits,childabusereportingand
elderabusereporting)
• CreditsearnedservingasamentorintheNewLawyerMentoringProgram
(NLMP)(Rule5.2(f)andReg.5.100(c)).
• CompletionofNLMPbynewadmittees.(Rule5.2(f)andReg.5.100(d)).
• LegislativeService(Rule5.2(e)andReg5.100(b).
• Creditearnedbyattendinglawschoolorcertaingraduatelevelcourses.Rule5.4.
CategoryII
Creditsinthiscategoryarelimitedto20inathree-yearreportingperiodand10ina
shorterreportingperiod.Membersmayclaimcreditfortheseactivitiessimplybyaddingthem
totheircompliancereport.Noaccreditationapplicationwillberequired.If,duringtheaudit
process,creditisnotallowedforcertainactivities,themembermayberequiredtocomplete
additionalcreditstomeettheminimumrequirementbutnolatefeewillbeassessed.
• Teachingandlegalresearch/writingcredits.(Rules5.2(a)and(c)).(Currently
limitedto20inthree-yearreportingperiodand10inshorterreportingperiod.)
• ServiceasaBarExaminer.(Rule5.2(b)).(Currentlynolimit;membersmayearn
3.0creditsforwritingaquestionand3.0creditsforgradingaquestion.)
• LegalEthicsService(Rule5.2(d)).(Currentlynolimit;membersmayclaim2.0
ethicscreditsforeachtwelvemonthsofserviceoncommitteesandboardslisted
incurrentMCLERule5.2(d))
• ServiceonUCJIorUCrJICommittees.(Rule5.2(g)andReg.5.250).(Currentlyno
limit.)
Asmembersaddtheseactivitiestothecompliancereport,whentheyreachthe
maximumof20(or10inashorterreportingperiod),theywillbeunabletoaddadditional
activitiesinthiscategory.
CategoryIII
Creditsinthiscategoryarelimitedto6inathree-yearreportingperiodand3ina
shorterreportingperiod.Membersmayclaimcreditfortheseactivitiessimplybyaddingthem
totheircompliancereport.Noaccreditationapplicationwillberequired.If,duringtheaudit
process,creditisnotallowedforcertainactivities,themembermayberequiredtocomplete
additionalcreditstomeettheminimumrequirementbutnolatefeewillbeassessed.
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•
•
•
PersonalManagementAssistanceCredits(Currentlylimitedto6inthree-year
reportingperiodand3inshorterreportingperiod.)
OtherVolunteerActivities.Seeitem11above.
BusinessDevelopmentandMarketingActivities.Seeitem12above.
Asmembersaddtheseactivitiestothecompliancereport,whentheyreachthemaximum
of6(or3inashorterreportingperiod),theywillbeunabletoaddadditionalactivitiesinthis
category.
CalculatingCarryoverCredits
Once staff has reviewed the member’s compliance report, credits from all three
categories will be totaled and the minimum credit requirement will be subtracted from that
total. The remaining credits, up to 15 including 6 ethics, will be applied as carryover into the
nextreportingperiod.Thesecarryovercreditswillbeplacedincategory1(unlimitedcreditsin
thiscategory).
AmendmentstoRegulations
The following amendments to the MCLE Regulations were approved by the Board of
GovernorsandwillbeeffectiveSeptember1,2016.
1) Regulations1.100,1.140,3.200,3.500–Theseregulationsareamendedtoreflectthe
removaloftheRetiredMemberstatusfromtheMCLERulesandthecreationofanew
membershipstatus.
2) Regulation4.350(e)–ThisRegulationexemptslocalbarassociationsfrompaymentof
theMCLEprogramsponsorfees.ThisregulationwillbeeliminatedeffectiveJanuary
2017toallowbarassociationstimetoprepareandbudgetforthischange.
3) Regulation4.400(b)(3)–NoCLEcreditforbreaks.
4) NewRegulation5.100–Setsforththenumberandtypeofcreditsthatmaybeearned
forCategoryIactivitiesotherthanattendingCLEprograms.
5) NewRegulation5.200–Explainshowteachingandlegalresearchandwritingcreditswill
becalculated.Thisnewregulationalsosetsforthnumberandtypeofcreditsthatmay
beearnedforotherCategoryIIactivities.
6) NewRegulation5.300–Explainswhatothertypesofprograms/activities/coursesmay
receivecreditinCategoryIIIandsetsforthhowcreditwillbecalculated.Thisregulation
includesdescriptionsofthetypesofactivitiesthatmayqualifyforcreditpursuantto
NewRules5.11(b)OtherVolunteerActivitiesand5.11(c)BusinessDevelopmentand
MarketingCourses.
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7) NewRegulation5.600–Thetextwasnotchanged.Theheading“ChildandElderAbuse
Reporting”hasbeenadded.
8) Regulations7.100(a)(b)and(c)–Setsforththetypesofdocumentsmembersshould
keepintheeventacompliancereportisaudited.
9) Regulation7.200–Memberswhofilealatereportand/orcompletedcreditsafterthe
endofthereportingperiodwillowea$200latefee.Currently,therearevariousfee
schedulesinplacedependinguponifthememberwaslateincompletingthecredits
and/orlateinfilingthecompliancereport.Complexsoftwareprogrammingwouldbe
requiredtomaintaintheselatefeeschedules.Therefore,thisregulationisamendedso
thatthereisonlyonelatefeeamount($200),whichwillnotincrease.