South Dakota is considering the adoption of mandatory Continuing Legal Education (CLE), a requirement already enforced in 46 other U.S. jurisdictions. With this proposal, South Dakota would be moving toward a more formalized system of CLE regulation for licensed lawyers.
Background: Why CLE Requirements Are on the Agenda
In 2023, the State Bar of South Dakota formed a committee to explore the potential benefits and structure of a mandatory CLE system. Their work culminated in early 2024 with a detailed membership survey and a formal recommendation to adopt CLE requirements. Over 1,100 attorneys responded to the survey, with a narrow majority either supporting the change or remaining neutral.
Now, the proposal is up for debate and potential adoption at the State Bar’s Annual Convention on June 20, 2025. If approved, it would require final sign-off from the South Dakota Supreme Court before implementation.
What the Proposed CLE Rule Includes
The CLE requirements proposal is modeled after established practices in other states, with key features tailored to the needs of South Dakota’s legal community:
- 20 CLE credit hours every two years
Attorneys would need to complete 20 hours of continuing education during each two-year compliance period. This total would likely include credits in ethics and professional responsibility, as is standard in many states. - Flexible formats
Credit can be earned through both live and on-demand programs, ensuring that rural and solo practitioners have equal access to education. - Free CLE offerings
The State Bar has pledged to offer free seminars as part of its support for members, helping to ease the cost of compliance for all attorneys. - Self-tracking and reporting
Attorneys will be responsible for keeping records of completed CLE activities and reporting them to the Bar. Specific reporting methods and deadlines will be announced following rule finalization. - Effective date: 2027
If approved, the CLE requirement would take effect in 2027, giving attorneys and CLE providers ample time to prepare for the transition.
Why This Matters for Attorneys and CLE Providers
The introduction of CLE requirements in South Dakota will affect the state’s legal professionals and education providers, who will need to align their activities with the guidelines and requirements set forth by the State Bar:
- For attorneys: Compliance will become a condition of licensure, making CLE tracking and timely reporting essential. Legal employers should prepare internal systems and workflows accordingly.
- For CLE providers: Programs will need to meet the standards established by the South Dakota Bar, including content relevance, instructional quality, and attendance verification. Providers planning to enter or expand into the South Dakota market should begin preparing now.
- For multistate firms: Attorneys licensed in South Dakota and other states will need integrated CLE accreditation support to efficiently track and manage credits across jurisdictions..
How We Can Help
At CLEaccreditation.com, we provide expert support to CLE providers, law firms, and legal departments navigating complex CLE compliance requirements. With South Dakota voting on the adoption of mandatory CLE requirements, we offer services that help you prepare for and stay ahead of these regulatory changes:
- CLE program design and accreditation filing
- Multi-jurisdictional CLE compliance strategies
- Ethics and specialty credit planning
- CLE attendance reporting for sponsors and law firms
Whether you’re a national provider or a small firm with South Dakota-licensed attorneys, we’re here to streamline the compliance process.
Stay Ahead of South Dakota’s CLE Requirements
The vote on the proposal to introduce mandatory CLE requirements in South Dakota will be followed closely by the legal education community. If approved, the CLE rule will take effect in 2027 and 20 hours of CLE every two years, including ethics topics, would be required. If you need support preparing for the 2027 rollout, contact us today.
Image credit: “South Dakota State Capitol” by WeaponizingArchitecture / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.