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Accreditation and CLE Rules for Georgia
Courses purchased through UnitedCLE.com are provided and fully accredited by The National Academy of Continuing Legal Education, a provider of CLE courses in Georgia approved by the Georgia Commission on Continuing Lawyer Competency, sponsor #3730.
Georgia attorneys are required to take 18 credit hours every 2 years, including 3 credit hours of Ethics and 2 credit hours of Professionalism.
Georgia attorneys can earn all 18 CLE credit hours with us including 3 credit hours of Ethics and 2 credit hours of Professionalism using our Online & iOS/Android App courses.
Georgia attorneys must complete their continuing legal education requirements by December 31st every 2 years. Georgia attorneys must return their annual report to the Commission by February 15th.
Georgia attorneys are permitted to carryover a maximum of 18 general credits, including 3 ethics credits, 2 professionalism credits to the next reporting period.
*Effective January 1, 2026, the State Bar of Georgia will require active members to complete 18 hours of continuing legal education (CLE) every two years, increasing from the current 12 hours annually. Within these 18 hours, members—except those in the Georgia Transition Into Law Practice Program—must complete at least 3 hours in legal ethics and 2 hours in professionalism, with unused ethics and professionalism credits carryable up to the next biennial period but not beyond. Members may also carry over up to 18 unused CLE hours to the following period.
CLE activities should relate to the member’s practice area or benefit their practice and clients. These changes shift CLE reporting to a biennial cycle with increased total requirements and specific minimums for ethics and professionalism. This new rule also eliminates the specific trial credits course requirement for Georgia trial attorneys. The CLE compliance deadline will be December 31st of every odd year. The first biennial compliance period begins January 1, 2026, and ends December 31, 2027.
GA Commission on Continuing Lawyer Competency
104 Marietta St. NW, Suite 100
Atlanta, GA 30303
(t) 800-334-6865
(f) 404-527-8717 www.gabar.org
So You Think You Want to Be a Criminal Defense Lawyer? A Practical Guide from First Meeting to Final Plea
Courses purchased through UnitedCLE.com are provided and fully accredited by The National Academy of Continuing Legal Education, a provider of CLE courses in Georgia approved by the Georgia Commission on Continuing Lawyer Competency, sponsor #3730.
To view our full accreditation details please .
General Credits
2
$55
All Courses Available iOS/Android Web
About This Course
This CLE program provides a practical roadmap of a criminal case through the lens of defense counsel, following the progression of a matter from the initial client meeting through plea discussions and critical case deadlines. Attendees will examine major stages of representation, including arraignments and bail issues, discovery practice, speedy trial considerations, affirmative defenses, motion practice, scheduling concerns, and strategic case management decisions.
Geared toward newer practitioners and attorneys entering the field of criminal defense, the program emphasizes the day-to-day realities of representing clients and highlights how strategic decisions made early in a case can significantly impact its direction and resolution.
