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Can an attorney earn CLE credits by serving as a judge at a moot court competition or other simulation involving law students?

Supreme Court Rule(s) cited in this FAQ: Rule 795 .

Important: for judging a moot court competition or other simulation involving law students to count toward your MCLE requirements, you need to add this credit to your online transcript. See details below.

Two types of simulation activities may qualify for non-traditional CLE credit:
  1. Judging law school training simulation competitions

    Attorneys can earn part-time teaching credit by judging at least one session where law students participate in a training simulation competition, including but not limited to a moot court argument, mock trial, mock transactional exercise, or mock arbitration/mediations, which are sponsored by an ABA-accredited law school or other hosting entity. If the competition is hosted by an ABA-accredited law school, attorneys who are employed full-time by that law school are not eligible to earn credit for this activity. Writing the problem or bench briefs, grading briefs, coaching teams, and judging practice sessions for these competitions do not qualify for CLE credit.

    For this activity, preparation time is three times the attorney's actual time judging the competition. Panelist judges divide actual judging time and preparation time equally. An attorney earns full credit the first time the attorney judges a round or session based on the same material then one-half the credit for a second round or session. After the second round or session, no further credit is earned for judging additional rounds or sessions based on the same material.  Rule 795(d)(6)(i).

  2. Part-time teaching of law school courses involving competitions and simulations

    Judging law school students in competitions or simulations, including moot court, mock trial, trial advocacy, negotiation, and dispute resolution, can qualify for part-time teaching credit, if the activity is part of an ABA-accredited law course and the school recognizes the attorney as the teacher, guest instructor, moderator, or participant for the presentation which meets the overall guidelines for CLE courses or activities.

    For this activity, preparation time is three times the attorney's actual time judging or coaching the competition. Panelist judges divide actual judging equally. An attorney earns full credit the first time the attorney judges or coaches a round or session based on the same material then one-half the credit for a second round or session.  After the second round or session, no further credit is earned for judging or coaching additional rounds or sessions based on the same material. Rule 795(d)(6)(i).

Other competitions and simulations not eligible for credit
The Rules do not provide CLE credit for teaching, judging, or coaching college, high school, middle school, or elementary school students. Rule 795(d)(6).

Claiming CLE credit for judging a qualifying law school student moot court competition or other simulation
For the attorney to claim credit, (1) the law school or sponsoring entity must give the attorney a certificate stating that the attorney served as a judge for a qualifying law school student competition or other simulation, and (2) the attorney needs to enter these credits in their online transcript on the Board's website.
  1. The law school or other host entity issues a teaching certificate for mock judging
    We strongly suggest the school use the Board’s form certificate for judging a law school simulation or the Board’s form certificate for part-time law school teaching. If another certificate is used, it must contain all the information required on the Board’s form certificate for the activity.

  2. The attorney enters credits in their online transcript
    An attorney must add the CLE credit they claim for judging a moot court competition or other simulation involving law students to their online transcript on the MCLE Board's website.

    Click here for information on adding CLE for judging a law student simulation by adding it to your My MCLE list of reported credits. Click here for information on adding CLE for part-time teaching of a law school course involving competition or simulation by adding it to your My MCLE list of reported credits. 
    The information will also include the steps to request professional responsibility CLE credit for these activities.   


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