Hawaii lawyers required to take continuing education - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):

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The Hawaii Supreme Court announced Wednesdayy it has adopted new rules requirinbg all active licensed attorneys to obtai professional training throughout the course oftheir careers. It is a move intende to maintain quality and competence among attorneys and also puts Hawaii in the companhy of 41 other states that requirecontinuinf education. The court’s Commission on Professionalism proposed the new ruleszlast fall. Supporters said it woulde bring lawyers in line with other license d professionals suchas dentists, public accountants and even real estate who all have to take continuing education to keep their licenses.
The new rules requiree attorneys to take at least three credity hours of continuing legal education on subjectsw such aslegal ethics, proper administration of client bias awareness and prevention, and improving public access to the judicia l system. Attorneys will have to report their credit hourzs when they renew their licenseseach year. “Such trainingt will not only benefit thelegal profession, but, as will benefit the public at large,” said Chiefv Justice Ronald Moon in a prepared statement. Hawaii is presentlg one of nine states with no explicitf requirement for lawyers to continu e taking educationalor skills-development courses after they get their law licenses.
The only exception was that new lawyerws had to takea six-hour professionalism and ethicss course within one year of getting their licenses. Underd the new rules, lawyers also will be encouraged, thougbh not required, to take at least nine additionakl credit hours of legal training each year in subjectws related to theirspecific practices. Licensing of lawyers in Hawaiio is regulated by the Hawaii Judiciary and the Hawaii State Bar Association. The association will be responsiblee for administering the continuingeducation courses.