Sunday, February 8, 2009

ARDC Disqualifies 587 Lawyers

The ARDC disqualified 587 active attorneys from the state's master roll this year when they failed to file the paper work showing they had completed 20 hours of CLE training between July 1, 2006, and June 30, 2008. The lawyers were officially removed from the roll after being sent three reminder letters late last year.

As all of you hopefully already know, Illinois adopted new CLE rules and requirements in September 2005 and created the Minimum Continuing Legal Education Board to enforce compliance. Lawyers with last names in the first half of the alphabet were to meet the new 20-hour education standard by June 30, 2008 and those in the second half are required to complete their CLE credits by June 30 of this year.

The two-year study requirements will rise to 24 hours in the next cycle and eventually to 30 hours. There were about 2,000 lawyers out of compliance as of December, but the commission made phone calls to many of the lawyers to remind them about meeting the new CLE requirement. About 1,400 lawyers immediately came into compliance, but the remaining 587 did not. That number probably includes some lawyers who have moved, died or retired, said James Grogan, the adminstrator of the ARDC.

How do they get reinstated? Report compliance and pay a reinstatement fee of $250.00.

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