Diversity CLE Requirement

New York has instituted a Diversity, Inclusion and Elimination of Bias (D&I) CLE requirement for experienced attorneys, effective January 1, 2018. Experienced attorneys who are due to re-register on or after July 1, 2018 must complete at least one (1) credit hour in D&I.

Background & Resources

The New York City Bar’s Advocacy and Support

The welcome development of the New York State CLE Board’s creation of a new D&I CLE credit category follows a February 2016 ABA Resolution recommending that states implement such a requirement; significant advocacy on the part of the City Bar’s President, John S. Kiernan, its Diversity & Inclusion Office (Gabrielle Lyse Brown, Director) and its Committee to Enhance Diversity in the Profession (Hon. Rosalyn Richter and Nate Saint-Victor, Co-Chairs); and an overwhelming vote of approval by the State Bar’s House of Delegates.

For further resources and background information, and to see the many organizations that voiced support for this initiative, visit http://bit.ly/2jy5Ev4.

Further Information About the D&I Requirement

D&I programs must relate to the practice of law and may include, among other things, implicit and explicit bias, equal access to justice, serving a diverse population, diversity and inclusion initiatives in the legal profession, and sensitivity to cultural and other differences when interacting with members of the public, judges, jurors, litigants, attorneys and court personnel. The CLE Board further notes that these programs may include, among other things, diversity, inclusion and elimination of bias based on, for example, race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age or disability.

Experienced attorneys who are due to re-register on or after July 1, 2018 must complete at least one (1) credit hour in D&I. This change does not add to the current experienced attorney biennial CLE requirement of twenty-four (24) credit hours, nor does it change the requirement that experienced attorneys earn at least four (4) credit hours in Ethics and Professionalism. There is no change to the newly admitted attorney biennial CLE requirement.

While we encourage all attorneys to attend these programs, please note that only experienced attorneys may earn CLE credit in the category of Diversity, Inclusion and Elimination of Bias in New York.

For more information on the new requirement, visit https://www.nycourts.gov/attorneys/cle/.

Follow us on Twitter @NYCBarAssnNews to learn more about the latest program offerings which will meet the diversity, inclusion and elimination of bias category. 

As a partner of the regional affinity bar associations, the Office for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging shares these organizations’ diversity-related CLE programs in its monthly newsletter. To view back-issues, please click here: http://bit.ly/2yCYo9e. To subscribe to the newsletter, please use this form: https://nycbardiversity.typeform.com/to/eZXIgc