North Carolina Administrative Code › Title 27 - STATE BAR › Chapter 01 - RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE BAR › Subchapter D - RULES OF THE STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE BAR › Section .1600 - REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE ADMINITRATION OF THE CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION PROGRAM › Section 01D .1602 - COURSE CONTENT REQUIREMENTS

Current through Register Vol. 39, No. 2, July 15, 2024
(a)
				  Professional Responsibility Programs on Stress, Substance Abuse, Chemical
				  Dependency, and Debilitating Mental Conditions - Accredited professional
				  responsibility programs on stress, substance abuse, chemical dependency, and
				  debilitating mental conditions shall concentrate on the relationship between
				  stress, substance abuse, chemical dependency, debilitating mental conditions,
				  and a lawyer's professional responsibilities. Such programs may also include
				  (1) education on the prevention, detection, treatment and etiology of stress,
				  substance abuse, chemical dependency, and debilitating mental conditions, and
				  (2) information about assistance for chemically dependent or mentally impaired
				  lawyers available through lawyers' professional organizations. No more than
				  three hours of continuing education credit will be granted to any one such
				  program or segment of a program.
(b) Law School Courses - Courses offered by
				  an ABA accredited law school with respect to which academic credit may be
				  earned may be approved programs. Computation of CLE credit for such courses
				  shall be as prescribed in Rule .1605(a) of this subchapter. No more than 12 CLE
				  hours in any year may be earned by such courses. No credit is available for law
				  school courses attended prior to becoming an active member of the North
				  Carolina State Bar.
(c) Law
				  Practice Management Programs - A CLE accredited program on law practice
				  management must satisfy the accreditation standards set forth in Rule .1519 of
				  this subchapter with the primary objective of increasing the participant's
				  professional competence and proficiency as a lawyer. The subject matter
				  presented in an accredited program on law practice management shall bear a
				  direct relationship to either substantive legal issues in managing a law
				  practice or a lawyer's professional responsibilities, including avoidance of
				  conflicts of interest, protecting confidential client information, supervising
				  subordinate lawyers and nonlawyers, fee arrangements, managing a trust account,
				  ethical legal advertising, and malpractice avoidance. The following are
				  illustrative, non-exclusive examples of subject matter that may earn CLE
				  credit: employment law relating to lawyers and law practice; business law
				  relating to the formation and operation of a law firm; calendars, dockets and
				  tickler systems; conflict screening and avoidance systems; law office disaster
				  planning; handling of client files; communicating with clients; and trust
				  accounting. If appropriate, a law practice management program may qualify for
				  professional responsibility (ethics) CLE credit. The following are
				  illustrative, non-exclusive examples of subject matter that will NOT receive
				  CLE credit: marketing; networking/rainmaking; client cultivation; increasing
				  productivity; developing a business plan; improving the profitability of a law
				  practice; selling a law practice; and purchasing office equipment (including
				  computer and accounting systems).
(d) Skills and Training Programs- A program
				  that teaches a skill specific to the practice of law may be accredited for CLE
				  if it satisfies the accreditation standards set forth in Rule .1519 of this
				  subchapter with the primary objective of increasing the participant's
				  professional competence and proficiency as a lawyer. The following are
				  illustrative, non-exclusive examples of subject matter that may earn CLE
				  credit: legal writing; oral argument; courtroom presentation; and legal
				  research. A program that provides general instruction in non-legal skills shall
				  NOT be accredited. The following are illustrative, non-exclusive examples of
				  subject matter that will NOT receive CLE credit: learning to use software for
				  an application that is not specific to the practice of law (e.g. word
				  processing); learning to use office equipment (except as permitted by paragraph
				  (e) of this rule); public speaking; speed reading; efficiency training;
				  personal money management or investing; career building; marketing; and general
				  office management techniques.
(e)
				  Technology Training Programs - A technology training program must have the
				  primary objective of enhancing a lawyer's proficiency as a lawyer or improving
				  law office management and must satisfy the requirements of paragraphs (c) and
				  (d) of this rule as applicable. Such programs include, but are not limited to,
				  education on the following:
a) an IT tool,
				  process, or methodology designed to perform tasks that are specific or uniquely
				  suited to the practice of law;
b)
				  using a generic IT tool, process, or methodology to increase the efficiency of
				  performing tasks necessary to the practice of law;
c) the investigation, collection, and
				  introduction of social media evidence;
d) e-discovery;
e) electronic filing of legal documents;
f)  digital forensics for legal
				  investigation or litigation;
g)
				  practice management software; and
h)
				  a cybersecurity tool, process, or methodology specifically applied to the needs
				  of the practice of law or law practice management. A program that provides
				  general instruction on an IT tool, process, or methodology but does not include
				  instruction on the practical application of the IT tool, process, or
				  methodology to the practice of law shall not be accredited. The following are
				  illustrative, non-exclusive examples of subject matter that will NOT receive
				  CLE credit: generic education on how to use a tablet computer, laptop computer,
				  or smart phone; training programs on Microsoft Office, Excel, Access, Word,
				  Adobe, etc.; and instruction in the use of a particular desktop or mobile
				  operating system. No credit will be given to a program that is sponsored by a
				  manufacturer, distributor, broker, or merchandiser of an IT tool, process, or
				  methodology unless the program is solely about using the IT tool, process, or
				  methodology to perform tasks necessary or uniquely suited to the practice of
				  law and information about purchase arrangements is not included in the
				  accredited segment of the program. A sponsor may not accept compensation from a
				  manufacturer, distributor, broker, or merchandiser of an IT tool, process, or
				  methodology in return for presenting a CLE program about the IT tool, process,
				  or methodology.