Opinions of the General Counsel, 0714 ALBJ, 75 The Alabama Lawyer 243 (2014)

• Author: J. Anthony McLain, J.

Opinions of the General Counsel

Vol. 75 No. 4 Pg. 243

Alabama Bar Lawyer

July, 2014

\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0 MEMORANDUM

\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0 J. Anthony McLain, J.

\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0TO: Board of Bar Commissioners

\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0DATE: April 24, 2014

\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0RE: Title Insurance Act 201 2-397

\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0The Title Insurance Act 2012-397 became effective January 1, 2013. The Act amends sections 27-25-3 and 27-25-4, Code of Alabama, 1975. Section 27-25-4.4 specifically requires any individual who holds a title insurance agent license to complete a minimum of 24 hours of continuing education courses as may be approved by the insurance commissioner, of which three hours shall be in ethics, and reported to the commissioner on a biennial basis in conjunction with the license renewal cycle.

\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0Following passage of the act, Alabama lawyers, who are also licensed title insurance agents, contacted the Office of General Counsel of the Alabama State Bar to seek an interpretation of the act's continuing education requirements, in view of the already existing obligation of lawyers to obtain the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education as required by the rules of the Alabama Supreme Court.

\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0The Alabama Supreme Court has exclusive...