SEE THE PRESS RELEASE BELOW FOLLOWED BY MY OPINIONS:
SUPREME COURT ADOPTS THE CONCEPT OF MANDATORY CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION FOR ACTIVE LAWYERS IN NEBRASKA
The NSBA House of Delegates passed a resolution in 2004 that requested the Nebraska Supreme Court to adopt the concept of mandatory continuing education for lawyers. A copy of the resolution is attached. After this resolution was adopted, law schools, law-related associations, law firms, bar association sections and other legal employers were asked to indicate their support for the concept of mandatory CLE.
This information was provided to the Nebraska Supreme Court by way of a petition in March of 2006. In mid-June, the officers of the NSBA met with the Supreme Court to make a presentation on the value and importance of MCLE to the professionalism of the practicing bar, as well as the public’s trust and confidence in the legal profession.
On June 21, the Supreme Court adopted the NSBA’s petition and approved the concept of mandatory continuing legal education for active Nebraska lawyers. It also ordered the NSBA to provide it with proposed rules for the implementation of MCLE. The NSBA is in the process of forming such a committee. The committee will be as broadly based as possible to assure that the plan will take into account the need for accessibility and affordability in meeting any MCLE requirement.
The proposed rules will be sent to the NSBA House of Delegates, before submission to the Supreme Court. The House will have the opportunity to vote on the proposed rules. Those proposed rules will then be sent to the Supreme Court for further consideration.
WHY do I feel so strongly about MANDATORY Continuing Legal Education (CLE) for Attorneys in my OTHER state of Practice?
The second state where I practice, Iowa, has CLE requirements, and while I grump and moan about attending the required 17 hours of CLE each year, I always learn a great deal and make myself a better Trial AND Accident attorney each time I attend a Seminar.
These new requirements will make ALL attorneys do a better job for you, our clients, just like continuing education requirements make doctors, dentists, accoutants and ALL other professions that require continuing education better!
A partner with Inserra & Kelley, Attorneys At Law since 1993, Craig Kelley focuses on personal injury law with a large emphasis on motorcycle and bicycle related cases and claims with the goal of first helping clients heal and then getting speedy resolution of their disputes.
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