All lawyers in New York must meet a New York continuing legal education requirement in order to continue practicing law. The New York CLE requirements are 24 accredited hours in a two-year period, with at least four hours in ethics training.

Experienced lawyers can also gain CLE credit by speaking at accredited legal seminars in New York. This is a convenient way to get your credits.

While many lawyers simply take New York CLE classes because it's a requirement, you can also benefit from taking courses:

1. You can learn new skills. You may not learn new skills in a class that pertains to your specialty, but you can easily learn something new when you take NY continuing legal education course that deals with professionalism.

2. You can network with other area lawyers. No matter what types of classes they take for CLE, New York lawyers will have the opportunity to meet and network with other area lawyers. These lawyers may refer clients to you if they fall under your specialty.

3. You can stay up to date on changes with the law. Laws change frequently and your New York CLE classes may teach you about updates that can help you in court.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Take New York continuing legal education courses to meet your requirements

When it comes to continuing legal education, New York lawyers have many options. Make sure that you meet all of your requirements in a timely fashion. Some lawyers choose to spread the courses out over the two year time frame.

I recommend: New York CLE has a calendar of CLE events. Use this site to search for courses in your area. Visit Lawline.com if you want to save money by purchasing your CLE courses in a bundle.

Get your New York CLE credits online

Lawyers are busy and it can be difficult to find a time to attend a live CLE course. It's often much more convenient to attend an online seminar. These courses meet the CLE requirements while allowing you to study on your own time.

I recommend: CLE Club allows you to purchase individual courses or a package at a reduced rate. You can also choose from courses at the National Academy of Continuing Legal Education.

Find NY legal seminars that deal with ethics

Courses in ethics and professional business practice are also essential. Fortunately, these courses count towards your full CLE requirement.

I recommend: The Law.com CLE Center has a number of ethics course options for New York lawyers. CB Title Management also has an ethics course.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  In some cases, you can get your NY CLE credits by purchasing accredited CDs and DVDs. Similar to online courses, this is another convenient way to meet your CLE requirements while studying on your own time.