MCLE Credit Beyond the Classroom: Mock Trial 

We all know that California attorneys are required to complete Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) to maintain their license. While many attorneys think of traditional CLE courses and webinars, the State Bar of California also allows credit for certain participatory activities that involve coaching and mentoring law students and other young advocates.

Under State Bar Rule 2.84, attorneys may earn participatory MCLE credit by serving in hands-on roles in competitive legal education activities such as mock trials, moot court, negotiations, arbitration, and mediation competitions.

What Activities Qualify under Rule 2.84?

Rule 2.84 permits attorneys to claim up to two hours of MCLE credit in a compliance period for serving as any of the following in eligible competitions:

• Attorney coach for student teams

• Scorer or evaluator in competition rounds

• Presiding judge or panel judge for mock trials, moot court arguments, negotiation or arbitration competitions, or mediation competitions

• These activities must involve substantive and procedural law and take place at the middle, high school, college, graduate, or law school levels.

Importantly, MCLE credit under this rule is participatory credit, meaning it counts toward the live learning requirement that is part of the 25-hour MCLE obligation every three years.

What Does Not Qualify?

There are a few limitations to be aware of:

• No credit for grading written briefs or papers associated with the activity. Only the live, participatory role counts.

• No extra credit for preparation time. Only actual time spent coaching, scoring, or presiding counts toward MCLE.

• This type of activity does not count toward specialty subfields such as legal ethics, elimination of bias, competence, technology in the practice of law, or civility training required under Rule 2.72.

Why This Matters

Rule 2.84 acknowledges that teaching and mentoring aspiring lawyers through competitive experiences contributes to practical professional development. Serving in these roles not only benefits students and young advocates, it also helps attorneys stay engaged with foundational aspects of practice such as advocacy, procedural strategy, and legal reasoning.

This form of participatory credit can be a meaningful supplement to your traditional CLE activities and a way to give back to the legal community while satisfying your MCLE requirements.

Tips for Claiming This Credit

• Keep documentation from the host organization confirming your role (coach, scorer, judge), dates, and time spent.

• Verify that the competition involves substantive and procedural law, as required under the rule.

• When reporting your MCLE hours, include these participatory credits under the appropriate category in your My State Bar Profile reporting portal.

Where can I find Mock Trial Volunteer Opportunities?

If you are a member of the Alameda County Bar Association, we list opportunities as they arise in our bi-weekly members-only e-newsletter. If you are not yet a member, check out our Why Join page for more info about the benefits of membership and how to join.

By participating in these educational competitions, you can earn valuable MCLE credit while helping develop the next generation of lawyers and enhancing your own skills.