As a legal professional, it’s part of your job to keep up with changes in everything from laws and regulatory mandates to legal technology and practice management. That’s why many roles in the law field are required to earn a set number of continuing legal education (CLE) credits each year.
But what about the cost, you might wonder, and the return on investment? Well, CLE doesn’t have to be pricey. In fact, some CLE costs nothing at all. Below we'll take a look at four free CLE resources, as well as why they’re some of the best options available.
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1. American Bar Association (ABA) Free CLE Series
Members of the ABA have access to premier speaking events and can attend live CLE programs, which include the added bonus of networking with colleagues. On-demand recordings of numerous courses are also available for viewing or listening.
2. State and local bar associations
If you’re a practicing attorney, you’re probably a member of your state or local bar association, or both. Not all of these associations provide free CLE to members, but many do. As these courses are localized, they’ll often focus on issues or regulatory changes highly relevant to legal pros in your practice area.
3. 4FreeCLE
This blog offers a comprehensive list of free CLE opportunities and is updated on a regular basis. Subscribe or check in daily for the most current offerings on almost every topic imaginable, including legal research, litigation, changing healthcare laws and eDiscovery trends. Bonus: States where you earn credit for specific courses are listed at the bottom of each blog post.
4. Legal research services
You likely work with one of these research services regularly. FastCase offers pro bono live-training webinars, some of which carry CLE credit. LexisNexis University offers courses not only on the company’s research service, but on legal research best practices. As a legal professional, you know that the top methods of legal research change as technology advances. If you want to stay ahead of the curve in your office, you’ll want to stay abreast of these trends.
Savvy legal professionals know all too well the importance of reading fine print, and this rule definitely applies when it comes to free CLE. Closely scrutinize any offering to make certain it offers CLE credit (some don’t) and that the course is compliant with the requirements of your state bar. Once you’ve taken care of those steps, it’s on to free CLE that will be of great value to your legal career.
Robert Half Legal offers candidates access to leading industry research, online training courses, seminars and other resources that can help you stay current with issues impacting the legal field and fulfill continuing education requirements.
