Faculty Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Requirements 

(Applicable to all Speakers, Panel Members, Moderators)

Your upcoming presentation has been designated as part of the NYSCDM April 23-25, 2026, Annual Conference , where attorney participants may be eligible to receive Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits.  In addition, mediators and allied professionals attending the Conference may also be eligible to receive Continuing Education (CE) credits.  To ensure compliance that the New York State Council on Divorce Mediation can properly issue CLE/CE credit for your session in compliance with NY State requirements, please review the following important faculty information outlined in this packet.

It is imperative that the Council as a NYS CLE Accredited Provider is able to issue CLE credits for your presentation.  Your cooperation in meeting these requirements helps maintain the integrity and accreditation of our program and ensures that participants receive the professional information and credits they deserve.

Section 1 : Faculty Role & Eligibility 

1. Attorneys must be in good standing and must not teach/present or moderate if you are disbarred.
2. All must demonstrate expertise in the subject matter through substantial experience, academic credentials or publication. 
3. Presenters and panel participants may earn three (3) CLE credit hours for each 50 minutes of participation.  No additional credit may be earned for preparation time.
4. Moderators may earn one (1) CLE credit for each 50 minutes of participation.

Section 2: CLE Requirements

1. Objective – CLE programs must have significant intellectual or practical content.  Their primary objective is to increase the professional legal competency for attorneys in one or more categories of credit in one of the following areas:

1. Ethics & Professionalism – Professional obligations to clients, courts and third parties; civility, ethical dilemmas, conflicts of interest - the norms relating to an attorneys’ professional relations with prospective clients and third parties; including fiduciary obligations regarding client funds.  Sources of attorney’s obligations: rules, judicial decisions, statutes.  
2. Skills – Legal problem solving, research, writing, drafting, negotiation, mediation, arbitration, advocacy.
3. Law Practice Management – Office management, technology, procedures, stress/workload, malpractice avoidance.
4. Areas of Professional Practice – Substantive practice area, i.e. family law, ADR, litigation, real estate, elder law, etc.
5. Diversity, Inclusion & Elimination of Bias – Implicit/explicit bias, cultural competency, equal access to justice. 
6. Cybersecurity, Privacy & Data Protection – Ethics – Attorneys’ ethical duties around electronic data, breaches, supervision.
7. Cybersecurity, Privacy & Data Protection – General – Technical/legal aspects for data protection, cyber threats, privacy law.
1. Regulations, Guidelines and Deadlines
1. Please provide session title, description, key takeaways by December 31, 2025, sample template #1 is provided for your reference.  Please identify that your presentation is applicable for new and or experienced attorneys or both.
2. All must submit a biography – including educational background, applicable training and degrees.  Attorneys must list their practice jurisdictions and specific areas of expertise. Please submit these materials no later than – December 31, 2025. 
3. Timed outline for your presentation.  Please submit no later than – March 1, 2026, see sample #2, attached. 
4. Attorney faculty are required to complete the short Attorney in Good Standing form prior to your presentation.  Please complete no later than – March 1, 2026. 
5. A complete set of substantive written materials must be submitted in advance of your presentation. Please submit by March 1, 2026. 
6. Program must include a minimum of 50 minutes of instruction, including Q & A to qualify for one (1) CLE credit given. 
2. Written Materials 
1. All written materials must be prepared or compiled specifically for your accredited program; and shall specifically address each topic presented and is sufficient in substance and citation to stand by itself as an instructional tool. 
2. Materials shall be prepared or adopted and submitted by each presenter, and shall be available for distribution to the attendees, at or before the Symposium.  Final approval shall be in accordance with the guidelines set by the NYS CLE Board.
3. Materials shall reflect that they are timely or that they have been updated with specific reference to your presentation.
4. Materials shall cover those matters that one would expect for a comprehensive and professional treatment of the subject matter of the session or program. 
5. Brief outlines without citations or explanatory notations shall not constitute compliance with Program Accreditation criteria. (New York State CLE Board Regulations & Guidelines§-8(A)(4)(f)), (emphasis added).
6. Materials can include legal decisions, case law, articles, _____, ____, etc. 
7. It is the responsibility of the speaker to get permissions for handouts from third-party copyrighted sources as need. 
3. Instructional Design vs. Information Design

When preparing your session, focus on teaching strategies that actively engage participants and reinforce learning, rather than simply presenting information.  Incorporating role-play is strongly encouraged, as it helps participants connect more deeply with the concepts being taught.  

1. Develop Clear Learning Objectives – Outline what you want participants to learn from your presentation; comprehension of material does not necessarily mean participants are learning. 
1. Example: By the end of this session participants will be able to …..
2. Introduce the Session with Context – Set the stage for learning – capture participant’s’ attention, help them engage and focus on your presentation. 
1. Example: Begin with a brief story, case example or statistic that highlights why the topic matters.
3. Reinforce Key Concepts – Repeat and summarize essential points throughout the session.
1. Example: After each main section or topic, pause to say: “The takeaway here is….”  
2.  Use slides or provide handouts in the written materials with summary bullets for quick review.
4. Restate Participants’ Questions – Repeating questions ensures clarity, supports accessibility and keeps everyone engaged.
5. Demonstrate Application in a Mediation Context – Encourage participants to share how they may use the information they have learned in their professional practice.
1. Example: Use role play or a case study to show how a concept applies in mediation.

Faculty Compliance Checklist – 2026 NYSCDM Mediation Annual Conference 

Speaker Name _____________________________________ Date _________________

Please complete and return this checklist along with your required materials no later than March 1, 2026.  Thank you for ensuring CLE compliance and helping us deliver a high-quality educational program.

Faculty Checklist 

Instructional Design vs. Information Design

This checklist may be useful as a preparation tool before your session to ensure your teaching design fosters active learning and professional application.

Section 3: 

Section 3: 

Sample 1: Program Description (150–250 words)

This description will be used for attendee materials, marketing, and required CLE/CE documentation.

1. Provide a Clear and Engaging Overview of Your Session.  
1. Describe the primary themes, topics, and skills to be covered.  
2. Learning Objectives / Key Takeaways (3–5 items)
1. Each takeaway should begin with an action verb and reflect measurable or observable participant outcomes.

Sample 2: Timed Outline – Adaptable to Your Session 

(Total: 99 Minutes Maximum)

Program Title: __________________________________
Presenter(s): ___________________________________
Date: ____________________________

0:00 – 0:10 (10 min)– Welcoming & Framing the Mediation Lens 

•  Brief introductions
•  Overview of session goals and relevance to mediation practice
•  Identify learning objectives

0:10 – 0:30 (20 min) – Foundational Concepts

•  What do you want the participants to learn?
•  Mediation context & relevance
•  Ethical/structural considerations

0:30 – 1:00 (30 min) – Core Content/ Framework/Applied Practice

•  Research informed or practice-based principles/requirements
•  Application to divorce & family mediation
•  Case examples or scenarios

1:00 – 1:20 (20 min) – Role Play 

•  Short demonstration or role play
•  High conflict or trauma informed considerations
•  Other allied professionals
•  Ethical lines..
•  Small group or paired discussions
•  Debrief – what worked/what didn’t?

1:20 – 1:39 (19 min) - Q&A & Closing

•  Address participants questions
•  Summary of key takeaways
•  Resources