R.I. Sup. Ct. R. Art. IV, R. 3.3

(a) Requirement. All newly admitted attorneys shall be required to take the one-

day, mandatory “Rhode Island Bridge the Gap” course within ninety (90) days upon

admission to the Rhode Island Bar (sworn in and issued a bar number) unless at the

time of admission the attorney has been admitted in another jurisdiction for a period

of at least three (3) years. The attorney shall submit a certificate of good standing to

the MCLE Commission via the MCLE Portal attesting to the fact that the attorney

has been admitted in another jurisdiction for the prescribed period. No course

substitution from other jurisdictions will be accepted for this requirement.

(b) Filing and Records. Each attorney shall file the date of attendance with the

MCLE Commission via the MCLE Portal in such form as the Commission shall

prescribe, documenting compliance with this requirement. The responsibility to

ensure the accuracy and timely submission of the data rests solely with the reporting

attorney. Each attorney shall maintain such records as may be required to

substantiate the attorney’s compliance for a period of three (3) years following the

close of each MCLE reporting year.

(c) Course Offering. The “Rhode Island Bridge the Gap” course shall be

sponsored by the Rhode Island Bar Association or an educational institution

approved by the Supreme Court. The course curriculum shall be approved by the

MCLE Commission. The course shall be offered as a video replay as well as in-person. The fees for the course, whether in-person or on video replay, shall be set by

the Supreme Court as deemed appropriate.

(d) No Exemptions or Extensions. Because the course will be offered as a video

replay, there will be no exemptions or extensions granted by the MCLE Commission

except in exceptional circumstances. An attorney may file a request for waiver or

makeup consideration to the MCLE Commission with a full explanation of the

extraordinary circumstances supporting the request. The MCLE Commission shall

review and approve or disapprove each request on an individual basis.

(e) No MCLE Credit. As this course contains mandatory content, the course shall

not be applied toward any MCLE requirements.

(f) Failure to Comply. A newly admitted attorney who fails to fulfill the

requirement under this section within ninety (90) days of admission to the Rhode

Island Bar, shall be assessed a makeup filing fee and shall be removed from the

Master Roll of Attorneys without further notice. An attorney whose name has been

removed from the Master Roll and who practices law or holds out in any manner to

the public or to another person as being competent, qualified, authorized, or entitled

to practice law in this State is engaged in the unauthorized practice of law and may

be subject to the disciplinary procedures of the Supreme Court.

(1) An attorney whose name has been removed from the Master Roll for failure

to comply with this rule may be reinstated upon completing the “Rhode Island

Bridge the Gap” course and payment of the makeup or late filing fee, plus

reimbursement of the costs of collection, if any, within six (6) months of the initial

filing deadline. Reinstatement after having been removed from the Master Roll for

a period of six (6) months or less may be completed via the MCLE Portal.

(2) An attorney whose name has been removed from the Master Roll for failure

to comply with this rule for a period in excess of six (6) months shall file an

application with the Supreme Court seeking reinstatement, in accordance with Rule

1(c), and provide a copy to the Supreme Court’s Disciplinary Counsel and the MCLE

Commission. The applicant for reinstatement shall submit an affidavit with the

application attesting that the applicant has not been disciplined in this or any other

jurisdiction, that the applicant is not the subject of any pending disciplinary charges,

and that the applicant is not aware of any reason why the application should not be

granted. Disciplinary Counsel shall provide the Supreme Court with a Report and

Recommendation on the application within thirty (30) days.

(3) An attorney in the practice of law in another jurisdiction who is removed from

the Master Roll for failure to comply with this rule shall, in addition to any other

prerequisite contained in these rules before being returned to the Master Roll,

provide to the Supreme Court a certificate from the appropriate disciplinary tribunal

of the jurisdiction in which the attorney has been practicing law that:

(i) The attorney is a member in good standing of the bar in such jurisdiction; and

(ii)That no disciplinary action is pending against the attorney in the other

jurisdiction.

(g) Effective Date – This section will take effect on July 1, 2025.