Continuing Legal Education (CLE) courses are not often the fodder of columns, but this is an exception. Particularly since the pandemic, it has become, shall we say, looser and doesn’t always meet its goals. Not that it ever had; it’s just worse now.

CLE is a fundamental part of most lawyers’ professional life. In most states, attorneys are required to complete approximately 12 hours of CLE courses annually, often with additional requirements for ethics, diversity, equity, inclusion or technology-focused courses. Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, and the District of Columbia do not mandate CLE courses at all. At its core, CLE is designed to enhance lawyers’ professional knowledge and competence. But does it truly achieve this goal?