Continuing Legal Education

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:

Kay D. Hanson, Chair
Connie Howard

CHARGE

The Continuing Legal Education Committee was charged with determining the appropriate number of hours of continuing legal education ("CLE") that would be required of Licensed Legal Assistants each year to maintain their license.

FINDINGS

There is no question that CLE is necessary to maintain one's knowledge and to stay current with applicable laws. It is also necessary to promote professionalism. This committee reviewed materials from the ABA Standing Committee on Legal Assistants, the Utah State Bar, the National Association of Legal Assistants ("NALA") and the National Federation of Paralegal Association ("NFPA"), regarding the issue of continuing legal education for legal assistants. The average number of annual CLE hours required by the above organizations was 10 hours with at least one hour of ethics.

RECOMMENDATION

If the NALA CLA examination is used as the standard for licensing legal assistants in the state of Utah, NALA has already established criteria for maintaining the CLA designation. We would recommend that one hour of ethics also be required.

If the NALA CLA examination is not utilized as the standard for licensing legal assistants, this subcommittee recommends the following:

A licensed legal assistant shall attend 10 hours of continuing legal education (CLE), of which at least one hour shall be ethics. The CLE classes shall be approved by the Utah State Board of Continuing Legal Education and shall be completed within a calendar year.

The LAD shall provide their members opportunities for CLE. The reporting of CLE by licensed legal assistants shall be administered by the Utah State Bar.