Random group will be audited
for MCLE compliance

A small group of lawyers who reported compliance with continuing education requirements earlier this year will be audited this fall and asked to provide compliance certificates.

The State Bar will send an email and letter around Aug. 1 to about 625 attorneys from MCLE Compliance Group 3 (last names N-Z), notifying them of the audit. They will receive a link to an online MCLE compliance log, where they will be asked to provide compliance details. They also will be asked to submit actual certificates of attendance, either by mail or email, within 30 days.

The lawyers were chosen by random and represent less than 1 percent of Group 3.

Most active California lawyers are required to complete 25 hours of continuing education courses every three years, including four hours of legal ethics and an hour each of elimination of bias and detection and prevention of substance abuse or mental illness. Half the hours may be completed with self-study hours. Failure to comply with MCLE requirements can result in administrative inactive status and assessment of penalties.

Failure to comply with the audit also will result in administrative inactive status. Fewer than 1 percent of each compliance group lose their license annually for not meeting MCLE requirements.

The bar has conducted two audits in the past eight years but intends to conduct an annual audit in the future. The next compliance group is lawyers whose last names start with H-M. They face a Feb. 1, 2012, deadline.