Print Current FAQ Go to All Attorney FAQs

Can an attorney earn CLE credit for participating in a mentor program, and how frequently?

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

Pursuant to Rule 795(d)(11), lawyers may earn CLE credit for completing a comprehensive yearlong structured mentoring program, as either a mentor or mentee, through the Commission on Professionalism. Please see the Commission on Professionalism's website for information on its Lawyer-to-Lawyer Mentoring Program. You can also contact the Commission directly by email at mail@2civility.org or by phone at (312) 363-6210.

Attorneys in Their Newly-Admitted Attorney Reporting Period
An attorney in their newly-admitted attorney reporting period is limited to earning credit for starting one mentorship program before their initial credit completion deadline. Click here for more information about whether a newly-admitted attorney may start a mentorship program before their Illinois admission date.

According to the Commission on Professionalism, a newly-admitted attorney begins a mentoring program on the date the attorney completes the program orientation. Upon completing that orientation, the attorney submits the online Mentoring Agreement to the Commission on Professionalism. Credit will be reflected on the attorney’s transcript at www.mcleboard.org after the Commission on Professionalism receives that Mentoring Agreement.

Even though a newly-admitted attorney receives credit for the program near the beginning of the program when the attorney submits the online Mentoring Agreement to the Commission on Professionalism, to keep those credits on the attorney’s transcript, the attorney must complete the program and submit the online Mentoring Attestation and CLE Certification to the Commission on Professionalism. If the attorney does not complete the mentor program and submit the online Mentoring Attestation and CLE Certification to the Commission on Professionalism, the credit will be deleted, and the attorney may be assessed late fees.

If a newly-admitted attorney will not complete their mentorship program for any reason, they must inform the Commission on Professionalism by email at mail@2civility.org or by phone at (312) 363-6210 as soon as possible.

If an attorney begins a second (or more) mentorship program before their newly-admitted attorney initial credit completion deadline, the attorney will not earn MCLE credit for any of those additional mentorship(s). Since additional mentorship(s) are not eligible for credit during the attorney's newly-admitted attorney reporting period, they also do not qualify as carryover to the attorney's next reporting period.

Attorneys in the Gap Period Between Their Newly-Admitted Attorney Requirement and Their First Two-Year Reporting Period
An attorney may earn credit for one mentorship program started anytime from the day after their newly-admitted attorney initial completion deadline and the day before their first two-year reporting period begins (the attorney’s “gap period").

An attorney earns the credit when they submit the online Mentoring Attestation and CLE Certification to the Commission on Professionalism soon after the attorney completes the program.

If an attorney starts the program during their gap period but completes it after their first two-year reporting period has begun, the program will count as one of the two mentorships an attorney can earn in a two-year reporting period.

If an attorney completes more than one mentorship program during their gap period, the attorney will earn MCLE credit for one mentorship, but not for any additional mentorship(s). Since additional mentorship(s) are not eligible for credit during the attorney's gap period, they also do not qualify as carryover to the attorney's next reporting period.

Attorneys in a Two-Year Reporting Period
An attorney in a two-year reporting period may earn credit for up to two mentorship programs completed during a two-year reporting period. The attorney earns the credit when they submit the online Mentoring Attestation and CLE Certification to the Commission on Professionalism soon after the attorney completes the program.

If an attorney completes more than two mentorship programs during a two-year reporting period, the attorney will not earn MCLE credit for the additional mentorship(s). Since additional mentorship(s) are not eligible for credit during the attorney's two-year reporting period, they also do not qualify as carryover to the attorney's next reporting period.

To locate this FAQ again, enter this FAQ number in the search FAQ box: A680.