How to Issue Credit for Florida CLE Credit Categories

This article provides information and examples for issuing credit for Florida CLE Credit Categories in UniversitySite. The Florida license behaves differently from other licenses in UniversitySite in that the General credit type is actually a total of all credits earned.

Florida CLE Requirements and Florida Specialty Certifications each have their own requirements. While a course can award credits for both Florida CLE credit and for Florida Specialty credits, the credits will only be tracked on the Florida Plan in University Site. If you are also tracking the required credits for your specialty certification, it is your responsibility to keep track of the specialty credits earned.

When issuing Certificates of Accreditation for Continuing Legal Education programs, The Florida Bar lists total program credits as General credits, which includes actual general credits and any credits that are marked as a specific category of CLE credit. An example Certificate of Accreditation from the Florida Bar is below:

In UniversitySite, enter the credits as they appear on the Florida Certificate of Accreditation for Continuing Legal Education.

Example 1:

If a program is approved by The Florida Bar as follows:

CLE Credits

General 1.00
Mental Illness .50
Substance Abuse .50

Credits should be issued in InstructorSite as:

General 1.0
Mental Illness .50
Substance Abuse .50

Example 2:

If a program is approved by The Florida Bar as follows:

CLE Credits

General 1.50
Technology .50

Certification Credits

Business Litigation 1.50

Credits should be issued in InstructorSite as:

General 1.50
Technology .50
Business Litigation 1.50

Example 3:

If you are entering a course that was for 1 Criminal Appellate specialty credit, you would enter this as 1 General and 1 Criminal Appellate credit. By entering as General, the credit will apply to the Florida Plan. By also entering the specialty credit, this will allow you to show it on a certificate.

Newly Admitted Requirements and Credits:

In the first period for an Attorney, the requirement is as follows:

30 General (Total) credits of which:

· 5 total must be in the categories of Ethics, Professionalism, Substance Abuse or Mental Illness. Of the 5 total, 2 must be from the FL Bar Professionalism course offered by the Florida Bar.

· 3 must be in the category of Technology

· Newly admitted are required to complete the Practice with Professionalism course(Phase 1) within the first year of the three-year reporting period.

· Newly admitted are required to complete 21 credits in the Basic Young Lawyers Division (Phase 2) within the first three-year reporting period.

Like the main credits, the Phase 1 and Phase 2 credits will also apply to the overall 30 credit requirement.

In entering the newly admitted Phase 1 and Phase 2 credits, enter them in the same way you enter the other credits. Enter the amount for Phase 1 or Phase 2 plus an equal number of General credits so that it applies to the overall 30 credits required.