New Continuing Legal Education Requirement: Mental Health and Substance Abuse

This summer, the Minnesota State Board of Continuing Legal Education announced that a new CLE category focusing on substance abuse, addiction, and/or mental health was approved and is now a requirement for all reporting attorneys. On February 23, 2024, the Minnesota Supreme Court amended the Board’s Rules to require one credit in this area per 3-year reporting cycle.  Category 1 lawyers due to report this year will not be required to submit this credit type.  Category 2 lawyers due to report in 2025 will be the first group of lawyers subject to this requirement. The new Rules became effective July 1, 2024.

Supported by the Minnesota State Bar Association (MSBA), a course for the new special category of CLE credit will “educate attorneys about substance use, addiction and/or mental health issues related to the practice of law.” This amendment to the rules offers examples of course content, such as: “a) the reduction of risk for and detection, referral, and treatment of substance use and/or mental health issues and the assistance available for impaired attorneys; (b) recognizing signs of misuse, addiction, and mental health disorders in oneself or one’s colleagues; (c) impairment, intervention, treatment, and available lawyer assistance programs, including steps to assist and refer an affected attorney…” and more.

Sarah Soucie Eyberg, MSBA Assembly Representative to the MSBA Board of Governors and member of the MSBA Well-Being Committee, noted the importance of repeated exposure to these topics. The mental health CLE requirement will provide awareness and tools if you are concerned for yourself or someone else. The new requirement can help raise awareness and reduce attorney mental health and suicide risk.

Minnesota legal education providers such as State Support, the Minnesota Legal Services Coalition and its partner organizations, the MSBA, and Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers have recently begun offering training modules with the new CLE credit. Learn more in the Hennepin Lawyer.