Bridging the Gap – April 2025

The New York State Bar Association is pleased to offer newly admitted attorneys a two-day Bridging the Gap CLE program. Transitional courses are designed to help newly admitted attorneys develop a foundation in the practical skills, techniques and procedures that are essential to the practice of law.

The New York State Bar Association is pleased to offer newly admitted attorneys a two-day Bridging the Gap CLE program. Transitional courses are designed to help newly admitted attorneys develop a foundation in the practical skills, techniques and procedures that are essential to the practice of law.

The NYSBA Bridging the Gap continuing legal education program offers 16.0 total credits. Newly admitted attorneys can satisfy all of their annual MCLE requirements by attending this two-day program, which is ideal for “bridging the gap” between law school and the realities of practicing law in New York State. Experienced attorneys who have an interest in other areas of practice can also attend and benefit from this program by learning practical information from skilled and experienced practitioners.

Newly admitted attorneys must complete at least 16 transitional CLE credit hours in each of the first two years of admission to the Bar. The first set of 16 transitional CLE credit hours must be completed by the first anniversary of admission to the Bar, in the designated categories of credit. The second set of 16 transitional CLE credit hours must be completed between the first and second anniversaries. To receive skills credit, newly admitted attorneys must take accredited transitional CLE courses in traditional live classroom settings, or through attendance at fully interactive video conference locations that have been approved by the CLE Board for use by newly admitted attorneys. For more information about the CLE Rules, please go to www.nycourts.gov/Attorneys/CLE.

The New York State Bar Association Bridging the Gap program is offered throughout the year regionally and offers special member and newly admitted attorney pricing. The program is also approved for MCLE credit by the State Bar of California, the Pennsylvania Continuing Legal Education Board and the Board on Continuing Legal Education of the Supreme Court of New Jersey. Uniform certificates of attendance can also be issued for other states.

The following topic are as followed: 

1. Managing Client Conversations: Strategies for Clear Communication and Conflict Resolution
2. Judgment Enforcement | Client Counseling Skills
3. Handling Your First Deposition in New York
4. Powers of Attorney, Health Care Proxies and Living Wills | Drafting Skills for New Practitioners
5. Untangling Employee Leave Laws 2025
6. Lawyer Assistance | Addressing Stress, Wellbeing, Mental Health and Alcohol and Substance Abuse in the Legal Profession
7. Cybersecurity, Ethics and Data Privacy
8. Artificial Intelligence and the Law | What New Lawyers Need to Know
9. Prenuptial Agreements | Drafting and Client Counseling
10. Navigating Stressors in the Legal Field
11. Handling DWI Cases in NYS | Key Skills in Client Counseling
12. Representing the Small Business in New York