CLE on Demand.

• Author: Zemlicka, Jack

Byline: Jack Zemlicka

On-demand Continuing Legal Education (CLE) programs will soon be in demand as the Wisconsin Supreme Court adopted amendments to Supreme Court Rules 31.01 and 31.05 pertaining to the expansion of CLE programming online. Overwhelming support from the State Bar, Board of Bar Examiners (BBE) and Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Committee prompted minimal discussion by the Supreme Court on Dec. 11. Initially developed by former Board of Bar Examiners Director Gene R. Rankin in 2005, the petition supported development of "repeated on-demand" programs to satisfy up to 10 credits of CLE. The Wisconsin State Bar formally endorsed the petition at the September Board of Governors meeting, but revisions were made prior to the Supreme Court review. Board of Bar Examiners Director, John E. Kosobucki, outlined the adopted changes to the amendment which included a 12-month viewing period regardless of when a course is approved. "Originally, if a course was approved in November, there would only have been a one-month window of opportunity for viewing," said Kosobucki. "This allows for a longer shelf life and ample time for practitioners to access the courses." Eliminated from the original draft was the requirement of an attendance verification form for attorneys. Online course will be monitored with a roster of who is logged in and paying for the session. "Live and video courses do not require attendance verification and the form cannot currently be attached to the online CLE Form 1," said Kosobucki.

Credit for Committees? Minor modifications related to SCR 31.05(6), which, as proposed, were vague to the extent credits could be earned for service on legal committees. Justices Ann Walsh Bradley and N. Patrick Crooks expressed concern about limitations for which substantive organizations providing legal education should be included and how many legal ethics credits could be earned. "My concern is that this could be a stepping point for other organizations...