NCSB Journal Summer 2026

ing legal education requirements if themem ber is 65 years of age or older; and the mem ber does not render legal advice to or repre sent a client unless under the supervision of another active member who assumes respon sibility for the advice or representation. Th e exemption must be claimed annually. If the member resumes practicing law without supervision by another active member, the exemption shall terminate immediately. Th e member must then comply with the contin uing legal education requirements set out in Rule .1518 and promptly notify the State Bar of the change in circumstances. (1) the member is 65 years of age or older; and (2) the member does not render legal advice to or represent a client unless under the supervision of another active member who assumes responsibility for the advice or representation. (i) Bar Examiners. Members of the North Carolina Board of Law Examiners are exempt from the requirements of these rules for any calendar year in which they serve some por tion thereof in such capacity. (j) Application for Substitute Compliance and Exemptions. Other requests for substitute compliance, partial waivers, and/or other exemptions for hardship or extenuating cir cumstances may be granted by the Board on an annual basis upon written application of the member. (k) E ff ect of Annual Exemption on CLE Requirements. Exemptions are granted on an annual basis and must be claimed each year. An exempt member’s new reporting period will begin on March 1 of the year for which an exemption is not granted or terminated . No credit from prior years may be carried forward following an exemption. (l) Exemptions from Professionalism Requirement for New Members. (1) Licensed in Another Jurisdiction. A newly admitted member who is licensed by a United States jurisdiction other than North Carolina for five or more years prior to admission to practice in North Carolina is exempt from the PNA program require ment and must notify the Board of the exemption during the annual membership renewal process or in another manner as directed by the Board. (2) Inactive Status. A newly admitted member who is transferred to inactive sta tus in the year of admission to the North Carolina State Bar is exempt from the

PNA program requirement but, upon the entry of an order transferring the member back to active status, must complete the PNA program in the reporting period that the member is subject to the requirements set forth in Rule .1518(b) unless the mem ber qualifies for another exemption in this rule. (3) Other Rule .1517 Exemptions. A newly admitted active member who quali fies for an exemption under Rules .1517 Paragraphs (a) through (i) of this subchap ter rule shall be exempt from the PNA program requirement during the period of the Rule .1517 exemption. Th e member shall notify the Board of the exemption during the annual membership renewal process or in another manner as directed by the Board. Th e member must complete the PNA program in the reporting period the member no longer qualifies for the Rule .1517 exemption. Rule .1521, Noncompliance (a) Failure to Comply with Rules May Result in Suspension. A member who fails to meet the minimum requirements of these rules, including the payment of duly assessed penalties and fees, may be suspended from the practice of law in North Carolina. (b) Late Compliance. Any member who fails to complete his or her required hours by the end of the member’s reporting period (i) shall be assessed a late compliance fee in an amount set by the Board and approved by the Council, and (ii) shall complete any outstand ing hours within 60 days following the end of the reporting period. Failure to comply will result in a suspension order pursuant to Paragraph (c) of this Rule . below. (c) Suspension Order for Failure to Comply. 60 days following the end of the reporting period, the Council shall issue an order suspending any member who fails to meet the requirements of these rules within 45 days after the service of the order, unless the member shows good cause in writing why the suspension should not take e ff ect. Additionally, the member shall be assessed a non-compliance fee as described in Paragraph (d) of this Rule . below. Notice shall be served on the member by mailing a copy thereof by registered or certified mail or designated delivery service (such as Federal Express or UPS), return receipt requested, to the last known address of the member according to the records of the North

Carolina State Bar or such later address as may be known to the person attempting service. Service of the notice may also be accomplished by (i) personal service by a State Bar investigator or by any person authorized by Rule 4 of the North Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure to serve process, or (ii) email sent to the email address of the member contained in the records of the North Carolina State Bar if the member sends an email from that same email address to the State bar acknowledging such service. A member who cannot, with reasonable diligence, be served by registered or certified mail, designated delivery service, personal service, or email shall be deemed served upon publication of the notice in the State Bar Journal . (d) Non-Compliance Fee. A member to whom a suspension order is issued pursuant to Paragraph (c) of this Rule above shall be assessed a non-compliance fee in an amount set by the Board and approved by the Council; provided, however, upon a showing of good cause as determined by the Board, as described in Paragraph (g)(2) below, the fee may be waived. Th e non-compliance fee is in addition to the late compliance fee described in Paragraph (b) of this Rule. above. (e) E ff ect of Non-compliance with Suspension Order. If a member fails to meet the requirements during the 45-day period after service of the suspension order under Paragraph (c) of this Rule, above, the member shall be suspended from the practice of law subject to the obligations of a disbarred or sus pended member to wind down the member’s law practice as set forth in Rule .0128 of Subchapter 1B. (f)… Rule .1525, Professionalism Requirement for New Members (PNA) (a) Content and Accreditation. Th e State Bar PNA program shall consist of 12 hours of training in subjects designated by the State Bar including, but not limited to, professional responsibility, professionalism, and law o ffi ce management. Th e chairs of the Ethics and Grievance Committees, in consultation with the chief counsel to those committees, shall annually establish the content of the program and shall publish any changes to the required content on or before January 1 March 1 of each year. PNA programs may only be pro vided by sponsors registered under Rule .1522 of this Subchapter or judicial district bars

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