New rule: Pence, lawyer Congress members exempt from CLE

Indiana lawyers who are members of Congress, senators or vice president no longer have to worry about meeting continuing legal education requirements under a rule adopted this week by the Indiana Supreme Court. The new rule also decreases CLE credits required for state lawmakers who are attorneys.

In an order signed Tuesday, justices exempted federal elected officials from mandatory CLE requirements. The amendment to Rule 29, Section 3 of the Indiana Rules for Admission to the Bar and the Discipline of Attorneys governing mandatory CLE reads, “Elected members of the executive branch of the United States Government and members of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives are exempt from this Rule while serving in such capacity.”

Rule 29 requires attorneys to obtain 36 hours of CLE credit every three years, with no less than six hours annually.

Now excepted entirely from that requirement under the new rule are several federal elected officials who are attorneys. They include Vice President Mike Pence; outgoing Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly and Republican Sen. Todd Young;  Reps. Susan Brooks, R-Carmel, and Peter Visclosky, R-Merrillville; and outgoing Reps. Luke Messer, R-Greensburg, and Todd Rokita, R-Brownsburg.

All of these elected officials list their license status as inactive in good standing on the Indiana Roll of Attorneys.

Attorneys who are elected to the Indiana Legislature also get an extra break under the rule “(i)n recognition of the nature of the work, commitment of time, and the benefit of Attorney participation in the Indiana General Assembly.” State lawmakers currently are required to obtain just 30 credits in a three-year educational period. Under the new rule, they will need just 27.

Indiana Supreme Court spokeswoman Kathryn Dolan said the change brings elected federal officials in line with federal judges, who also are exempt from mandatory CLE requirements. The amendments are effective immediately.