Take Advantage of FBA Professional Development Opportunities

Whether you’re just getting started in your law career or have decades of experience, it’s a good idea to adopt the mindset of lifelong learning. Your Federal Bar Association (FBA) membership includes a variety of benefits that keep your perspective current and your knowledge up-to-date.

Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Opportunities

As a practicing attorney, it is necessary to complete a specified number of CLE credits per year to maintain your license and continue to practice law. These vary by state and jurisdiction. Membership in FBA enables you to access more than 700 credit hours a year of continuing legal education (CLE) at the national and local levels. These include national CLE conferences, monthly CLE webinars, and sponsored events through our local chapters.

• The FBA hosts complementary monthly live webinars and discounted on-demand webinars for its members each month. We also have a partnership with myLawCLE to provide members with an online, on-demand library of webinar content. This annual all-access package costs $395 per year and provides access to unlimited viewing of over 500 CLE webinars covering more than 30 practice areas.

It’s important to note that the FBA delivers a robust offering of webinars and online events. While we strive to meet the various requirements necessary to obtain credits, there are occasions where CLE credit is denied by specific states or jurisdictions. Please view each event’s web page for information regarding CLE credits and eligibility.

• The FBA also offers numerous in-person events. FBA members receive discounted registration for our annual national CLE conferences, such as our September 2025 Annual Meeting and Convention in Minneapolis. Our sustaining members receive an additional five percent off member rates for the national CLE events.

You can find CLE credit information in the event information pages of our website. The FBA partners with ConferenceAdit to track and report CLE credit for national conferences. It’s important to know that attendees are responsible for uploading their state bar information and attendance through the site in advance of the conference. Members will need to check in and out of each panel to timestamp attendance, and they will receive a certificate via email after the conference.

• Through our more than 100 local FBA chapters, members can also access local events such as brown-bag luncheons, lectures, and fireside chats. These are posted on the FBA’s events calendar. Bookmark it for easy reference!

Considerations for CLE

Some states do not require CLE reporting, while in others, you are required to self-submit your hours. For about half the states in the United States, the FBA will submit credit on your behalf. Our site details the state-by-state information. Documentation for self-reporting states will be issued via email upon state bar approval.

As you plan your CLE, please note that posted CLE credit hours on event webpages are estimates and subject to respective state approval and reporting rules. CLE qualifications vary by state/jurisdiction, and the FBA takes every measure to collaborate with presenters to ensure approval. Credit hours may vary based on subjects, formats and presenter status. Credit will be reported approximately 4-6 weeks after the event date. Please contact your state’s regulatory body for specific questions about CLE rules.

Other Ways to Keep Learning

The benefits included in your FBA membership also encompass other ways to continually expand your learning, networking, and career advancement such as:

• Published content: As a benefit of membership, don’t forget our quarterly printed and online publication, The Federal Lawyer (Please note the online version requires member log-in on the FBA website prior to access). You’ll discover articles pertaining to some of the most timely legal issues, judicial profiles, perspectives from other FBA members, and much more. We also send members a biweekly email newsletter and section division and chapter newsletters.
• FBA’s Knowledge Hub is an excellent resource that provides members access to free downloadable content that includes eBooks, white papers, guides, case studies, industry analysis and much more content provided by experts and vendors in the legal industry.
• If you’re considering a job change, don’t forget our Legal Career Center, an online resource to connect job seekers and potential employers within the federal legal community. This free resource enables our members to post their resumes and search for jobs, and provides interview preparation guidance.

The FBA is committed to enabling you with simple ways to continue your legal education and career development. Most of these can be found on our member website. Take a look and explore the benefits of your FBA membership!