Okla. MCLE R. REGULATION 4

• 4.1.1 The following standards will govern the approval of continuing legal education programs by the Commission.

• 4.1.2 The program must have significant intellectual or practical content and its primary objective must be to increase the participant's professional competence as an attorney.

• 4.1.3 The program must deal primarily with matters related to the practice of law, professional responsibility, legal ethics, professionalism, mental health or substance use disorders related to attorneys. Programs that address law practice management and technology, as well as programs that cross academic lines, may be considered for approval.

• 4.1.4 The program must be offered by a provider having substantial, recent, experience in offering continuing legal education or demonstrated ability to organize and present effectively continuing legal education. Demonstrated ability arises partly from the extent to which individuals with legal training or educational experience are involved in the planning, instruction and supervision of the program.

• 4.1.5 The program itself must be conducted by an individual or group qualified by practical or academic experience. The program, including the named advertised participants, must be conducted substantially as planned, subject to emergency withdrawals and alterations.

• 4.1.6 Thorough, high quality, readable, and carefully prepared written materials must be made available to all participants at or before the time the course is presented, unless the absence of such materials is recognized as reasonable and approved by the MCLE Administrator. A mere outline without citations or explanatory notations will not be sufficient.

• 4.1.7 The program must be conducted in a comfortable physical setting, conducive to learning and equipped with suitable writing surfaces.

• 4.1.8 Approval may be given for programs where audiovisual recorded or reproduced material is used. Video programs shall qualify for CLE credit in the same manner as a live CLE program provided:

• the original CLE program was approved for CLE credit as provided in these regulations or the video program has been approved by the Commission under these rules, and

• each person attending the video program is provided written material as required in Regulation 4.1.6 and

• each program is conducted in a location as required in Regulation 4.1.7.

4.1.9 Approval for credit may also be granted for the following types of electronic-based CLE programs:

• Live interactive webcast seminars, webcast replay seminars, live teleconferences, teleconference replays, on-line, on-demand programs and downloadable podcasts. If approved, an attorney may earn credit for seminars provided by these various delivery methods without an annual limit. Such programs must also meet the criteria established in the Rules of the Oklahoma Supreme Court for Mandatory Continuing Legal Education, Rule 7, Regulation 4, subject to standard course approval procedures and appropriate verification from the course provider.

• The target audience must be attorneys.

• The course shall provide high quality written instructional materials. These materials may be available to be downloaded or otherwise furnished so that the attorney will have the ability to refer to such materials during and subsequent to the seminars.

• The provider must have procedures in place to independently verify an attorney's completion of a program. Verification procedures may vary by format and by provider. An attorney affidavit attesting to the completion of a program is not by itself sufficient.

• If an online, on demand seminar is approved, it is approved only for twelve (12) months after the approval is granted. The provider may submit an application to have the course considered for approval in subsequent years.

4.2 Continuing legal education programs sponsored by the following organizations are presumptively approved for credit, provided that the standards set out in the Regulations 4.1.2 through 4.1.7 are met:

All other county bar associations in Oklahoma presenting seminars or programs that are co-sponsored by an organization that has presumptive approval as a CLE provider.

4.3 Approved seminars may be advertised in informational brochures and program materials provided by the sponsoring body. Organizations listed in Regulation 4.2 whose programs are presumptively approved shall give adequate notice that a program or seminar it conducts is not approved for MCLE credit in the event the program or seminar does not meet the standards set forth in Regulations 4.1.1 through 4.1.7.

4.4 The Commission may at any time re-evaluate and grant or revoke presumptive approval of a provider.

4.5 Any organization not included in Regulation 4.2 above, desiring approval of a course or program shall apply to the Commission by submitting an application on a form to be obtained from the Commission and supporting documentation at least forty-five (45) days prior to the date for which the course or program is scheduled. The Commission will advise the applicant in writing by mail within ten (10) days of the receipt of the completed application whether the program is approved or disapproved. Applicants denied approval of a program may appeal such a decision by submitting a letter of appeal to the Commission within fifteen (15) days of the receipt of the notice of disapproval.

4.6 An attorney desiring approval of a course or program which has not otherwise been approved shall apply to the Commission by submitting an application on a form to be obtained from the Commission and supporting documentation as follows:

• If approval is requested before the course or program is presented the application and supporting documentation shall be submitted at least forty-five (45) days prior to the date for which the course or program is scheduled.

• If approval is requested after the applicant has attended a course or program the application and supporting documentation shall be submitted within ninety (90) days after the date the course or program was presented or prior to the end of the calendar year in which the course or program was presented, whichever is earlier.

4.7 The provider of an approved continuing legal education program may announce or indicate as follows:

This course has been approved by the Oklahoma Bar Association Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Commission for _____ hours of CLE credit, including ______ hours of legal ethics credit.

4.8 As soon as practicable but in any event on or before the earlier of (1) thirty (30) days following an approved legal education program or (2) January 10 of the succeeding year, the provider shall furnish to the Commission such attendance information in such format as the Commission shall direct.