Which courses qualify as Basic Skill Courses, and how can I find one?

Not all CLE courses covering the fundamentals of practicing law qualify as an accredited Basic Skills Course that satisfies the Basic Skills Course component of the NAA requirement. Even some CLE courses using the words “basic skills” in the title may not qualify.

The only courses that meet the Basic Skills Course component of the NAA requirement are courses specifically accredited as a Basic Skills Course by the MCLE Board and Commission on Professionalism ("Commission"). To be accredited, the course must have no fewer than six hours of professional responsibility ("PR"), on topics such as:

Practice techniques and procedures under the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct
Client communications
Use of trust accounts
Attorneys' other obligations under the Court’s Rules
Required recordkeeping
Other PR topics (including professionalism, diversity/inclusion, mental health/substance abuse, and civility)

To search for an accredited Basic Skills Course, go to the Board’s Find a Course or Provider search. Then check the box on the search criteria for Basic Skills Course.

To locate this FAQ again, enter this FAQ number in the search FAQ box: A378.