Newly Admitted New York Attorneys (Transitional)
Coronavirus update: Effective March 11th through January 31, 2021, newly admitted attorneys (those admitted to the New York State Bar for two years or less) may participate in Skills CLE courses via PLI’s live webcasts and live groupcasts. For additional information, please see the Changes to CLE Program Format Restrictions in Response to COVID-19 Coronavirus statement on the New York State Continuing Legal Education Board website.
Newly admitted attorneys, those admitted to the New York State Bar within the past two years, must complete at least 16 transitional CLE credits (3 ethics and professionalism, 6 skills and 7 professional practice or law practice management) in both of the first two years of admission to the Bar. PLI's Bridge-the-Gap programs fulfil the ethics and skills portions of the requirement. Newly admitted attorneys may carry over 8 credits from the first year to the second year. Ethics credits cannot be carried over. Once the second-year requirement is complete, 6 additional credits may be applied toward the next reporting cycle. Newly admitted attorneys may not earn diversity, inclusion and elimination of bias credit. Learn more about newly admitted requirements. View our New York Bridge-the-Gap program FAQs.
As of January 1, 2016, NY newly admitted attorneys can earn credit via the following formats:
- Professional Practice and Law Practice Management credits may be earned through any format, including on-demand web programs and web segments.
- Ethics credits may be earned through "simultaneous transmission with synchronous interactivity," including PLI's live seminars, live webcasts, and live groupcasts.
- Skills credits may only be earned through PLI's live seminars.
Newly admitted attorneys based in law offices outside of the U.S. may fulfill up to 16 credits in any approved format, per NY Regulation 2(F)(1). The remaining credits must be completed in a format permissible for the category of credit. All programs must be transitional.