§ 5.04 Course and Credit Approval
5.04. Course and Credit Approval
(a) Credit Calculation. Fifty minutes of course time is equivalent to 1 credit hour unless otherwise stated in this rule. A course must be at least 25 minutes in length to qualify for credit.
(b) Courses for Nonlawyers. A course designed for participants other than attorneys shall receive less than full credit.
(c) Courses on Nonlaw Subjects. A course devoted to a non-legal subject, including but not limited to the courses listed in policy 5.04(g), (j), and (k), may be approved if the applicant can demonstrate that the course will enhance the proficiency of a lawyer in the performance of legal services. The applicant must specify in the application how lawyer proficiency is enhanced.
(d) Demonstrations and Moot Court. Trial and appeal demonstrations and moot court participation may be given up to 3 credit hours for each 50 minutes of participation.
(e) Law Office Management and Economics. Credit may be awarded for any law office economics seminar. No more than 5 credit hours may be awarded for any 1 course, regardless of length.
(f) Computer Training. Credit may be awarded for computer training courses. No more than 5 credit hours may be awarded for any 1 course, regardless of length.
(g) Ethics. Credit may be awarded for courses that explore and address standards of conduct in the legal profession. Courses should also include aspirations that surpass ordinary expectations to further promote the ideals and goals of professionalism, such as:
(1) the independence of the lawyer in the context of the lawyer-client relationship;
(2) the conflict between duty to client and duty to the system of justice;
(3) the conflict in the duty to the client versus the duty to the other lawyer;
(4) the responsibility of the lawyer to employ effective client communications and client relations skills in order to increase service to the client and foster understanding of expectations of the representation, including accessibility of the lawyer and agreement as to fees;
(5) the lawyer's responsibilities as an officer of the court;
(6) misuse and abuse of discovery and litigation;
(7) the lawyer's responsibility to perceive and protect the image of the profession;
(8) the responsibility of the lawyer to the public generally and to public service; and
(9) the duty of the lawyer to be informed about all forms of dispute resolution and to counsel clients accordingly.
(h) Substance Abuse. Credit may be awarded for courses designed to enhance awareness and understanding of the illnesses of substance abuse and dependence.
(1) Topics eligible for credit in this category include education regarding the mechanisms involved in substance abuse and dependence disorders as described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of The American Psychiatric Association (DSM-IV).
(2) Instruction may address the correlation between substance abuse/dependence disorders and professional misconduct; the correlation between substance abuse/dependence disorders and malpractice and disciplinary actions; identification of the signs and symptoms of substance abuse/dependence disorders; types of intervention and treatment for substance abuse/dependency disorders among attorneys, including the lawyer assistance program available to Florida legal professionals.
(i) Self-Improvement Courses. Credit may be awarded for self-improvement courses that are designed to enhance human relations skills, offer practical assistance on how better to relate to clients, witnesses and adversaries, or promote courtesy and thoughtfulness in the legal profession. No more than 5 credit hours may be awarded any 1 course, regardless of length.
(j) Stress Management. Credit may be awarded for courses designed to teach stress management skills and techniques to attorneys.
(1) No more than 1 credit hour may be awarded for each 150-minute block of lecture time.
(2) No more than 5 credit hours may be awarded for any 1 course, regardless of length.
(k) Mental Illness. Credit may be awarded for courses designed to enhance awareness and understanding of mental illness.
(1) Topics eligible for credit in this category include depression, manic-depression (bipolar disorder), schizophrenia, and anxiety disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorders.
(2) Instruction shall also address the correlation among mental illness, addiction, or substance abuse due to “self medication;” the prevention of suicide, aggressive behavior, criminal activities, and underachievement through prompt and faithful medical treatment; and, the progressive deterioration of the brain and/or the increase in the severity of symptoms and accompanying problematic behaviors, without proper medical treatment.
(l) Laws of Other States.
(1) Credit may be awarded for courses covering laws or procedures of another state or territory of the United States. The number of hours to be awarded shall be determined on a case-by-case basis.
(2) Foreign legal tours may be awarded up to 10 credit hours if the applicant can demonstrate how the activity enhanced the applicant's proficiency in the practice of law. The applicant must specify in the application how lawyer proficiency is enhanced.
(m) Legal Drafting. Courses on legal drafting may be awarded credit hours if the applicant can demonstrate the course content reasonably relates to the preparation of legal documents. The number of hours to be awarded shall be determined on a case-by-case basis.
(n) Accreditation by a State Bar. Continuing legal education credit granted by a state bar may be accepted provided the CLE activity meets the criteria for accreditation established by the 500 series of the BLSE policies. The BLSE may adjust credit in accordance with the 500 series of its policies.
(o) Self-assessment Courses. Self-assessment or self-study courses directly related to the practice of law that include an examination to be returned and graded by the sponsor may be awarded CLE credit. The number of hours to be awarded shall be determined on a case-by-case basis.
(p) College and University Courses.
(1) Approved law school and graduate law courses shall entitle an attorney to receive credit as follows:
(A) 2 credit hours for each quarter hour assigned to the course; or,
(B) 3 credit hours for each semester hour assigned to the course.
(2) Undergraduate law courses and all other college and university courses shall only be eligible for credit it they qualify under another section of these policies.