Rule 1.3.4 - Credits and Computation(a) MCLE credit(s) for Approved Program or Activity attendance will be awarded on the basis of one (1) credit hour for each fifty (50) minutes actually spent in attendance. One-half credit shall be awarded for:(1) Approved Programs or Activities exceeding standard credit increments by at least twenty-five (25) minutes (e.g. seventy-five (75) minutes = 1.5 credits); and(2) Legal ethics and DEI presentations of at least twenty-five (25) minutes duration, whether stand-alone or included in a larger program. Credits are calculated by rounding down to the nearest half credit (e.g. 1.8 credits will be awarded 1.5 credits). NO credit will be allowed for any program of less than twenty-five (25) minutes duration, regardless of the topic.
(b) The burden of proving MCLE credit entitlement for attendance at a course offered shall be on the Active Practitioner who, upon demand, must submit all registration and course materials concerning said program.(c) MCLE credit will not be given for any course taken before admission to the Rhode Island Bar. Although newly admitted attorneys are exempted from reporting in the current and next full MCLE Reporting Year, the attorney may submit a maximum of ten (10) credits from the date of the attorney's admission to be applied towards the first MCLE Reporting Year.(d) MCLE credit may be earned through enrollment in formal education of a postgraduate nature, either for credit or by audit, in an ABA accredited law school. The MCLE Commission will award one (1) MCLE Credit Hour for each fifty (50) minutes of class attendance. The course credit hours allotted by the law school shall not be a consideration.(e) MCLE Credit Hours may be obtained for attendance at In-house programs that meet the requirements of Article IV, Rules 3.4 and 3.7 and MCLE Regulations §§ 1.3.4 and 1.3.7 and are approved by the MCLE Commission pursuant Article IV, Rule 3.5 and to MCLE Regulation § 1.3.5 (Appendix D, Course Accreditation).(f) No more than five (5) MCLE Credit Hours may be earned by an Active Practitioner in any MCLE Reporting Year through MCLE In-house activities.(g) MCLE Credit Hours may be earned for certain activities crossing academic lines (e.g., accounting-tax). (See Appendix A, Accreditation Guidelines for Continuing Legal Education, for criteria.)(h) The MCLE Commission will award teaching credits, with an annual limitation of six (6) MCLE Credit Hours, to an Active Practitioner who teaches an Approved Program or Activity and submits an Appendix F on the MCLE Portal. Rules for course accreditation, standards, and teaching qualifications are provided herein in Appendix A, Accreditation Guidelines for Continuing Legal Education Activities, Article IV, Rule 3.7 and MCLE Regulation § 1.3.7 and Appendix B, Teaching Qualifications, respectively.(i) Presenters who serve as members of a discussion or similar panel shall receive teaching credit only if they have made a presentation which conforms to the requirement of Appendices A and B.(j) The MCLE Commission may award credit for research activities upon application via the MCLE Portal by attorneys engaged in such activities, provided the activity: (1) Has produced published findings in the form of articles, chapters, monographs, or books personally authored in whole, or in part, by the applicant; and(2) Contributes substantially to the continuing legal education of the applicant and other attorneys. Such credit(s) shall not exceed five (5) MCLE Credit Hours per MCLE Reporting Year. The MCLE Commission will, upon publication and submittal, judge applications on a case-by-case basis as to acceptability, and if so found, the number of MCLE Credit Hours allowed. (Appendix E, Authorship Credit, via the MCLE Portal.)(k) Provider shall issue proof of attendance to each attendee only at the conclusion of a seminar. The MCLE Commission recommends a sign-in/sign-out procedure and implementation of such a procedure shall afford the provider a "safe haven" should any problems concerning attendance arise.(l) A maximum of six (6) credits per MCLE Reporting Year may be earned for Video Replay courses (see Appendix D).(m) If an Active Practitioner earns more than ten (10) MCLE Credit Hours in a MCLE Reporting Year, the excess hours may be used to fulfill, as far as possible, the Active Practitioner's MCLE requirement for the next ensuing year, but not thereafter. Excess credits must be reported in the year taken.(n) An Active Practitioner who principally practices in any MCLE jurisdiction other than Rhode Island, who is deemed in compliance with that other jurisdiction's MCLE requirement for the MCLE Reporting Year, shall be deemed in compliance with Rhode Island only if the MCLE Commission receives, by June 30 of the MCLE Reporting Year, an official transcript or certification from the other jurisdiction accompanied by the filing form prescribed by the MCLE Commission and filed by the practitioner via the MCLE Portal.(o) No more than one (1) MCLE Credit Hours will be granted for acting as a judge, facilitator, or trainer in a moot or mock trial competition or seminar per MCLE Reporting Year. Such credit will granted only if student critiquing is part of the Active Practitioner's contribution to the competition.(p) Book Discussion Groups are an Approved Program or Activity. A Book Discussion Group must be led by a teacher or facilitator and have in attendance not less than six (6) members. The book to be discussed must be preapproved by the MCLE Commission before credit will be awarded and include how the book qualifies under Article IV, Rule 3.7 and MCLE Regulation § 1.3.7 and a proposed agenda for discussion. An Active Practitioner is limited to one (1) book discussion per MCLE Reporting Year. No more than 1.5 MCLE Credit Hours will be granted per MCLE Reporting Year for a Book Discussion Group. Active Practitioners shall not submit an Appendix D Course Accreditation form for Book Discussion Group credit as the book shall be preapproved prior to the course registration. Teaching credits will be awarded under subsection (h) and are also limited to one (1) book discussion per MCLE Reporting Year. Pursuant to Article IV, Rule 3.5 and MCLE Regulation § 1.3.5, the Accredited Sponsor must apply for book approval at least thirty (30) days prior to the course date as well as report attorney attendance no later than thirty (30) days after the course date via the MCLE Portal. Amended effective 7/1/2018; amended April 24, 2024, effective 4/24/2024.