Washington CLE Requirements for Attorneys

Please Note: The 1 credit of Equity, Inclusion, and Mitigation of Bias is required starting with the reporting period that runs from 2023-2025. Compliance periods ending in 2022, 2023, or 2024 are not yet required to complete that 1 credit.

Attorneys can fulfill their WA CLE Requirements by attending CLE classes that have been approved and accredited by the MCLE Board.  Some examples of approved course formats include:

• CLE Online Courses (Webcasts, On Demand Videos)
• CLE Audio Courses (such as audio on the Mobile App)
• CLE Courses in a Live Traditional Classroom

Attorneys may complete courses in the following subject areas:

• Law and Legal Procedure (minimum of 15 per reporting period) - Courses related to substantive law, legal procedure, process, legal research, legal writing, legal analysis, or related skills and technology
• Ethics and Professional Responsibility (minimum of 6 per reporting period) - Courses related to professional responsibility and conduct standards for lawyers. Includes diversity and anti bias in the practice of law or the legal system, and the risks to ethical practice associated with diagnosable mental health conditions, addictive behavior, and stress.
• Professional Development - Courses that enhance or develop a lawyer’s professional skills.  Includes effective lawyering, leadership, career development, communication, and presentation skills.
• Personal Development and Mental Health - Courses that enhance a lawyer’s personal skills, well-being, and awareness of mental health issues.  Includes stress management, anxiety, depression, substance abuse, suicide, and addictive behaviors, but does not provide information about treatment.
• Office Management - Courses that enhance the quality of service to clients and efficiency of operating an office. Includes case management, time management, business planning, financial management, office technology, practice development and marketing, client relations, employee relations, and responsibilities when opening or closing an office
• Improving the Legal System - Courses that educate and inform lawyers about current developments and changes in the practice of law and legal profession in general.  Includes legal education, global perspectives of the law, courts and other dispute resolution systems, regulation of the practice of law, access to justice, and pro bono and low cost service planning
• Nexus Subject - Courses that do not deal directly with the practice of law but that are demonstrated by the lawyer or sponsor to be related to a lawyer’s professional role as a lawyer.

Yes! Attorneys in Washington can receive CLE credit for:

• Presenting at an Approved CLE Activity. Attorneys can claim a maximum of 5 CLE credits for preparation for each 1 hour of presentation plus the presentation time at an approved CLE activity. Attorneys must have prepared at least 5 hours to claim all 5 CLE credits of preparation time.
• Teaching Law School Courses. Except for full-time instructors, attorneys can earn CLE credit for teaching at an ABA-accredited law school. Attorneys can earn 1 CLE credit for each 60 minutes of instruction. For example, a WA attorney teaching 16 classes of 1.5 hours each would earn 24 CLE credits.
• Writing. Attorneys can earn CLE credit by authoring a work that is published in a recognized book, law review or law journal. The writing must focus on lawyer, LLLT or LPO education. Attorneys must write a minimum of 10 pages to earn 1 CLE credit for each 60 minutes dedicated to legal research and writing.
• Mentoring in an Approved Program. Mentors and Mentees can earn 1 CLE credit per 60 minutes for qualifying activities approved by the MCLE Board. The Mentor must be a lawyer in good standing and practicing law for a minimum of 5 years. 
• Preparing Students For or Judging Law Competitions. Attorneys can earn credit with a sponsoring law school that meets the requirements. Attorneys can earn 1 CLE credit for every 60 minutes of participation.
• Providing Pro Bono Legal Services. Attorneys can earn 1 CLE credit for every 60 minutes of participation.
• Attending Law School Courses. Attorneys can earn 1 CLE credit for every 60 minutes of attendance.
• Attending Bar Review classes for a jurisdiction outside of Washington. Attorneys can earn 1 CLE credit for every 60 minutes of attendance.

Attorneys must complete their CLE requirements every 3 years by Dec 31st. The year in which an attorney is due to complete and report their CLE requirements depends on the year in which the attorney was admitted in Washington.

A listing of the Washington reporting groups can be found here. 

Attorneys can complete all 45 credits on Lawline. Our Washington course catalog can be found here.

Yes! Washington has comity agreements with Oregon, Idaho, and Utah. Washington attorneys can earn CLE credits by completing courses with one of these states, paying a fee, and filing a Comity Certificate from these states.

Yes, Washington attorneys can self-apply for course approval using this paper form. Self-apply can also be done online by signing in to the Washington MCLE Board Online System.

Note: Courses must be completed within 5 years of their production date to be eligible for WA credit.

Yes, Washington Attorneys can carry over up to 15 extra CLE credits, 2 of which may be Ethics and Professional Responsibility, to the next reporting cycle.

WA State Board of CLE 
2101 Fourth Avenue, 4th Floor 
Seattle, WA 98121-2330 
206-733-5987
https://www.wsba.org/Legal-Community/Committees-Boards-and-Other-Groups/mcle-board

Washington CLE FAQ Page

Lawline.com Sponsor Number: 9113811

https://www.wsba.org/for-legal-professionals/mcle/mcle-for-lawyers

http://www.courts.wa.gov/court_rules/?fa=court_rules.display&group=ga&set=apr&ruleid=gaapr11

https://mcles.wsba.org/Search/Activity

https://mcle.wsba.org/auth/login?ReturnUrl=%2F