Okla. MCLE R. REGULATION 3

• 3.1 Attorneys who have a permanent physical disability which makes attendance at CLE programs inordinately difficult may file a request for a permanent substitute program in lieu of attendance and shall therein set out continuing legal education plans tailored to their specific interest and physical ability. The Commission shall review and approve or disapprove such plans on an individual basis and without delay. Rejection of any requested substitute for attendance will be reviewed by the Board of Governors of the Oklahoma Bar Association prior to any sanction being imposed. Application to Request a Waiver

• 3.2 Other requests for substituted compliance, partial waivers, or other exemptions for hardship or extenuating circumstances may be granted by the Commission upon written application of the attorney and may likewise be reviewed by the Board of Governors of the Oklahoma Bar Association. Other substitute forms of compliance may be granted for members with permanent or temporary physical disabilities (based upon a written confirmation from his or her treating physician) which makes attendance at regular approved CLE programs difficult or impossible. Application to Request a Waiver

• 3.3 Credit may be earned through teaching in an approved continuing legal education program, or for a presentation substantially complying with the standards of Regulation 4 in a program which is presented to paralegals, legal assistants, and/or law clerks. Presentations accompanied by thorough, high quality, readable, and carefully prepared written materials will qualify for CLE credit on the basis of six (6) hours of credit for each hour of presentation.

• 3.4 Credit may also be earned through teaching a course in an ABA accredited law school or a course in a paralegal or legal assistant program accredited by the ABA. The Commission will award six (6) hours of CLE credit for each semester hour of academic credit awarded by the academic institution for the course.

• 3.5 Credit may also be earned through auditing of or regular enrollment in a college of law course at an ABA or AALS approved law school. The MCLE credit allowed shall equal a sum equal to three (3) times the number of credit hours granted by the college of law for the completion of the course.

• 3.6 Instructional Hour. Each attorney must complete 12 instructional hours of CLE per year, with no credit for meal breaks or business meetings. An instructional hour must contain at least 50 minutes of instruction.

Legal Ethics and Professionalism CLE. Effective January 1, 2021, of the 12 required instructional hours of CLE each year, at least two hours must be for programming on Legal Ethics and Professionalism, legal malpractice prevention and/or mental health and substance use disorders.

PROGRAM GUIDELINES FOR LEGAL ETHICS AND PROFESSIONALISM CLE

Legal Ethics and Professionalism CLE programs will address the Oklahoma Rules of Professional Conduct and tenets of the legal profession by which a lawyer demonstrates civility, honesty, integrity, fairness, competence, ethical conduct, public service, and respect for the Rule of Law, the courts, clients, other lawyers, witnesses and unrepresented parties. Legal Ethics and Professionalism CLE may also address legal malpractice prevention and mental health and substance use disorders.

Legal Malpractice Prevention programs provide training and education designed to prevent attorney malpractice. The programs focus on developing systems, processes and habits that reduce or eliminate attorney errors. The programs may cover issues like ensuring timely fillings within statutory limits, meeting court deadlines, properly protecting digital client information, appropriate client communications, avoiding and resolving conflicts of interest, proper handling of client trust accounts and proper ways to terminate or withdraw from client representation.

Programs addressing the ethical tenets of other disciplines and not specifically pertaining to legal ethics are not eligible for Legal Ethics and Professionalism CLE credit but may meet the requirements for general CLE credit.

• 3.7 Hours of credit in excess of the minimum annual requirement may be carried forward for credit only in the succeeding calendar year. Such hours must, however, be reported on the annual report of compliance for the year in which they were completed and in the year for which they are being claimed and must be designated as hours being carried forward.

• 3.8 Credit may also be earned for writing a scholarly article that is published in the Oklahoma Bar Journal. The MCLE Commission will award 6 credits per article, per contributor. Such credit will be reported each year by the Chairperson for the Board of Editors for the Oklahoma Bar Journal