Attendance Verification
New York CLE providers must be able to independently verify an attorney’s completion of a CLE program before issuing a certificate of attendance. Whether a provider offers a live, traditional classroom-format program or a nontraditional format program (audiotape, videotape, online, etc.), the provider must have procedures in place to independently verify an attorney’s completion of a program. Only after a provider has established that an attorney has completed a program, may a certificate of attendance be issued. Please note that although verification procedures may vary by format and by provider, an attorney affirmation attesting to completion of a program is not by itself sufficient; independent sponsor verification is required.
The provider of a live, traditional classroom-format program may, for example, use sign-in and sign-out sheets to verify an attorney’s completion of the program. Likewise, the provider of a videotaped program, shown in a group setting, may verify attendance by asking attorneys to sign in and sign out.
A provider must consider the format in which a CLE program is offered in order to design an appropriate verification procedure. For example, verification procedures for a course in the videotape format for individual viewing may consist of an attorney reporting a course code to the provider after viewing a videotape, and attesting to completion of the program in an affirmation. The CLE provider would then verify the accuracy of the code before issuing a certificate of attendance. (For example, a code, such as “167,” may be spoken at some point during a videotaped program and/or may appear briefly on the screen. A participating attorney would record the code, “167,” on an affirmation and submit the affirmation with course code to the CLE provider.) Note that CLE courses or programs presented in segments should have a separate and distinct code for each segment, and spaces on the affirmation to report all codes.
As a further example, a provider of online programs might use pop-up boxes and time tracking to independently verify that an attorney has completed an entire program, while also requiring an attorney affirmation. A certificate of attendance may be issued only after the online provider has established that the attorney completed the program in its entirety.
The CLE Board will consider for approval any reliable method of independent sponsor verification of an attorney’s completion of a CLE course.
