In-house programs vary. Some firms have their new attorneys attend a long orientation, condensing 16 CLE hours into a single three-day conference. Other firms opt for a series of breakfast and lunch training seminars over the first few months. Firm CLE coordinators said PLI seminars can be useful for new attorneys who are lateral hires from other states. According to the rules, attorneys have to fulfill transitional CLE requirements if they have practiced law in another state for less than five years preceding their admission to the New York State Bar.
New lawyers working for solo practitioners have to handle CLE on their own.
Ms. Harnsich said that she takes mostly American Bar Association- sponsored and private classes, which she learns about through advertisements and mailings. Her firm pays for the courses. Fortunately, if you do not have a job, and are therefore not practicing law, you do not have to go to class. According to Mr. Gelber, lawyers are exempt until they begin to practice. Mr. Gelber also stated that though the quality of courses varies, the goal of CLE is to get attorneys, especially experienced ones, to realize that there are always new things to learn about the practice of law.