Accredited Sponsors for Continuing Legal Education Seminars

Benefits of Becoming an Accredited Sponsor

An Accredited Sponsor

Is given presumptive approval for Continuing Legal Education courses.
Pays one annual fee for any number of course approval applications, instead of a fee per application.

Becoming an Accredited Sponsor

An applicant for becoming an accredited sponsor must

Have a minimum three-year track record of providing CLE courses, averaging at least nine courses per year;
Submit an application, annual fee and information about a minimum of nine CLE programs they presented in the last three years (see the application, below, for details);
Continue to comply with Regulation 106 and all other applicable regulations;
Permit monitoring of programs by the MCLE Board or its staff without charge.

Each application will be reviewed by the MCLE Board prior to approval. Status as Accredited Sponsor is effective for one calendar year and may be renewed annually by submitting the required application and fee.

Applying for Course Approval as an Accredited Sponsor

According to Washington State Supreme Court Rule, all sponsors must apply to the MCLE Board, using a Form 1 Application for Course Approval, prior to each event for which Washington State CLE credit hours are claimed.

Accredited sponsor must apply using the MCLE computer system at http://pro.wsba.org/. There is no per-event application charge for accredited sponsors.
All courses must meet the minimum Standards for Approval, Reg 104(a).
All courses must be submitted at least one day prior to the event or a late fee of $35.00 will be assessed (Reg. 106(c)(ii) and Reg. 106(d)).

Reporting Course Attendance as an Accredited Sponsor

According to Washington State Supreme Court Rule, all sponsors must submit attorney attendance reports after each event in the format and medium required by the MCLE Board.

Accredited sponsors must submit attendance reports using the MCLE computer system at http://pro.wsba.org/. Please note that attendance reports may be submitted in bulk.
All sponsor pay the same fees for attendance reporting.

Rules and Regulations

Course credit is calculated on the basis of one credit for each 60 minutes of actual course presentation, not including introductions, overviews, closing remarks, presentation during meals unless clearly distinguished in the agenda, or keynote addresses.

The MCLE Board (or staff) may audit or monitor presentations at no charge.
Accredited Sponsor status may be revoked by the MCLE Board if reporting requirements or minimum standards are not met.
The MCLE Board may request additional information in making its determination on continuation of accredited status.

Accredited Sponsor Application Form

Accredited Sponsor Application Form in word processor format

Auditing

All sponsors must agree to the monitoring of their compliance with the Washington State Board of Continuing Legal Education's regulations, requirements, and course standards. All sponsors must allow "in-person audits" of all approved continuing legal education activities by members of the MCLE Board or its authorized staff.
If an in-person audit will take place, the MCLE Board may, but need not, give advance notice to the sponsor of the activity to be audited. Any such notice shall include the name of the auditor. The auditor will be permitted to audit the activity at no fee and shall receive course credit.
A "review" or "in-person audit" may also be conducted based on complaints made by program attendees to the MCLE Board.

Revoking Status

The MCLE Board may, at any time, re-evaluate and revoke the status from Accredited Sponsors that fail to comply with its regulations, requirements, and/or course standards. (Regulation 106(e)).

In the event the MCLE Board believes that cause exists for revocation of approved status, the Board will give notice specifying the grounds of possible revocation and an opportunity to be heard.
If the annual application and fee for Accredited Sponsor Status is not timely submitted, accredited status expires.

Appeals

When notice of proposed revocation of status has been given that includes the grounds for revocation, the Accredited Sponsor shall have 30 days to appeal to the MCLE Board.

Appeals shall be in writing and addressed to the MCLE Board and may include a request for a hearing before the MCLE Board.
The MCLE Board may, after a hearing held upon not less than 30 days written notice, revoke (or condition) Accredited Sponsor status. Decisions of the MCLE Board regarding appeals shall be final.
If Accredited Sponsor status is not rescinded, the Accredited Sponsor may file a renewal application in a timely fashion for the next calendar year.

Any conflict between information on this web page and the Admission to Practice Rules of the State of Washington or regulations pertaining thereto (the Rules) is resolved in favor of the Rules.