Is it really free? Yes! These hours will be covered by your annual dues and there are no hidden fees.
How many hours of MCLE/PMCLE am I able to take on the online “Free CLE Channel”? Eligible members can take up to 15 hours MCLE, including 6 hours PMCLE, each bar year via the online “Free CLE Channel”. The ISBA bar year runs from July 1 to June 30.
Where can I learn more about the MCLE requirement for attorneys?
The Supreme Court of Illinois Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) Board website provides detailed MCLE information for attorneys licensed in Illinois.
Who is eligible to receive the Free CLE benefit? ISBA members eligible to receive this benefit include dues levels 2-20 (regular dues-paying members), new admittees, law students, lifetime, privileged, honorary, military, dues-waived, and dues-reduction categories. This benefit will not be available to retired or inactive member categories, as well as those holding a “Non-Illinois Resident” ISBA membership (which correlates with membership type, rather than physical location). Non-Illinois residents may join ISBA with a regular dues level membership to participate in the Free Online CLE program.
I’m a newly admitted attorney. Am I included? Yes, newly admitted attorneys can complete their Supreme Court mandated (S. Ct. Rule 793) 15-hour accredited MCLE requirement for newly admitted attorneys via the “Free CLE Channel”. Take the 6-hour accredited Basic Skills online program in addition to 9 hours of other programs of your choosing, all available in the “Free CLE Channel”. Learn more about ISBA’s complimentary new admittee membership and ISBA’s newly admitted attorney MCLE options.
I’m not an ISBA member. How can I participate? ISBA’s “Free CLE Channel” is a member benefit available to ISBA members only. If you are interested in becoming an ISBA member, complete the application* found on our “Join the ISBA” page. Membership costs between $50-$320, depending on how many years you’ve been in practice, and includes the “Free CLE Channel”, free online legal research (Fastcase), daily case digests and many other benefits. To see a complete list of benefits, visit our “Member Benefits” page.
Why should I join now if I’m not currently an ISBA Member? Due to the nature of running a large-scale free CLE program, we are not offering prorated dues. So, regardless of when you join, your dues will be the same. Of course, the sooner you join, the sooner you will be able to start taking advantage of all the many benefits of membership.
*Please note that it may take up to 3 business days to process your membership application upon joining the ISBA. (Access to the “Free CLE Channel” will not be available until your application has been processed.) If your MCLE deadline is approaching and you need access to our Free Online CLE member benefit sooner than this, please contact Ann Boucher, ISBA Membership Coordinator, between 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday, at 800-252-8908.
In what format are the “Free CLE Channel” programs available? Programs on the “Free CLE Channel” are online only and available 24/7 in online streaming (audio and video) or podcast formats. This allows you the flexibility of taking them when and where it works best for you. Live on-site programs are not included in Free CLE at this time.
What programs are available on the “Free CLE Channel”? Programs on the “Free CLE Channel” are the same high-quality programs you've come to expect from ISBA. The previously recorded programs include a range of topics, including substantive law, ethics, law practice management and technology. Our 6-hour accredited Basic Skills program is also available online at no cost to help our new attorney members meet their newly admitted attorney MCLE requirements for See a complete listing of free CLE programs.
Program content will change periodically.
What kind of programs aren’t available on the “Free CLE Channel”? Live on-site programs are not included in Free CLE at this time. Additionally, some programs are excluded from the Free Online CLE offerings, such as Solo & Small Firm Conference programs, Master Series programs and live webcasts. Free Online CLE also excludes DVDs, CD-ROMS, and audio CD formats.
I’ve never taken an online streaming program. How does it work? ISBA’s online CLE is easy to use. Once you’ve started a program, video and course materials will be displayed on your computer screen. Questions about the content may be submitted under the Q&A tab; ISBA will forward your questions to the speakers or other qualified members and you can expect a response within two business days. Video may be paused and viewed at your own pace. Materials may also be downloaded and/or printed. Click to view a free demo.
What are the system requirements for my computer? For the best viewing experience, we recommend testing your system prior to starting a program. To test your system, please visit our FastCLE technical support webpage and click on the “System Check” link found in the “Technical Requirements” box on the right-hand side of your screen.
- Accessing the “Free CLE Channel” and Choosing Programs
Visit the “Free CLE Channel” to access the list of available programs. Click on the “More Info” link next to each program for full program details.
Once you have decided upon a program, you will need to log in to proceed. From the “More Info” page, click on the “Login Now” button located in the bottom right hand corner under the box titled “Subscriptions”. (If you are already logged into the system, this will say “Register” instead of “Login Now.”) Please use your ISBA login information to access FastCLE. You will now be logged into your ISBA Free CLE subscription page.
To finalize your selection, click “Continue”. This will place the program in the “My Classroom” area of your account. You will then be able to access the streaming video and course materials for that program
Programming will remain in your “My Classroom” page for 30 days. If you fail to view the program within that timeframe and you need to extend access to the program, please contact Customer Support at 866-701-3278.
Please note: If you reorder a previously ordered program it will subtract the appropriate number of credit hours again from your remaining complimentary 15 credit hours. Since attorneys can not receive credit for viewing the same program more than once within a 12 month period, be careful not to select a program more than once. If you mistakenly order duplicates of the same program and wish to correct your subscription balance, please contact FastCLE technical support at 1-866-702-3278.
- Viewing Your Free CLE Subscription Programming
Once a program has been placed into your “My Classroom” area, it is ready for viewing. Simply click on the “Launch Viewer to Begin” button at the top of the webpage. Once the program begins, you may access the program materials, send a question to the speakers, and access the speakers’ PowerPoint slides via the tabs along the top of the webpage.
- Certifying Credit
After viewing a program and completing the online evaluation form, please complete the following steps to obtain a Certificate of Completion:
You must certify completion and print the Certificate of Completion for each program that you view. Please note: Under MCLE Rules, you must keep this Certificate of Completion for three years after the end of the relevant two-year reporting period.
If you have questions or technical difficulties with regards to using the “Free CLE Channel” on FastCLE (including any technical difficulties throughout the certification process), please contact Customer Support at 866-702-3278. If you have questions regarding your ISBA login information or about ISBA membership, please email Ann Boucher, ISBA Membership Coordinator, or call 800-252-8908.
Love something? Let us Know! Something didn’t turn out quite as you expected? Let us know that, too! After all, we’ll never perfect our programming without your opinion, so be sure to provide us with your feedback during the credit certification process for each program via the electronic evaluation form. Additional comments and suggestions can also be sent to us at FreeCLE@isba.org
