A. Active Member Minimum MCLE Requirements.
Active Members must earn a minimum of 15 credit hours of approved CLE each reporting year. Of those 15 credit hours, the member must earn at least 10 credit hours by attending interactive seminars as defined in Rule 9. The member may not earn more than 5 credit hours through “other methods” as defined in Rule 9.
B. Professional Fitness and Integrity Requirements.
Of the 15 credit hours of CLE required each reporting year, at least 2 credit hours must be in Professional Fitness and Integrity activities. These activities must meet the standards set out in Rule 8B and may be in any or all of the following 3 content areas:
Professional Responsibilities/Ethics. Activities on understanding and complying with accepted principles of professional conduct and responsibility as established by the Montana Rules of Professional Conduct or established by other state or national rules of professional conduct for lawyers.
Fitness to Practice. Subject to the limitations in subsection (d) below:
Activities on preventing, recognizing, and responding effectively to personal substance abuse, addictive disorders, stress, and/or mental health issues, including information on available lawyer assistance programs.
Activities on recognizing, reporting, assisting, and supporting attorneys affected by substance abuse, addictive disorders, stress, and/or mental health issues.
Stress management activities as they relate to the practice of law if they focus on developing awareness of stress-related problems in the practice of law, including activities that focus on personality traits susceptible to stress, work/life balance, recognizing signs of stress in oneself or one’s colleagues, instituting preventative measures individually, and the development of policies within the law firm or legal department for dealing with stress-impaired attorneys.
A member shall not receive credit under this Rule for activities focusing in significant part on techniques or exercises related to these issues - e.g., breathing exercises, meditation, yoga.
Activities on acknowledging and advancing the elimination of bias and encouraging diversity and inclusion of all persons in the legal system regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, culture, national origin, social origin or condition, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disabilities.
