Changes are in store for Georgia lawyers required to participate in continuing legal education. Thanks to amendments approved by the Supreme Court of Georgia, State Bar of Georgia members' required instructional hours will shift from a dozen annually to 18 hours biennially, beginning Jan. 1, 2026. Plus: In addition to updated reporting and trial hours requirements, an exemption is now available for active members who have been in good standing for at least 40 years. Rules Changes Currently, Georgia lawyers admitted to the state bar must complete 12 hours of continuing legal education each year, with at least one hour dedicated to Ethics and another to Professionalism training. Those numbers will increase once amendments approved by the high court become effective on Dec 4. Georgia attorneys will now have two years to complete 18 CLE hours. However, requirements have increased to at least three Ethics hours and at least two Professionalism hours per biennial compliance period. READ: Supreme Court of Georgia Order Approving Amendments In a Facebook post announcing the changes, the State Bar of Georgia highlighted that the first compliance period would run Jan. 1, 2026, through Dec. 31, 2027. With the extended CLE compliance period came additional perks. The Supreme Court of Georgia approved the elimination of the trial hours requirement for trial lawyers. The high court also greenlit an exemption for active lawyers who've reached 40 years of bar membership without being suspended or disbarred for Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct violations.

Christopher Twyman, Cox, Byington, Twyman & Johnson, LLP. The amendments also called for additional requirements, including that lawyers certify their completion of CLE hours. "Lawyers will attest on their online CLE transcript that the CLE hours attended were hours in the lawyer's area of practice or in an area that will benefit their practice and clients," State Bar of Georgia Communications Director Jennifer R. Mason clarified. State Bar of Georgia President Christopher P. Twyman said the amendments represented "a significant change to the current CLE requirement process." However, Twyman ensured the state bar would provide "as much information as possible" ahead of the rules New Year's Day implementation to ensure its membership of 55,000 are "prepared for the new procedures." "Our goal is to provide information in a manner that is easily accessible and understandable, ensuring all members are well-prepared for the shift in process and procedure," Twyman said. 2025 Compliance Deadline Active lawyers who have yet to complete their existing 2025 CLE requirement of 12 hours—including one Ethics and one Professionalism hour—have until March 31, 2026 to do so. Upon completing their 2025 CLE hours requirement, attorneys will then observe the new CLE rules with the biennial compliance period ending Dec. 31, 2027.