Education FAQs

Seminars are 1-3 day in-person programs geared toward practice areas and new developments in the law. The most practical, current, and valuable information is offered, and the faculty is comprised of a blend of trial lawyers and experts, including medical and other professionals with experience in the subject matter.

Trial Skills Colleges are 3-5 day concentrated programs that combine lectures, demonstrations, and workshops in which lawyers practice their skills. This includes intensive feedback from nationally known trial lawyers and trial consultants. All workshops are recorded for you to take home as well. You can use your recordings to continue to refine your style and become more confident, powerful, and persuasive in the courtroom.

Webcasts and Webinars focus on emerging litigation, specific areas of practice, and trial skills. These programs are designed for the busy practitioner and do not require physical attendance. Instead, participants can earn valuable insight and fulfill their CLE requirements* from anywhere in the world. Webcasts are typically longer, mimicking a seminar or college and may have breakout sessions or other interactive elements.

AAJ Conventions feature CLE programs focusing on advocacy skills and substantive areas of law. Winter Convention features two daily concurrent programs. Annual Convention hosts up to 50 programs in 4 days, including the Advocacy Track and many programs planned by AAJ’s Sections, Litigation Groups, and Committees in conjunction with AAJ Education. Every convention also includes Litigation at Sunrise, a popular early morning program featuring new, unusual, and groundbreaking litigation issues. 

Focus group programs provide AAJ members an exclusive opportunity to develop and test a trial story for one of your pending cases. Present a case to live focus groups and work one-on-one with AAJ Education’s most experienced and dedicated faculty of trial lawyers. Only AAJ Education offers CLE programs with these benefits.

AAJ Regular, Sustaining, Life, President's Club, and Leaders Forum Members may attend. 

Associate Members and Nonmember Lawyers: AAJ Associate members and nonmember lawyers may attend selected programs. See individual programs for details.

Paralegal Affiliates: AAJ Paralegal Affiliates can attend any seminar with an AAJ Regular, Sustaining, Life, or President's Club Member from the same firm with the same address at 50% off the AAJ member price. AAJ Paralegal Affiliates can register for webinars at the AAJ member price.

Law Professor, Law Graduate, and Law Student Members: Individuals with these types of AAJ memberships can attend Trial Skills Colleges or Seminars that are open to nonmembers at a reduced price. At Colleges, these types of members may attend only the lecture portions of trial skills colleges and not the workshops. Law Graduate members may be eligible to attend Trial Skills Colleges in their entirety (including the workshops) at the full registration fee depending on the individual circumstances.

Email us at education@justice.org or call us at 800.424.2725 option 2 or 202.965.3500 with questions about a particular program.

There are three easy ways to register for our programs.

Online: View a full list of current CLE offerings here and register through the program page.

Mail your registration form and check to: AAJ Education, 777 6th Street NW, Ste. 200 (Attn: Registrar), Washington, DC 20001. To ensure your participation, payment must be received one week prior to the start date of the program.

Call us at 800.424.2725 option 2 or 202.965.3500 to register with a MasterCard, VISA, American Express, or Discover card.

Registration confirmations and payment receipts are emailed to the participant within 24 hours of completing your registration. To send a confirmation or receipt to a second contact, call us at 800.424.2725 option 2 or 202.965.3500. 

Cancellations for all AAJ Education programs must be submitted in writing.

Trial Skills Colleges, Seminars, and Webcasts: The dates by which you may cancel and receive either a partial refund or a voucher varies by program. To view the cancellation policy for a specific program, refer to the program web page.

Webinars: No refunds or vouchers for cancellations. Your registration fee may be applied towards the purchase of the audio recording upon request, provided the request is made in advance of the webinar.

Conventions: All Cancellations must be submitted in writing to AAJ at conventioncancellation@justice.org

The dates by which a cancellation results in a partial refund or credit varies for each convention. To inquire about convention cancellation policies, contact AAJ's Meetings and Conventions Department at 202.965.3500.

Most attendees dress in business casual attire for lecture portions of our programs. During the workshop portions of Trial Skills Colleges, courtroom dress is encouraged.

All travel and accommodation arrangements are made by the attorney, separately from their registration for a program. Visit the program page for details about a hotel room block or suggested hotels nearby. Cancelling your registration for a program does not cancel your hotel room, contact the hotel directly to cancel your reservation.

The Masters of Trial Law program honors AAJ Members who have shown dedication to their clients and commitment to the civil justice system through a rigorous curriculum of trial skills and legal specialty courses. Members are awarded for their dedication, commitment, and enthusiasm to pursue legal education throughout their career. Learn more about AAJ’s Masters of Trial Law and the distinction levels of Champion, Diplomate, and Fellow.

AAJ members volunteer their time and talent throughout the year to share their expertise with colleagues. Speaking at a convention, CLE program, or webinar is a great way to grow your network and develop the civil justice field. Apply today!

Paul Scoptur Trial Advocacy College Scholarship

In memory of long-time member Paul Scoptur, the National College of Advocacy offers scholarships for AAJ members with financial need to attend trial advocacy colleges throughout the year. Recipients are awarded complimentary registration and credit for travel costs. Donations for the scholarship fund are greatly appreciated, and applications to be awarded a scholarship are available online. Learn more.

Tuition Waivers for Seminars and Colleges

AAJ Education also reviews applications for active members in good standing to attend seminars and colleges at a reduced or complimentary rate. For more information about tuition waivers, contact AAJ Education at 800.424.2725 option 2 or email education@justice.org.

If you require an accommodation to participate in an AAJ Education event, contact education@justice.org or call 800.424.2725 option 2.

No, AAJ does not sell or share registrant email addresses or phone numbers to third parties for any purposes. Emails from sponsors and exhibitors sent to registrants are sent by AAJ.

AAJ Education Seminars, Trial Skills Colleges, and Conventions are accredited by states requiring continuing legal education. All credits, including general, ethics, professionalism, and elimination of bias, are pending approval by state accreditation agencies. In many jurisdictions, final approval is not available prior to the program and is contingent upon approval from state bars and/or MCLE boards. Total available credit hours may vary by jurisdiction. We provide certificates of attendance and credit worksheets for each AAJ Education program. It is necessary to complete these forms and return them to AAJ for processing. If you have any questions or to address specific CLE questions, email education@justice.org. For specific questions regarding your state rules, please refer to your state CLE administrator.

*Note: Check with your state CLE administrator for rules governing CLE credits from webinars and on-demand program recordings or other forms of self-study education.

CLE programs held at AAJ's Winter and Annual Conventions are accredited in all 50 states. Total available credits may vary based on the approval of the state bar. For AAJ Education seminars, colleges, webcasts, and webinars, AAJ applies for accreditation for most states based on the license information provided by attendees. You must submit a certificate of attendance with your state(s) and state bar number(s) in order to receive CLE credit. 

Note: AAJ Education seminars, colleges, webcasts, and webinars are not accredited in Illinois, New York, Virginia, or Washington. Members are encouraged to self-apply for credit in these states using the instructions below.   

Illinois: AAJ webinars, webcasts, and in-person program are eligible for Illinois CLE credit, but members must submit an application for accreditation to the state bar. CLICK HERE for information about this process, or log into your bar profile for more details. 

New York: AAJ does not issue individual course numbers for New York, as all AAJ Education programs are accredited through reciprocity. Members barred in New York should keep copies of their certificates of attendance and file them with their reporting deadline. For more information on this process, CLICK HERE. 

Virginia: The Virginia MCLE office requires a separate Virginia Application for Course Approval (Form 4) when you report your CLE credits. If Virginia is noted on your Certificate of Attendance, AAJ Education will email you this form and related documents approximately thirty days after the conclusion of the program.

Washington: The Washington State Bar Association requires a CLE Accreditation Application to be submitted along with the course agenda and speaker information. If Washington is noted on your Certificate of Attendance, AAJ Education will email you this form and related documents approximately thirty days after the conclusion of the program.

Please allow AAJ at least thirty days after convention to report all CLE credit hours.

Certain states define a “credit hour” as 50 minutes of programming, while others count a credit hour as a full 60 minutes, or do not require CLE credits at all.

• 50-minute states: CO, FL, KS, MO, NJ, NY, OK, RI, WV, WI
• 60-minute states: AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CT, DE, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KY, LA, ME, MN, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NM, NV, OH, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WY
• No CLE required: DC, MD, MA, MI, SD

Several states require that attorneys report earned CLE credits themselves and do not allow AAJ to report on your behalf. Even if you are barred in a self-reporting state, there are benefits to turning in a certificate of attendance at the end of each program you attend. AAJ can provide proof of attendance from past programs during state transcript audits, and you earn professional recognition status by submitting CLE credits to AAJ Education.

Self-reporting states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Wyoming

See below for states with commonly requested special instructions for self-reporting procedures.  

Illinois: AAJ webinars, webcasts, and in-person program are eligible for Illinois CLE credit, but members must submit an application for accreditation to the state bar. CLICK HERE for information about this process, or log into your bar profile for more details. 

Kansas: The Kansas MCLE office requires an additional affidavit form when self-reporting. If Kansas is noted on your Certificate of Attendance, AAJ Education will email you this form approximately thirty days after the conclusion of the program.

New Mexico: Please note that the New Mexico MCLE office requires an additional fee of $1.00 per credit hour. After AAJ reports your credits to the New Mexico Bar, you must pay this fee directly to the New Mexico MCLE office before your credits will be reflected on your New Mexico Bar transcripts. If you have any questions, contact the New Mexico MCLE coordinator at mcle@nmmcle.org.

New York: AAJ does not issue individual course numbers for New York, as all AAJ Education programs are accredited through reciprocity. Members barred in New York should keep copies of their certificates of attendance and file them with their reporting deadline. For more information on this process, CLICK HERE. 

Virginia: The Virginia MCLE office requires a separate Virginia Application for Course Approval (Form 4) when you report your CLE credits. If Virginia is noted on your Certificate of Attendance, AAJ Education will email you this form and related documents approximately thirty days after the conclusion of the program.

Washington: The Washington State Bar Association requires a CLE Accreditiation Application to be submitted along with the course agenda and speaker information. If Washington is noted on your Certificate of Attendance, AAJ Education will email you this form and related documents approximately thirty days after the conclusion of the program.

We encourage you to submit your Certificate of Attendance and accompanying worksheet before you leave an education program. If we have not received your CLE form within 30 days of a program, then a $20 late fee will be assessed. AAJ members may submit their credits for any AAJ Education program within the last three years.

AAJ is not responsible for accrediting or reporting CLE credits for On-Demand programs. Members are responsible for ensuring their state accepts attorney-submitted applications for self-study CLE credits. 

A common cause of missing credits at the state level is an incorrect (or missing) state bar number on your certificate of attendance. Be sure to indicate all of the states where you would like your credits to be reported and the corresponding bar number for each state.

Yes, all AAJ Education programs (including the Winter and Annual Conventions) count towards your status within the Masters of Trial Law program. For more information on our professional recognition opportunities and awards, click here.

AAJ Education records our webinars, convention presentations, and select seminars and webcasts. For a full list of offerings, click here.

Please allow AAJ at least three days after a program to prepare the recording for purchase. Most courses are available between five and ten business days after the event adjourns. 

When you purchase an AAJ On-Demand program, you will get access to an online library of your purchases and any complimentary webinars offered by AAJ. These files can be streamed through any browser, or downloaded to your local computer. AAJ does not sell recordings on USB, CD-ROM, or any physical format. 

On-demand courses contain the event recording, full course materials, and an agenda from the program as well as a certificate of completion for attendees to use when applying for self-study CLE credits.

AAJ On-Demand courses are eligible for CLE credit if your state bar accepts attorney-submitted applications for self-study credit. AAJ is not responsible for accrediting or reporting CLE credits for on-demand programs. Members are responsible for ensuring their state accepts self-applications for self-study CLE credits.

Upon completion of your on-demand course, you will be able to access a Certificate of Completion for the recording. You may submit this certificate directly to your state bar, provided your state accepts self-study credits. AAJ does not accredit recorded content or report on-demand CLEs.