Education Policy

New Programs, General Policy

Policy: Each Section should be aware of its responsibility to assist CLA in meeting its statutory obligations to provide low-and no-cost CLE programs and educational materials to members of the State Bar and educational programs and materials to members of the public. All programs offered for satisfaction of California’s MCLE requirements must focus on California law and practice, federal law as relevant to its practice in California, or tribal law.

In addition to the educational programs that all Sections are expected to offer to their respective members, to members of the State Bar, and to the public, the Board encourages the Executive Director and his or her staff to identify and make available original or third-party, in-person and online programming on behalf of the Association as a whole. Quality programming has proven to be a good way to promote the professional growth of lawyers and further professionalism, competence, and ethical conduct, and is an effective way to recruit additional members, and generate non-dues revenue that can be used to offset Association overhead expenses.

In support of the Executive Director’s authority to consider new education programs on behalf of the Association as a whole, the Association hereby adopts the following policies and procedures:

For live programs: Is it recommended that any revenues earned from Association-wide programming (including Association programs, but not Section programs, at the Section convention) goes first to the cost of putting on the program, second to building a reserve to ensure there’s money for future programming, and third to offset the Association’s overhead.

• The program budget must be fiscally sound and not likely to expose the Association to liability for unanticipated expenses and/or net losses.
• The program ought not duplicate or conflict with programming offered by any of the Association’s Sections.
• No Section owns any topic, but if a proposed program is in a subject matter clearly covered by one of the Sections, that Section should be notified in advance and given an opportunity to reasonably object or participate in the program.
• Programs may be offered for MCLE credit or not. If MCLE is offered the program content must comply with California mandatory continuing legal education requirements.
• Prior to initiating any live program, the Executive Director should seek Board approval, at least telephonically or electronically.
• The Executive Director has the authority to provide reasonable reimbursement of actual out of-pocket expenses for speakers.
• The Executive Director should submit quarterly reports to the Board included within the Budget report to the Board.