The Daily Record Speaks to MAJ President David Muncy About Proposed Mandatory CLE

Continuing Legal Education, or CLE, provided attorneys an opportunity to expand their horizons, hone their craft, and keep abreast of changes in how laws are being interpreted across the country. Every state has its own rules and regulations regarding CLE, but most states require it in some form. In September 2023, the Maryland Judiciary issued a report making recommendations about CLE standards, including adopting mandatory CLE (MCLE) as part of the requirements for being barred in Maryland.

Among the Judiciary’s recommendations are:

• A minimum of 12 CLE hours per year, including one hour in each of the following subjects: Ethics & Professionalism, Diversity Equity & Inclusion, and Health & Wellness;
• A reporting period that aligns with the calendar year or aligns with other reporting requirements for Maryland attorneys (e.g pro bono reporting);
• The ability for attorneys to “carry over” up to 100% of excess CLE from one reporting period to the next;
• Providing an exemption for attorneys that are registered as “inactive” or are within their first year of admission to the Maryland bar;
• The accreditation process should be as inclusive and flexible as possible, and align with neighboring MCLE jurisdictions.

Read the final report in full here.

The Maryland Supreme Court solicited input and opinions from the legal community and held a virtual forum on December 13, 2023, where they invited multiple speakers to discuss the issue.

The Daily Report recently published an article about this forum, and asked David Muncy, partner at Plaxen Adler Muncy, P.A. and President of the Maryland Association for Justice (MAJ) to comment. Mr. Muncy told the Daily Report:

that while the Association remains neutral on whether mandatory CLE should be adopted in Maryland, the accreditation process should be made as easy as possible if mandatory CLE is indeed implemented.

“It should not be burdensome, it should not be cumbersome, it should be easy to do and we should be given priority to the state bar associations and local bar associations that are already putting on high-quality educational programs, and not allow these national companies to come in and try to muscle us out in order just to check a box,” Muncy said.

Plaxen Adler Muncy, P.A. is a premier personal injury law firm serving clients throughout Maryland. For more information about our services, or to schedule a free consultation at one of our 10 office locations, please call us or contact us today.