Staying up-to-date with Illinois MCLE (Mandatory Continuing Legal Education) requirements ensures both compliance and professional growth. Here’s a detailed breakdown to help you navigate it!

1. Newly-Admitted Attorneys (NAA)

Who qualifies?
Newly admitted attorneys are those admitted on or after December 31, 2022 (and earlier rules apply slightly differently for those admitted before January 1, 2023).

Requirements & Deadlines:

  • Complete a Basic Skills course (at least 6 hours), participate in a mentoring program, or choose other approved CLE courses totaling 15 hours.

  • Finish requirements by the last day of the month marking one year from bar admission, with transcript compliance due within 31 days after that. For example, admitted July 12, 2024 → complete by July 31, 2025, transcript due by August 31, 2025.

Carryover credits:

  • Up to 15 hours (including 6 professional responsibility) can carry into your first two-year period.

2. Standard Two-Year Reporting Period

Who:
All active Illinois attorneys following NAA, and those already established.

Structure:

  • 30 total MCLE hours every two years

  • Minimum of 6 hours must be professional responsibility topics like ethics, mental health, civility, diversity, etc.

  • Reporting periods run July 1–June 30:

    • Last names A–M: even-numbered years (e.g., 2024–2026)

    • Last names N–Z: odd-numbered years (e.g., 2023–2025)

Deadlines:

  • Complete credits by June 30 of reporting year

  • Transcript must reflect compliance by July 31

Carryover policy:

  • You may carry over up to 10 hours total (inclusive of professional responsibility) into the next period

3. Exemptions & Grace Periods

Exemptions available for:

  • Inactive or retired attorneys

  • Judges, judicial clerks, military attorneys, and limited license holders

  • Out-of-state attorneys with reciprocal compliance

If missing credits:

  • Request a grace period extension by July 31 (extends to October/November deadlines)

  • Late reporting fees apply:

    • $100 for timely grace period requests

    • $250 for missing initial reporting deadline

  • Continued non-compliance can lead to removal from the Master Roll—reinstatement requires completion, reporting, and a $500 fee per missed period

4. Earning MCLE Credit

Traditional and non-traditional options:

  • Accredited live or recorded courses, with at least 30 minutes of content

  • In-house seminars, ABA law school courses, judging moot courts, legislative service, writing legal scholarship, teaching law courses: all eligible under specific rules

  • Up to 12 CLE hours in a period via court-appointed duties or legislative participation

New pilot for pro bono work (effective July 1, 2025):

  • Illinois attorneys can earn 1 MCLE hour for every 2 hours of pro bono service via Illinois Free Legal Answers, up to 5 credits per reporting cycle

  • This two-year pilot aims to boost both access to justice and professional development.

Tips for Compliance

  1. Track your credits early. Use “My MCLE” portal and retain certificates.

  2. Plan MCLE wisely (ethics, diversity, etc.) to meet your obligation.

  3. Explore non-traditional credits (e.g., teaching, writing, court service).

  4. Take advantage of the pro bono pilot—both altruistically and professionally.

  5. Avoid late fees by requesting grace extensions and monitoring deadlines.

Staying compliant with Illinois MCLE isn’t just a requirement—it’s an opportunity to grow, give back, and stay at the forefront of legal practice. Be sure to browse our Illinois MCLE packages and courses - we're happy you're here!